using wool/fleece or other fabric as nesting material? can it be done~?

[Xtineart]

My chickens love to nest down, they LOVE to snuggle and most of all they love, love, love to come into 'mummy's' big house to find something cuddly to bed down in, my feather duvet, the laundry pile, the sheepskin rug, the hall carpet and the absolute no.1 favourite item, my fur lined parka jacket.

The parka in particular gets them so happy they cheep cheep like some kind of delighted radiation detector and won't move off it, even for a juicy worm.

I was thinking, as I do a lot of hiking and wool and fleece stay pretty warm even when wet, would it be suitable material to use in the nesting boxes as it's clear they absolutely love the feel of soft fluffy fabric under their little butts? If I used something like cut up old jumpers from the thrift store they'd be as cheap to buy as bags of straw and could probably be thrown in the wash if not too dirty or wet?

Has anyone tried this? Should I give it a go?

 

[sunflour]

Sounds like they would love it. I would recommend only natural fabrics because they will likely eat a few threads. If you do, please post pics of the girls enjoying the nests.

 

[Xtineart]

I will do, I think I'll try wool or sheepskin pieces first though they've tried eating wool before from my knitting and they hate it, it rapidly gets spit out with much disgusted beak wiping to show how nasty it tastes.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Has anyone tried this? Should I give it a go? Sure let us know on your experiment !!!
That is the true test of any theory.

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new. Feed bags are a nylon mesh bag frozen poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off in summer when left out in the sun to bake and dry.

 

[WNCcluck]

I spin my own yarn from wool roving of various breeds of sheep. From time to time, I'll end up with roving I don't like -'usually beacuse of the feel as it slides through my fingers as I spin. I'll be interested to hear how your fibers in the nesting boxes experiment goes. Please do keep us posted.

 

[Xtineart]

they bloody LOVE it. They are in the hosue just now as we had a flood here so had to take them indoors so they are nesting down in an old pair of fleecy pyjamas of mine and they look so happy, I dont think they will want to go back to boring old straw when they go back to the coop outside!

 

[Xtineart]

Boo looking impressed with her IKEA shelf/Pyjama nest combo.

 

[sunflour]

Boo looking impressed with her IKEA shelf/Pyjama nest combo.

she looks so happy and comfy in there. But watch out, next they will want carpet in their run..

 

[Xtineart]

absolutely they dont want plain straw of chips anymore they want fleece. only fleece is soft enough for their pampered wee botties. If I put fleece down the absolute chirps of delight are hilarious as they fight to cuddle up and lay their eggs in their soft snuggly favourite nest.

 

[TCCL]

I had a old, thick, felted wool coat and cut it into ~1/2" wide by 2" to 4" long strips and piled them into the nesting boxes. The hens immediately took to it. They love it and not a single bad thing had happened as a result. The felted wool strips are easily machine washable and machine dryable.

What I'm referring to as felted wool is wool that has been washed and dried in hot to the point that it no longer shrinks.

I have a old rabbit? fur coat I plan to cut apart and line a nest with it to see how they like that!