Mucking out hay bedding?!

Would have thought it would be horrible as a bedding for mucking out, as the strands are really long so surely it would all mesh together?!

Also on a different note I'm sure my horses would eat it!
 
Animals shouldnt be bedded on hay as the spores in the hay once it gets damp can make them ill. Horses will eat even spoiled hay that may give off mould spores that can result in lung damage. Hay starts to ferment quickly when wetted resulting in odour. It is diffcult to clean.

So I would muck it all out! and get suitable bedding...sorry :-( Not even my chickens are bedded on hay!
 
My horse daydreams about a bed made of hay!
Hungry hippo! :)

Straw wise, Get a long fork - pick the poos off the tip (Unless they are hidden) - then slowly flick the dry to the sides, uncovering the wet (and usually stinky) and chuck this in the barrow.
Takes a while to 'get your eye in' - its not as easy to spot as shavings!

Best tip - Dont use a shavings fork! :)
 
Best implement for doing a straw bed is a traditional two pronged fork. I'm such a saddo, that I have even taken my own when I have helped out friends on straw!!!
 
Don't use hay - for straw, Traditional BHS - Lift what droppings you can see, then shake up all the straw from one side of the stable and toss the clean stuff to the other side, then sweep the floor. Then toss all the clean straw from the otherside to the first side, sweep that side. Lay the clean used straw and top up with clean straw.
Or use wood pellets, cheap, easy and e-friendly.
 
Very I imagine !

I deep litter as my mare is a filth pot, It takes a while to get the hang of a straw bed. I swear by a multi mucker fork as the drobbings don't fall thru
 
Rubber gloves!

Stick 'em on & pick up the poo, save all the smaller bits falling through.

Then I find a wide shavings fork easier than a straw fork, one with 5/6 prongs. Chuck all the clean straw up from the middle onto the banks & take out the wet. Then re-lay middle from banks, and top up with clean straw as needed.

I also used to put a thin layer of sawdust down underneath, that you can just scrape up. Absorbs all the pee that soaks through the straw.

Just gone onto shavings & matting, straw used to be cheaper but not so any more around here! So much easier to muck out, not missing hauling stinky, heavy wet straw about :D
 
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