I use whatever is available for cheap. Old hay, straw, big bags of leaves that people were going to throw away, etc. my brooders usually have pine shavings, but they graduate to the regular bedding quickly. We are in a fairly dry climate, and I have NEVER seen the bedding in my coop clump up. I use the deep litter method. My coop does not smell at all. Yesterday it snowed and was cold. By cold, I mean it was 8 F inside the coop in the morning. It got up to about 31 F during the day. None of the chickens wanted to go out (I keep the chicken door open all the time). They kept busy scratching up the bedding, and stirred things up nicely. I will be cleaning it out in March, and adding new bedding. Again, a blend of leaves old hay, and straw.
