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When it comes to straw versus haybackyard chickensand livestock, each has distinct advantages. We raise horses and ducks on our small hobby farm, and we have done just thatto raise chickens for eggsfor years. We purchase both straw and hay from our local feed store. You might be wondering why we buy both: after all, what's the difference when it comes to straw versus hay? They look similar and are both tied into bales, but hay and straw are two very different types of crop material, each with a very different purpose on a farm.
Straw vs. Hay: What is hay?
Let's start with hay. Hay is primarily animal feed. There are several types of hay available, such as timothy, alfalfa, etc., but hay generally consists of grasses, as well as certain grains, leaves, and legumes that have been harvested, dried, and baled for use as livestock feed (or forage) . before the seeds are formed (the formation of the seeds reduces the nutritional value of the hay).
Horses, cows, sheep andmalkegederthey all eat hay, especially in the winter months when there is no fresh grass available for grazing. Smaller animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs also eat hay. Hay is usually light green and smells nice, like a sunny field on a warm summer day.
Hay prices depend on where you live, the time of year and the available supply of hay. In our region, hay sells for almost $9 per square bale. For larger herds of livestock, round bales are also available at much lower prices.
Straw vs. Hay: What is Straw?
Straw is mainly bedding for livestock. Straw is a byproduct of the crop, usually stems and stalks of grains or grasses such as oats, barley, rye or wheat, which are harvested after the plants have died, so the straw is much drier and doesn't smell nearly as nice, although I find that it still has a lovely, albeit weaker, farmhouse scent! Sometimes some grains remain at the tip of the stems (the chickens like to eat them!), but straw usually consists of hollow stems. Although goats can eat straw, there is not as much nutritional value in straw as in hay.
Straw is much cheaper than hay in our region, selling for less than $4 per square bale.
So it makes sense that we use straw and hay for their intended purpose. Because hay is more nutritious but more expensive, we only buy hay for the horses to eat. Because straw is cheaper, dried and therefore less likely to mold or attract moisture, we buy straw for the chicken coop and nest boxes. Because it is hollow, straw also provides more of a cushion for the eggs in the nest boxes and for the chicks to jump from their roosts. Because the hollow tubes trap warm air, straw is an excellent way to keep your home warmer, even in winter.
Stacking straw bales along the interior walls and adding a nice deep layer to the floor in winter is an inexpensive way to insulate your home. Fills yourchicken coopswith straw can help prevent frozen eggs.
Some say straw can attractchicken mitesto your chicken coop. I do not agree. I have been using straw in our home in hot, humid Virginia (an optimal breeding ground for mites!) for over five years and have never had a single problem. Mites and lice feast on blood and skin tissue, not straw. They will not live in straw tubes for long, if at all. A good oneuse of diatomaceous earth(food grade) is to sprinkle on the floor of our coop and in the nest boxes as a natural way to kill parasites. Also use plenty of dried and fresh herbs in the garden to repel them. In short, straw is a much better choice for bedding than hay for both of us, due to its price and much lower moisture content.
That is why we purchase both straw and hay. Hay for the horses to eat and straw for the chicken coop and nest boxes. I recommend using straw in your chicken coop in your garden, but if you choose to use hay for financial or logistical/convenience reasons, be sure to check it often and remove any wet or damp hay to prevent mold from forming in your chicken coop. chicken coop. waste.
Originally published in 2015 and regularly reviewed for accuracy.
