coop bedding- what do you prefer??

[adgcountrygirl]

Depends on where you live, landscape and other issues. I use a dirt floor coop. Just my preference.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I use pine shavings in the coop, straw in the nest boxes, my poop boards are covered with linoleum and I scrape the poop of daily. The run just has grass clippings or leaves and I throw a bale of hay in there for them to play with. Doesn't really matter though. Since they free range all day and they only sleep in the coop, there's very little poop to get stinky or attract flies. I'm still new to all this too since my flock is only 14 1/2 weeks old so I probably haven't had them long enough to experience any issues but I based my choices on what everyone in my area (PA) seems to prefer and so far it's working great for us. I haven't used DE yet at all and probably won't unless I need to. Good luck!

 

[country flock]

I wouldn't use straw for the floor; it seems some pesky bugs and other critters like laying eggs in the hollow straw stems, so I'd use oine shavings. I do use straw for the nests though since the hens don't usually dirty them like they do the coop floor.

Just my opinions though! Never tried pea gravel or sand before.

 

[ChickenMomma91]

I don't have my girls yet but we get the Kc Star twice a week so we plan on using shredded newspaper

 

[vintagegem]

I also think ventilation is a key factor that needs to be taken into account

I live in Sussex in the UK nice to meet you

Your coop sounds very well planned and you have taken everything into perspective about the coop . well done

. My computer won't let me see your pics though :-(

Hi...I'm originally from Sussex too!, living in Michigan now and have my first flock of 6 hens

 

[Oscarsgravett]

That's scary , I am new to chickens and my first flock is 6 chickens and I am from Sussex

 

[Davidhalpern2]

Sand and sweet PDZ is the answer!

 

[lauranickerson]

Okay, I've tried quite a few different beddings. Here's my take on all of them.

Pine shavings:
-Pros: Dry, antibacterial, fragrant, good for compost
-Cons: Dusty, messy, expensive (for those who can only get it from feed stores), hassle to clean out

Straw:
-Pros: Poultry love to play in, cheap, good for compost (especially if broken down well)
-Cons: Not very absorbent, possibility for mold, hollow straw can harbor pests, can get matted, dusty

Paper shavings:
-Pros: Free (all from a paper shredding), good for compost
-Cons: Messy, possibility of mold, can get matted

Sand:
-Pros: Odorless, easy clean up with chickens only, aesthetically pleasing, exfoliates bird's feet
-Con: Expensive, fits through cracks on coop floor (money down the drain), pointless with ducks, retains no heat in winter, can harbor bacteria.

Pine needles (dried):
-Pros: Free (if you have pine trees), fragrant, exfoliates bird's feet, poultry love to play in, easy to clean up, doesn't mat, good for compost, not hollow so it doesn't harbor pests, doesn't seem to mold, not too dusty
Cons: Best to harvest off of ground when dry (so if it's been raining, you're out of luck)


So obviously, my latest experiment on bedding has been pine needles, and I don't have a single complaint yet!

I also tried deep bedding this winter, in hopes to generate heat, but I didn't notice it at all. I used straw, hay, and some pine shavings every once in a while, all layered on top of each other. When spring time rolled around, It was about 1.5ft-2ft deep in some places, and took my whole day off to clean out. And though it didn't smell terribel before I disturbed it, when I started digging into it, holy cow, it was rank! So I probably won't be doing that next winter.

For my nest boxes, I've used pine shavings, straw, hay, and dried grass. My favorite is actually dried grass, and that's free, too!

When I clean out my coop, I use lots of DE and Sweet PDZ on the floor, roosts, nest boxes, and poop boards before I lay my bedding. Cuts out all the smell and keeps the pine needles extra dry!


Just my experiences! Hope it helps!

 

[vehve]

Okay, I've tried quite a few different beddings. Here's my take on all of them.

Pine shavings:
-Pros: Dry, antibacterial, fragrant, good for compost
-Cons: Dusty, messy, expensive (for those who can only get it from feed stores), hassle to clean out

Straw:
-Pros: Poultry love to play in, cheap, good for compost (especially if broken down well)
-Cons: Not very absorbent, possibility for mold, hollow straw can harbor pests, can get matted, dusty

Paper shavings:
-Pros: Free (all from a paper shredding), good for compost
-Cons: Messy, possibility of mold, can get matted

Sand:
-Pros: Odorless, easy clean up with chickens only, aesthetically pleasing, exfoliates bird's feet
-Con: Expensive, fits through cracks on coop floor (money down the drain), pointless with ducks, retains no heat in winter, can harbor bacteria.

Pine needles (dried):
-Pros: Free (if you have pine trees), fragrant, exfoliates bird's feet, poultry love to play in, easy to clean up, doesn't mat, good for compost, not hollow so it doesn't harbor pests, doesn't seem to mold, not too dusty
Cons: Best to harvest off of ground when dry (so if it's been raining, you're out of luck)


So obviously, my latest experiment on bedding has been pine needles, and I don't have a single complaint yet!

I also tried deep bedding this winter, in hopes to generate heat, but I didn't notice it at all. I used straw, hay, and some pine shavings every once in a while, all layered on top of each other. When spring time rolled around, It was about 1.5ft-2ft deep in some places, and took my whole day off to clean out. And though it didn't smell terribel before I disturbed it, when I started digging into it, holy cow, it was rank! So I probably won't be doing that next winter.

For my nest boxes, I've used pine shavings, straw, hay, and dried grass. My favorite is actually dried grass, and that's free, too!

When I clean out my coop, I use lots of DE and Sweet PDZ on the floor, roosts, nest boxes, and poop boards before I lay my bedding. Cuts out all the smell and keeps the pine needles extra dry!


Just my experiences! Hope it helps!

Good idea about the pine needles, might warrant a trial.

Here in Finland, many coops are heated by means of peat moss based deep litter, same principal is utilized for large production animals as well.

 

[6of6chicks]

Pine needles (dried):
-Pros: Free (if you have pine trees), fragrant, exfoliates bird's feet, poultry love to play in, easy to clean up, doesn't mat, good for compost, not hollow so it doesn't harbor pests, doesn't seem to mold, not too dusty
Cons: Best to harvest off of ground when dry (so if it's been raining, you're out of luck)

Wow, that would never have occurred to me in a million years. Who knew that great big tree in the back of my yard is good for something other than clogging up my mower!

I can't wait to try this. Seriously - I've never been so excited to rake the yard in my life. Thanks!!