Nesting boxes

[Cdaniels621]

What is the best material to use in a nesting box? Do chickens like cedar chips or shaving as well as pine ?

 

[aart]

What is the best material to use in a nesting box? Do chickens like cedar chips or shaving as well as pine ?

Do not use aromatic cedar.
I prefer straw flakes shoved tight into nests and bowled out a bit in the middle.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I find that they really don't care much what's in there. I've used aspen shavings, hemp, almost nothing at all other than the nest box pad on the bottom. One nest box right now is wood chips and feathers (the hens stuffed those in there themselves). Unless you have a broody sitting on eggs all the nest boxes need is enough padding to prevent egg breakage.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I use rubber mats in my nesting boxes because no matter what I do they kick the pine shavings out and lay on the wood. I like it because it's easy to clean and the chickens seem to prefer it when given the choice so I just switched entirely.

 

[nuthatched]

They really don't care but I think they prefer something that can take form well.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Don't use cedar. Pine is much better for them. In my nesting boxes, I have cardboard on the bottom with pine shavings for them to form their nest in.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We use shredded paper my DH gets free from the office where he works. It's clean and easy to transport, and stays amazingly clean and dry for a long time. Unlike organic material like straw, it doesn't harbor or breed bugs. The hens seem to like it as they can stomp it down and fluff it up into the shape they want. And like I said, the price is right!

 

[Bobfein2005]

I use baled straw. They love it.

 

[Cdaniels621]

Do not use aromatic cedar.
I prefer straw flakes shoved tight into nests and bowled out a bit in the middle.

Thank you

 

[Cdaniels621]

Don't use cedar. Pine is much better for them. In my nesting boxes, I have cardboard on the bottom with pine shavings for them to form their nest in.

Thank you