I don't know about the mold, but one thing I was told to watch out for using old hay in the hen house was that it could be full of chiggers. So I spread it out and sprinkled it with Sevin dust. The next day I tossed it and sprinkled it again. The following day, I put it in the house and never noticed the hens having any chigger problems.

Well, fortunately, we don't have chiggers. I grew up in Tennessee so I know very well what chiggers are, but no one else up here does. They've never heard of them and I don't think they believe me when I explain what they are, either! lol!

If I don't use the black moldy parts, just the dry hay, will it be ok for that use or will the mold in it hurt the chickens?

This is for the pen outside. I have wood shavings and shredded paper inside and plan to supplement that with bags dried leaves, as soon as they all fall (soon).

My inclination would be not to use it. Breathing mold spores is NOT a good idea for any animal - and being closer to the ground, plus digging through it to stir up any and all spores, the hens would get a lot more than you would. Keep it for the garden is my thought.

Using something to prevent the outside pen from becoming a muddy morass would be good, but not being there, I can make no suggestions other than the usual, shavings, sawdust, clean hay, straw, etc. Just bear in mind the ease or difficulty of cleaning it out again once the rain stops.

You couldn't send some of the rain this way, could you? We are still in the strongest drought classification, having received only about a foot, maybe a few inches more, since Jan.!

Thanks for the advice. I guess I will keep it for the garden.

Can I send you some snow, instead?

Moldy hay = bad for chickens.

Keep it away from the chickens or anything else that might eat it, mold can kill. :( Chicken scratch around a lot, stirring up mold spores for them and you to breathe.

To tell you the truth, I wouldn't even use the hay in the garden or compost pile, mold can be pretty tenacious. I'd get rid of it.

Velvet ~:>

To use moldy hay in your compost pile or garden treat it with a sprinkling of lime. Lime will change the pH and thereby killing the mold. Don't use more than a cupful per bale (small twine/wire tied). I myself would not put it on the garden but instead compost it in a pile turning it every month and let it set over winter before adding to the garden. Composting process is enhanced by molds and bacteria-adding a sprinkling of lime the last time you turn it kills the mold (use the lime only if you still see molds). Wait 2 weeks than add it to you garden.

To para phrase Velvet-'mold is deadly for chickens'. Most animals get very sick eating it.

Would wood ash work as well? I have lots of that!

As well for what? To make the hay safe to use in the garden, possibly, but too much wood ash isn't good for gardens either. And if for the hens, my guess is not. The mold spores will still be there, and can be breathed in, to grow in their lungs. If in your compost pile, after turning it once or twice in the spring, probably, but lime might be safer. As Velvet Sparrow said, mold can be deadly.

To use instead of bedding of some kind - no, ashes aren't at all absorbent.

runningtrails,,,I dumped a load of rocks and crushed stone in the outside run...as well as clean sand every spring to keep things less mucky out there. works great and theres no danger for mold ect..and when it rains,the stones keep everything relatively clean,,it's sort of like a filter...it's awsome. I can't do it everywhere outside for them, but in the areas I found to get the muddiest and poopiest!

I meant to use the wood ash to make it safe for the garden. I won't put it near the hens.

Rocks sound like a good idea. I might give that a try. Thanks!