Bedding Experiment Results

[saysfaa]

Leaves are absorbent enough for a coop if there are enough of them and enough ventilation. Having enough is beneficial in other ways too. Particularly, enough sq ft is good for flock dynamics, enough depth is good for resilient flooring when they land from the roost and other raised areas, enough ventilation for good health.

Other options can be good too but don't dismiss leaves too quickly

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Do you have a link to where you read about this test?

Yes - it was a video:

Please let me know your thoughts after you've watched it

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Leaves are absorbent enough for a coop if there are enough of them and enough ventilation. Having enough is beneficial in other ways too. Particularly, enough sq ft is good for flock dynamics, enough depth is good for resilient flooring when they land from the roost and other raised areas, enough ventilation for good health.

Other options can be good too but don't dismiss leaves too quickly

I'm open to using anything. I like leaves because we've already got them and we can reuse them. Leaves are probably great to use in the run? or maybe a mixture including leaves?

Can you explain flock dynamics? Sounds interesting.

 

[saysfaa]

I'm open to using anything. I like leaves because we've already got them and we can reuse them. Leaves are probably great to use in the run? or maybe a mixture including leaves?

Can you explain flock dynamics? Sounds interesting.

I rewrote and deleted several things trying to talk about leaves in coop vs run. I have a space in a shed with an open side that functions as coop and run. So, I don't have experience with a typical run. In concept, I think a mixture of materials would work best - especially with a variety of textures. 3killerBs has explained it well, I'll try to find where but it may take awhile given what is going on in real life just now.

What I meant by flock dynamics is things like a chicken shows insubordination by things like giving way. With a confident and skilled lead hen and content flock, it can be enough for another hen to turn her head way. But if the lead hen is not confident, not skilled, or is being openly challenged then she may need another hen to give a lot more way - to back away, to back far away, or even to get out of sight. If the other hen does this quickly, there is more peace in the flock. They don't consider whether another hen has space to get further away.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Hey there Gigachad. What are you currently using?

I'm new to the chicken life and found this while I was digging around for info. We need someone to direct us on where to buy hemp for a reasonable price.

I'm using an Italian brand of wood shaving.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

WAIT!!! I found it!!!
https://americanhempllc.com/pages/hemp-chicken-bedding

$33, plus shipping.

@GetFitWithKrista

I just went through the purchase process to see how much shipping would be and unfortunately for 66 lbs it is $66 and shipping would be $57. I know this would be different depending on location but such a bummer because the price is great.

 

[reebie]

I thought this was interesting and wanted to share it with you. I found an experiment that was performed on 6 common chicken bedding materials: Pine Shavings, Straw, Dried Leaves, Horse Pellets, Sawdust and Industrial Hemp. They were tested to see which is the most absorbent.

Here is a summary:

DUST
No Dust:
- Industrial hemp
- Horse pellets
Average Dust:
- Dried Leaves
- Pine shavings
- Straw
Excessive Dust:
- Saw dust

ABSORPTION (when soaking)
Best:
- Straw
- Saw dust
- Industrial hemp
Poor:
- Pine shavings
- Horse pellets
- Dried leaves

ABSORPTION (8 oz of water in 1 cubic feet of bedding - more realistic than soaking)
Best:
- Industrial hemp
- Saw dust (swarmed by flies after sitting)
- Horse pellets (swarmed by flies after sitting)
Poor:
- Straw
- Pine wood
- Dried leaves


DUST & ABSORBENCY SUMMARY:
Any would be fine as long as you understand the pros and cons of each.

Saw Dust
Pros
- Best overall absorbency
Cons
- Major downside in dustiness
- Can be hard to get
- Can take a long time to dry leading to moisture and ammonia problems

Straw
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy to get
Cons
- Can be messy to work with
- Has some dust
- Allows a lot of liquid to pass to the bottom of the coop causing potential smell and mold issues

Dried Leaves
Pros
- Easily accessible
Note
- Experimenter uses them in his run but not in his coop because they don't absorb enough moisture to be used as a main source of bedding

Pine Shavings
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy to get
Cons
- Allows a lot of liquid to pass to the bottom of the coop causing potential smell and mold issues

Horse Pellets
Pros
- Performed well
- Absorbency was similar to saw dust
Cons
- Retains a lot of moisture
- Takes a lot of time to dry causing problems with smells and ammonia

Industrial Hemp
Pros
- Dust free
- Easy to work with (not messy like with pine shavings and saw dust)
- Great absorbency
Cons
- Has a higher upfront cost but this is offset by the fact that for most people 1 bale would last 1 year


OVERALL WINNER according to testing: INDUSTRIAL HELP

Thank you...excellent information since we are having a new coop built May 1. I have been researching run and coop bedding and since the HOA requires our chickens be confined it must be the most efficient. Good comparisons!

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Deal with any drainage issues now while building coop and run.
Coarse wood chipping, from a tree trimmer, is the best long term solution for run bedding, IMO.

Do you know if I can purchase course wood chips anywhere besides a local tree trimmer?

Why do you think this is superior to other materials for the run?

Thanks for the info, aart

 

[aart]

I like that they last longer. Less change out and less waste.

I have never changed out any run bedding, just added some as needed.
Tho after almost ten years, the ground level has risen enough that I should probably remove some.
I keep about 2-3", no need for more.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My good friend is a landscaper. I just asked him about it. Waiting for his response. Thanks so much for the tip. Do you use them, as well?

Yes I also use coarse wood chips. I get them from my own yard, as we need tree service every few years anyhow.