I'm wondering if I could build a temporary chicken house using hay bales that have been stored in the barn for some time. They were in the barn when we moved in. I think it was cut at least in 1996. As far as temporary I'm thinking of around 6 months to a year. I live in NW Oregon so we have fairly wet winters and dry summers. It was just an idea! Thank's for the input. Tricia Cribbins

-- Tricia Cribbins (cribbins@agalis.net), January 06, 2002

Answers

As long as they aren't MOLDY, I think they are fine for your purpose.

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002.

They aren't called STRAW houses for nothin'! -G- Hay will mold with any moisture....and you're in wet country. No?

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), January 06, 2002.

It's sounds like a good idea sorta. I don't know a whole lot about Oregon, but couldn't predators get at your chickens fairly easily with a structure like that? Around here they'd have a hey-day!!

-- Katie (4gnaturegirl@chibardun.net), January 06, 2002.

For a tempoarary structure I think its a good idea. A neighbor of mine dumped a bunch of old hay in a back corner about 5 years ago. The hay that stayed in bundles and had more bundles on top is still there(I'm not saying it's fresh by any means) the hay that broke open is disintegrating. So I would have to say that if the bales were still fairly tightly drawn and you stacked them it would last a year. I think the weakness is in the bottom bale right on the ground, and if you had a roof with good overhangs to keep as much moisture as possible away.

-- Terri in NS (terri@tallships.ca), January 06, 2002.

You're asking for trouble. Hay is not straw. Hay will insulate, but will be a source of "future" trouble for your birds. Use it as temporary fix? Not me.

Get to know a farmer that raises wheat or barley and buy his excess straw bales (about $1 each), cover them with 3-mil black plastic and stack them. If not higher than six feet, you don't need rebar. As for the flooring, concrete is preferred.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 06, 2002.