bedding dellima, straw or wood shavings

[newchickmom]

I am undecided what bedding to use. Can I get some input on the pros and cons of straw vs. wood shavings? That would help a lot!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Straw can harbor mites in the middle of the "straw." But some people do use straw and like it. Chicken keeping is definitely a "find your own way to do things" hobby!

Pine shavings are fine- a lot of people use them.

I prefer sand. There is a "got sand you should" thread that is good.

Here is another with lots of differing opinions:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/945603/pros-and-cons-for-using-sand

 

[newchickmom]

I'm still looking for pros and cons. I'm sorry, but I do know I don't want sand. I have a wood floor.

 

[TalkALittle]

I find that if straw gets wet it holds the moisture and often gets moldy. With shavings I can just fluff them up and they dry faster. Also, poop gets coated with shavings and sort of sinks down in. Even if the girls walk through poopy shavings, their feet stay clean. With straw the poop sits on top.

 

[eviemethugh]

Whatever your birds poop on, you want to turn to a "sweet" smelling compost. If it doesn't properly begin to compost you are going to have dust and a disgusting rotting smell. Or worse, moisture problems.
Now, if you were making compost in your yard you would add either leaves or wood shavings.
Wood shavings are the more absorbent of the two.
Straw, hay, pine needles....oh my. We live on a large complex of family farms and it is disgusting what poo and straw do and smell like. It really just sits on top of the straw.
So with wood chips I can toss everything around and it gets a little better with time...with straw....yikes.

 

[xchickengirlx]

I havent had chickens for very long but i have supposedly heard that straw can hold mites, and is likely to mold or smell. I use pine shavings, and they work great for my 4x5 coop, but if you have a much larger area, id say straw is the way to go.This is just my theory, and i very so hope it helps. Though if you have a coop that is raised like min, make sure you put a lip on the coop door for shavings. I didnt and i very sadly regret it. i had shavings EVERYWHERE D: just a little tip, hope it helped. and also, if you have a chicken run that all mud, i used grass clippings. they like it and they eat up the bugs.

 

[rides2far]

I use pine flakes in my coop & a combo of oat hay & pine flakes in my run. Every other day I sprinkle in some bird seed & the pullets scratch & turn over the straw & shaving mix. I do sprinkle PDZ in the run & coop, so I have very little odor. I like the softer bedding in the run for their feet. I've also noticed fewer flies in the run. When it was bare dirt, the pullets would hit the ground pretty hard when they flew off the perches.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I use shavings in the coop and turn them into compost in compost bins that we made. I much prefer it to straw.

Shavings pros

1. It dries quickly
2. It composts quickly (one year with no turning)
3. It is easy to sweep up
4. It smells nice when fresh

Cons
I cannot find any. Unless you see needing to buy it over and over as a con.

Straw pros
I cannot find any as I have this in my run right now due to heavy rains and trying anything to get the feet out of the mud.

Cons

1. Man OH Man does it stink when wet.
2. Difficult to turn or rake up when wet.
3. Not sure about composting but am sure I will not be since the smell is so very bad. (Not like a poop smell but a rotting plant smell.)
4. It is holding the wet in and the run will not dry since it has made a sun proof layer.
5. The poop is staying on top.
6. Costs more than shavings do where I live.

I could go on but I think you get my position on it.

 

[rides2far]

I agree with the straw issue if you live in a rainy climate. Since I live at the end of the Central Valley in Caliornia, we have no rain

The straw/shaving combo works out great.