What are the types of bedding can be used in the coop

[SFBayArea]

What do you guys use for the coop bedding that is cheap or free?
Lets come with the ideas?
Here are few of mine, but not sure if they can work (just thinking out-loud).

1. Pine or oak saw dust, will that work?
2. Wood chips from your yearly tree trimming?
3. Lawned grass that has dried up after being cut?

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I use sand from the stream but I wouldn't use saw dust the other two might be ok

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Plus I like the sand the best because when it's cold out I let them in the coop for the day it acts as a covered dust bath house for them to keep clean and dry and perfected away from the weather

 

[flyin-lowe]

Saw dust is too fine and can cause issues. A lot of it depends on your plans. If you want deep litter pine does not break down as fast as others. If you are going to be emptying it routinely then pine shavings are great. If you are looking at free then rake up dried leaves and grass. They will chop them up and love pecking through them for bugs. Sand can be used if you plan to scoop out the droppings.

 

[gaitanm24]

I'm using sand in the run and pine shavings in the coop. I love the sand outside! So easy to poop scoop!

 

[SFBayArea]

How is shavings differ from wood chips? I have tons of wood chips all around my place for free. Are wood chips too big too rough?

 

[Howard E]

Curious if anyone has tried miscanthus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miscanthus_giganteus

Scroll down to the part about using it for bedding / litter.

I'm thinking of planting some to use as summer shade and windbreak, but also to harvest and chop up as litter.

Before the fox got em all, my daughter's birds loved to hang out under some tall ornamental grass that was planted in the corner of the yard. Miscanthus would be similar.

 

[FlyWheel]

Don't use hardwood or cedar shavings, as they exude a chemical that in the confined area of a coop can do nasty things to the bird's respiratory system over time. Pine is supposed to also, but nowhere near as bad. Perhaps when kiln dried it loses this, but that someone else will have to verify.

I heard dried leaves make a good bedding material, the chickens love scratching through it for bugs, it composts great and it's free! I plan to spread this over the entire run this fall and let my birds par-rty

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

I am going to use the deep liter method for my run possibly

 

[Clucker53]

I personaly think that pinewood shavings is the best for your chickens, and here is why. Pinewood shavings are very good at killing off bacteria from your chicken's waste, and they also help to absorb the exess moisture that is built up in the coop. Many other types of bedding will have bacteria form and probably not absorb as much moisture or be comortable for your chickens. NEVER go with cedar shavings because that it toxic for chickens.