Are my chicken's nails too long? Also is Sugar Cane pulp advisable to use as bedding?

[chookcomplex]

I'm a new chicken owner and I hate trimming animal nails even when its necessary, I guess I'm still a bit too sensitive to their discomfort. That said, one of my Cream Legbars which I believe is at least 6 weeks old, not laying yet, has the left most nail on her left foot angled a little to the side, I'm worried that the reason why it's angled like that is because the nail has grown too long so the only way the toe lies flat is if it tilts like that. I don't want this to affect the development of the foot. Should I trim the nail or do I need to take a better close up? My other chickens' feet don't look as bad as what you see in the attached photos, I wouldn't have thought this was normal orientation of the toe.

For bedding I have found some cheap bedding for wood chips or straw (trying to test which one is more cost effective). But over the weekend, I have found a place that dumps sugar cane pulp for free that comes from those street stalls where they crush sugar cane for the juice. If it's for culinary purposes, I'm not too concerned about any chemicals in the pulp. It is unwashed though so it is sticky once you handle it and moist so I have left it out to dry in the sun for a few days. Initially there was quite a smell and there were lots of tiny flies but after a few days it is now dry and there is minimal insect activity. The end product seems a bit rough. Let's just say I would be comfortable lying down on a pile of wood chip mulch but I would not be comfortable resting on this sugar cane mulch. Are chickens comfortable with this kind of rough terrain or do they need something softer? For now I've put a layer of woodchips and put some of the sugar cane on one half of the coop.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

The nail is fine. Trimming animals nails do not hurt them unless you hit the quick. If you birds free range you will likely never have to trim their nails. I had a handicapped bird who hobbled around and wasn't able to scratch through the dirt like a regular chicken, which resulted in her nails growing out too long. I would have to trim them back. Most chicken nails are white so you can easily spot the quick as well.

 

[Peaches Lee]

I agree to leave her nails alone. As for the sugar cane stuff, hmmm, I would just stick with pine shavings or straw.

I can see the sugar cane pulp attracting many insects with the addition of chicken manure, and becoming very slimy or wet since it hasn't been kiln dried.

 

[RoyalChick]

Not an expert, but the nails look fine to me. If she has access to outdoors, she will scratch on hard dirt and that will wear down her nails and keep the growth in check.
No idea about the sugar stuff. I use fallen leaves from the trees in the back yard.