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Pine needles for bedding ??? - Page 2

post #11 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by HottentotTeal 

If you are lucky to have a pine tree, you can get it for free or just buy a bale of it, much like Hay. I bought a 25 or 40 pound bale, for about $20.


Where did you buy it at? Feed store? Home depot?
Maybe i can get some from my grandpas personal pine forest, if i agree to rake them up for him.

“God is God. Because he is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what he is up to.” - Elisabeth Elliot

 

Catholic teen, living in my orange house with ten siblings, a dog, four cats, and more chickens than I can count! 

 

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“God is God. Because he is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what he is up to.” - Elisabeth Elliot

 

Catholic teen, living in my orange house with ten siblings, a dog, four cats, and more chickens than I can count! 

 

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post #12 of 20

I use pine straw in the nest boxes.  They like it.

post #13 of 20

This is such great news!! I have TONS and TONS of dead needles!!  Am I right to assume I could throw them in the run, too??

-Kristi    No chickens yet, planning the coop!  Cruising the forum, soaking up the info!  Wife to a VERY tolerant hubby, Mom to two wonderful children, under the watch of two bullmastiffs (all who LOVE eggs!)
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-Kristi    No chickens yet, planning the coop!  Cruising the forum, soaking up the info!  Wife to a VERY tolerant hubby, Mom to two wonderful children, under the watch of two bullmastiffs (all who LOVE eggs!)
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post #14 of 20

We have pine trees and some hardwoods in our yard, and when I rake there are always tons of pine needles in the pile.  I toss it all into the run, and they love it!  Pine needles do take forever to mold over.  I use it as mulch and whenever I turned it and added fresh needles in the spring there really was very little mold on the very bottom.  They are a great readily available  resource!

Happily owned by 7 fluffy butt girls: 1 BO, 3 BA, and 3 Cochins.  Also have 11 hermit crabs, 2 giant african millipedes, a ball python, and a wonderful irish wheaten terrier!  2 awesome boys who love them all!

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Happily owned by 7 fluffy butt girls: 1 BO, 3 BA, and 3 Cochins.  Also have 11 hermit crabs, 2 giant african millipedes, a ball python, and a wonderful irish wheaten terrier!  2 awesome boys who love them all!

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post #15 of 20

Pine straw works great in nesting boxes and carriers... I ship adult birds all over the US and always use pine straw.

However, I do not use it in the floor of the coops because it is not absorbant. Other materials make better floor litter.

NPIP 56-378, AI tested Clean, Farm Inspected by Clemson Poultry
Breeding Orientals,Games and Ducks;
With a large selection of Asil
And the largest flock of Cubalayas east of the Mississippi
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NPIP 56-378, AI tested Clean, Farm Inspected by Clemson Poultry
Breeding Orientals,Games and Ducks;
With a large selection of Asil
And the largest flock of Cubalayas east of the Mississippi
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post #16 of 20

I have a few pine trees and some other trees, mainly oak. I gather up a bunch of leaves and pine needles whenever the mood hits and run over them with the lawn tractor and mix them up. Works great. And yes, you can use them in the run too, though I'm sure someone will chime in and say that other things such as sand work better. Where I live, sand is far from free though and the used bedding makes fantastic compost and/or mulch for my garden.

== Easy incubator wiring chart: http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=65925 Installing a thermostat: http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html
Love those Orps!

I don't care why the chicken crossed the road, as long as mine don't!

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== Easy incubator wiring chart: http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=65925 Installing a thermostat: http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html
Love those Orps!

I don't care why the chicken crossed the road, as long as mine don't!

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post #17 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by saladin 

Pine straw works great in nesting boxes and carriers... I ship adult birds all over the US and always use pine straw.

However, I do not use it in the floor of the coops because it is not absorbant. Other materials make better floor litter.


That would be my question, too (absorbancy). Pine needles won't fluff up like shavings, either, so would be of no use in cold weather for a chicken to nestle into as they can with shavings.

However, if what you're looking for is to just have something covering the floor or poop board/tray so that the poop won't stick to it, and so you can sweep or scoop up the droppings in the litter, pine needles should work fine for that.

post #18 of 20

This is an old post I know, but I just started raising chickens and I have an abundance of pine trees so I get the needles in the road and driveway that are crushed and softer. I just put some in the coop and the girls loved scratching in it, and scattering it. They were so fun to watch.

So I guess I want to know if its ok to use, they seem to like it.

post #19 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by pmelton View Post

This is an old post I know, but I just started raising chickens and I have an abundance of pine trees so I get the needles in the road and driveway that are crushed and softer. I just put some in the coop and the girls loved scratching in it, and scattering it. They were so fun to watch.

So I guess I want to know if its ok to use, they seem to like it.

I use them all the time smile.png
I luuuuuurve chickens.
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I luuuuuurve chickens.
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post #20 of 20

Rock on!!  We have a huge pile of needles/leaves/dead grass just sitting there.  Will it work with the grass and leaves in it too?  Could you use this with the DLM?  

Patti - Ringleader to two crazy boys, plus a new princess.

Chicken Math strikes again...  11 hens, 1 rooster, 3 pullets, 17 chicks, and more in the 'bator.

Fur-mama to Dodger, Oliver, and Cici. Foster dog-mama to many!

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Patti - Ringleader to two crazy boys, plus a new princess.

Chicken Math strikes again...  11 hens, 1 rooster, 3 pullets, 17 chicks, and more in the 'bator.

Fur-mama to Dodger, Oliver, and Cici. Foster dog-mama to many!

Reply
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