Bedding and nesting choices

[Cryss]

I'v been using pine shavings inside the coop and wood chips in the run. My girls are getting ready to lay, I've had one or two do the squat for me. I want to prepare the nests now so I have questions about them. I see people say use straw cuz it's hollow and warm. Others say hay. I'm uncomfortable with either for fear of crop issues. I already have one gal with crop issues and I've never used hay or straw. Are pine shavings suitable for the nest as well as the coop roosting area? Also, I have some ornamental marble eggs I'm considering using rather than buying another fake egg. Will it be too cold to use because it's marble? Or too heavy? Don't want to confuse my girls.

 

[Conan]

I use pine shavings in my coop, but straw or hay in my nesting boxes. My girls throw the chips out or they just won't lay in the nesting box. I have a bantam cochin that refuses to lay if there are even chips close the nesting box. She actually chooses to lay where I keep the straw instead. Whatever - so long as I know where she is laying and can find those eggs! If you have fake plastic Easter eggs or golf balls, they work nicely as well for baiting the box...
Good luck to you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use aspen shavings (slightly coarser texture) in my nest box and have no issue with it. They will kick it around but that's natural for them as they learn to nest. I pad out the bottom of the box with a folded feed bag to reduce chance of egg breakage, as they will push shavings around enough to expose the floor of the box.

I imagine a marble egg is just fine, obviously chickens aren't overly picky if they accept golf balls and easter eggs as egg substitutes!

 

[Joeschooks]

I use line shavings in the coop and straw in the boxes. I’ve read that hay should be avoided so I’ve never tried that myself. I’ve no had any issues with the girls eating the straw.

 

[lazy gardener]

I use hay in my nest boxes, and have found that the really coarse hay seems to have more "staying" power. DL also in my coop and run, so there is often hay there as well. My girls will occasionally eat hay. No crop issues here. I'm of the opinion that crop issues are more related to the bird than they are to what is used for bedding. The old timers kept their flocks in the barn. I'm sure they used what was available for bedding, with it most often being hay. I very much doubt that the old timers went out and bought shavings!

With spring coming, "heat" in the nest box is becoming a moot point, but... I think the hens prefer it. They seem to get great pleasure out of tossing a bit of hay over their shoulders, and moving it around while they are sitting on the nest.

 

[imnukensc]

Mixture of pine straw, leaves, and pine shavings in my nest boxes. Mostly pine straw from the yard. 'Course now, there are few chicken feathers in the mix, too.

 

[jreardon1918]

Pine shavings in coop and nest boxes. Works great for me. Deep bedding the in the coop with poop boards. The current plan is to do a full clean out in the fall.

 

[Maddyluvschickens]

I use pine shavings for everything in the coop, including the nesting box. It seems to work perfectly fine, and it is easy to clean up and replace. I don't use shavings for the run though, I just use dirt. I don't know anything about the fake eggs and such.

 

[aart]

I like a good tight flake of straw in the nests.
Haven't never had them pack crop with it.
Use whatever you're most comfortable with,
and what is handy to keep in stock.
Most folks don't have a place to store a whole bale of straw or hay.
Marble egg would be fine....some folks have used egg sized/shaped rocks.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I use compressed straw everywhere, coop floor, nest boxes and pen. I used to use pine shavings on coop floor, but I saw my pullets eat shavings many times. So I switched to straw. GC