Alternatives to wood shavings?

Date sort Score sort
I use the pelletized equine bedding from Tractor Supply. Its cheap and I mix it with the pine shavings to make them more dense. It keeps the shavings dry for longer as it wicks up all of the moisture. The chickens weren't crazy about them at first, but are used to them now. Make sure you cover the pellets with shavings the first time, because they don't like the feel of the pellets under their feet. I have a 4X4 coop and use 1 bag to start and cover with about 2" of shavings. I keep rotating the bedding and it all breaks down...I never have damp bedding this way. Hope it helps
 
I use regular old hay and they seem happy and I have no issues with it. Just rake it out once a week and its fine. This time of year I use leaves from the yard. You don't have to get fancy with bedding. Just change it once a week and sprinkle a layer of de under it each time and you'll have no issues.
 
I may have a simpler solution. Just walk a bit farther through grassy turf from the coop to the house or keep a flat of water outside the coop as a boot bath and step through it a few times after leaving the coop. Should clean your feet off quite well. I'm not sure why they should be all over your clothes? I'm lucky and have a wood shop owner for a neighbor. He says getting rid of his shavings was a real pain. Now he just bags them up and I am thrilled to get them.
 
My chicken "coop" is half my shed. I have stall mats over the floor and use a deep litter mix of chopped fallen leaves with some pine shavings. It composts beautifully. Plenty of free leaves in the Northeast!
 
Have you thought about burlap cloth? You could also cover the shaveings with it to keep them from being tracked around. I use it for the young chicks. It don't last long and I don't know the price. But with allerges to hay it maybe an alternative.
 
nsp135282 said:
I may have a simpler solution. Just walk a bit farther through grassy turf from the coop to the house or keep a flat of water outside the coop as a boot bath and step through it a few times after leaving the coop. Should clean your feet off quite well. I'm not sure why they should be all over your clothes?
Click to expand...

You would have to read back through the thread. She showed a picture of her coop. It is raised and she reaches into it to clean, feed and water. The shavings aren't on her feet because she can't walk in the coop. They are on her clothes because that is what is going IN the coop.
big_smile.png


Bruce
 
I usually use straw. Sometimes it is very coarse, thick stems!! I am trying wood chips, but concerned that baby chicks will eat it when scratching for food. The woodchips are about the same color as the chick starter. Will it hurt them if they eat it?? Also, I was wondering if there is some kind of bedding that isn't SO dusty!!! There is a THICK layer of dust on everything!! I have my chicks inside sincre it's been so cold!!
 
I put my 4 new chicks on a bed of rice hulls. No dust, they peck them but spit them out. Mine were eating the wood shavings so I changed immediately. My full grow chickens love rice hulls, they find a few bugs and a grain of rice every so often. Easy to clean and recycle. Earlier I found a post regarding the benefits of using rice hulls. Very little down side. My cost in Calif is $5.50 for 50 lbs. Plus no smell so no allergies to myself.
 

Similar threads

DonyaQuick
Avoiding Future Gut Impaction
Replies
6
Views
546
pdnarus10
pdnarus10
DonyaQuick
    • Like
Wood chip drying questions
Replies
4
Views
909
NatJ
NatJ
R
ID Bands- Suggestions- Reviews- Failures * Edited-what system do you use?
2
Replies
10
Views
1K
RememberTheWay
R
E
    • Like
Ducklings eating pine shavings
Replies
6
Views
669
CoriM
C
T
Biosecurity and sanitation with no infrastructure
Replies
8
Views
335
tickens33
T

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom