Solitary chicken - need advice

[Jennyhenny]

I have just read on another post a fellow Omletter saying not to use straw in the nest box cos it harbours spors etc. plus the chooks eat it and can cause impacted crop (whatever that is)

 

I have only had the girls a fortnight and read on the forum that straw was ok for them but not hay. The girls do eat it

 

Is this a problem do I need to change to something else immediately.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Jennyhenny

[Redwing]

You are correct about the hay.

 

Straw is officially fine but some chickens do eat lots of it and the longer strands can get trapped in the crop - long bits sort of wind themselves around (like in a birds nest) and that can cause problems. Some people use straw with absolutely no problems but others have had problems

[scrambledhead]

I use straw and think its fine, just need to make sure its a good quality.

Certainly the BHWT didn't suggest it wasn't suitable.

 

But I'm new to this so if I'm wrong someone will come along and help out!

 

[Cyber Chook]

Hi, interesting question. I'm not experienced either, and no doubt someone will be along soon who knows about these things, but I think hay and straw can make good hiding places for red mites to crawl into the hollow stems.

 

I know when I had my guinea pigs, we had a problem with mites from hay, where foxes have passed through the hay meadows and left mites on the grass stems.

[Lewis]

I've always used straw for the chickens, and have never had a problem with it.

[Sarahw12]

I was told when I first started keeping them, that they should have chopped straw, rather than "ordinary". Chopped is more expensive, but still only about £7 for a *huge* bale, which lasts months and months, and I presume it prevents the above-mentioned tangly long strands in the crop.

 

...having said that, my friend has kept his with ordinary un-chopped straw for years with no problems.

[Guest]

The breeder I got my hens from used straw and her chickens were very healthy ...If it is stored foxes mice etc will pee and nest etc in the barns so just make sure its good quality & clean..u will know if it smells musty etc and mice droppings u will see..what did we do before all the nice horse bedding came along!

Am sure u will be fine..hay is not so great for bedding really

good luck indie

[Cinnamon]

USE AUBIOSE!!!

 

Its harbours no mites, they won't eat it, its very very absorbat & in my experience its the best,easiest thing to use.

 

Everyone should use Aubiose (or an something similar)

Its available in a bale from most horsey type stores,.

[Egluntyne]

I agree. Not worth the risk of using straw imho. A clutch of eggs looks very pretty nestling in a bed of straw, but that is the only point in its favour for me.

[stoice]

I use hemcore now but did use chopped straw that was medicated to taste bitter and stop horses, rabbits (And i guess chickens) from eating it. It was called medi-bed by dengie. Just need to be attentive to dusting for mites regularly though.

[*mummy_hen*]

TBH, i would change it. Chickens love straw but it can cause them problems.

 

Something with the dust, etc. removed is good such as auboise and it is quite readily available from horsey stores.

[Woodcat]

i use both straw and easibed. I have a layer of easibed underneith and then straw on top. I have two chooks that love to build proper nest the sort you expect to find in trees and i can't deny them the pleasure they get from doing that. Also if i don't give them straw they find other things to make their nest out of and either dont lay in the house or take some very odd objects back to the house to build their nests. Grass, bits of newspaper, sections of a tarpoulin that got riped etc. It's just more hassel not to give them what they want. I also have never had any problems with them eating it or getting tangled up in it.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I use straw and think its fine, just need to make sure its a good quality.

Certainly the BHWT didn't suggest it wasn't suitable.

 

 

I was told by the ladies at the BHWT collection to put straw in the eglu for them to snuggle into. I must admit it was a pain to poo pick from, so once I'd finished most of the bale I switched to shredded paper or hemcore - much nicer!!

 

Sha x

[Falkor]

I use straw and think its fine, just need to make sure its a good quality.

Certainly the BHWT didn't suggest it wasn't suitable.

 

 

I was told by the ladies at the BHWT collection to put straw in the eglu for them to snuggle into. I must admit it was a pain to poo pick from, so once I'd finished most of the bale I switched to shredded paper or hemcore - much nicer!!

 

Sha x

 

I gave up on straw too but only for poo picking reasons!!!! Aubiose is great!

[Christian]

I think the main reason to avoid straw is that it is hollow and mites can hide in it. Have used Aubiose for a couple of years now and couldn't do without it.

[Plum]

I used chopped dust extracted straw with red mite powdered sprinkled into it. Then one of my daft girls decided she liked eating it and got crop problems. Use hemcore now which is brilliant.