Bedding besides straw or shavings

[redoak]

Has anyone tried shredded newspapers for chicken coop bedding?

 

[tx_dane_mom]

Quote:
I was goin to start a topic on this. I usually use stalldry, but since we played host to Tropical Storm Edouard, my pens were HORRIBLE. Anyhow 1 bag of stalldry didn't do what it normally does so I went to the closest feed store & they recommended the pellets, so I got 2 bags. My birds DID eat some, so we'll see what happens. It did work, but I really do prefer Stalldry, myself, but I do realize Stalldry doesn't have the 'substance' to soakup inches of water. So, I think both may be a good idea.
(Sry if I rambled)
Kristi

 

[Omran]

Quote:
Hello there,
The best bedding for all animals is Dirt,I found that out from old experiance as my parents used to tell me,the only problem that not all people can get dirt that easy,for me (thanks God) I live on a little property out in the country and I have a bobcat for my landscape business which allowes me to dig as many hols as I like and put the old dirty dirt back in the hols.

 

[tx_dane_mom]

Quote:
I don't even understand this personally...maybe it's me & my situation, but I have a constant problem with dirt turning into MUD b/c once chickens eat all your grass away it turns into nothing but dirt & poop, which eventually turns into majoratively just poop, so you have to add *something*

 

[Necie]

I also like the woody pellet horse bedding.

In my large coop-adult chickens-I use a base of the pellets and toss in some straw. The pellets run me about $5 for a 40 lb bag, and really save me on the straw, which is now over $5/bale. In the fall I add all the raked tree leaves in the yard and toss in alfalfa hay in the winter for greens which add to the bedding. The pellets keep everything nice and dry and broken up for easy cleaning of the coop. I've never had a problem with adult birds eating any of their bedding.

In my small coop-chicks 3 to 12 wks-I use the pellets exclusively.

I don't recommend the pellets in the brooder (chicks under 3 wks). I've experienced that the chicks peck and eat the pellets and causes alot more little bottoms to get pasted up. I use only pine shavings in my brooder boxes.

 

[JudyR]

We've been very fortunate I guess. We tried straw. Then we varnished the floor so we could use sawdust or shavings from a cabinet/woodworker about 2 miles away as he just hauls it to the dump. It's already bagged for us. and it's free. The varnished floor makes cleanup easier. We tried shredded paper for the nests as it's not so messy on the eggs if one breaks. The crosscut paper is far superior to the paper that's been shredded only once.

 

[Reinbeau]

I started out with a product called Woody Pet in the brooder, and wanted to use it also in the coop, so I bought a few bags ($5.99 a bag). The feed and grain lady told me it would be less expensive to use the horse bedding pellets, same price but larger bag, 50 pounds instead of 30, and she's right. No smell, they don't eat it (either product), I'm happy with it.

 

[fullhouse]

Quote:
$5 a bag, but they last longer than shavings. They tasted them, realized they weren't food, never touched them again.

 

[pkeeler]

Has anyone ever used fallen leaves? I'm going to have 3 acres of leaves on my lawn in a couple of months

 

[Janie]

We get as much free shavings as we like from a small local kitchen manufacturor. She has to pay for it to be disposed of so welcomes us turing up with a trailor! (Make sure they don't use MDF though as that dust would be nasty for birds to breathe in.)

I used straw before and found it wet and claggy and the house needed to be cleaned so much often than with shavings. They soak the poo up beautifully