Bedding

[Dominik]

We used to use pine shaving for bedding in our coop. Our 4 hens wouldnt stop eating it so we switched to sand a few weeks ago and we LOVE it. Its now so easy to keep the coop clean and it looks like the girls enjoy it way better than pine shavings. They spend hours dust bathing! BUT I noticed that the sand is very cold and we are far from the -30c that we get in winter. There is 2" of foam under the coop's floor. I think the very cold sand could be an issue and im not sure we can go back to pine shavings. Any suggestions? (The runs floor is also sand)

 

[11mini]

Are you sure they were eating it? Mine peck and scratch thru the shavings but I don't think they are actually eating it.

 

[Dominik]

Are you sure they were eating it? Mine peck and scratch thru the shavings but I don't think they are actually eating it. 

Yes there is no doubt they eat it and there is lots of it in their poops

 

[tcstoehr]

Yes there is no doubt they eat it and there is lots of it in their poops

This is not uncommon.
Make sure none of that foam is exposed, they'll eat that too.

 

[Dominik]

The foam is under the wood floor

 

[sunflour]

Yes there is no doubt they eat it and there is lots of it in their poops

I know what you mean. We started with sand in coop and run and shavings in nests…they had feeding frenzies. Tried shredded paper, and they ate it as well. Had to change nests to sand also. But never tried straw, maybe you could try it for the winter? Too big to eat? Overlay over sand and remove when winter is over?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Have you tried the big, flake shavings? They really are very large flakes, no way a chicken can eat them.

 

[sunflour]

Have you tried the big, flake shavings? They really are very large flakes, no way a chicken can eat them.

Guess this should have been obvious, but I never thought of that. Thanks for the post.

@Dominik sounds worth trying. I'm gonna try in my nest boxes.

 

[Dominik]

this is the "biggest" kind available here. We use it for the nest boxes. They wont eat it in the nest boxes but as soon as some gets on the coops floor they will eat it.

 

[Dominik]

They will eat anything but grit...