best material to put in nesting boxes

[redsullivan]

Hi All,

I'm fairly new to "chickens" and have six Black Australorp hens. I'm wondering what is the best material to put in the nesting boxes? Right now I have hay but would love your opinions. I have pine chips on the floor.

Thanks!

 

[stockton]

We are faily new also. We started with hay in the nesting boxes - they(we have 4) wouldn't step foot in them. Changed to the pine shavings and they moved right in.

-Janet

 

[al6517]

I think most folks make their decisions on nesting materials due to several factors, all choices do have thier good and bad points. for Most folks it boils down to what they can get readily and inexpensively that will work for them. whether it be pasture hay, straw hay, pine chips, or anything else. i personaly use straw hay, it works well for me as I have 50 + chickens. I can get it cheap all year round, and compost well for my garden, cleans up easy and the chickens like it.

AL

 

[vstoltzfus]

My husband is a carpenter, so I use wood shavings. But I might switch to leaves (which my friend uses) and save the shavings for the guinea pig's cage, since he's about to come inside for the winter.

 

[newchicksnducks]

I have shavings in my nest boxes, and have similar birds to yours. They love to move the shavings around, leaving the center bare to the wood. After a couple of dented/cracked eggs, I started putting cardboard on the bottom (easy to clean - just toss when dirty and replace!) and then shavings on top of the cardboard. This has been working great.

 

[Mr chicken dude]

I haven't tried it out yet but when I built the nesting boxes we put a foamy gushy pad on the bottom and then we will put hay on top of it were hoping it will work out well....

 

[mulia24]

well, here quite hard to find any hay or pine shaving.

i use newspaper shred here and they just lay on it.