Bedding for coop floor

[Rosalind]

Another vote for pine shavings. They are about the same price at Agway as a bale of straw. I kept them on straw when they were babies in brooder boxes, and it was a wet, smelly mess. 1 bale of pine shavings keeps 16 chickens daisy-fresh for two weeks. Same amount of straw barely kept them for two days before smelling ooky.

 

[silkiechicken]

I'd use shavings but it costs about 15 bucks for a cube! So I used straw... which is 9 a bale.... thus now I use old field grass I get free from the pumpkin display from the local supermarket after Halloween.

Edit: I would go with shavings.

 

[Southern28Chick]

I just switched to straw from pine shavings. The shavings were great for smell control I guess but the straw is cheaper (for me, I can't seem to find those cheap shavings deals). I control flies with DE which works wonders and my chickens love the straw.

I find it's faster for me to clean the coop up now that I have the straw. With the shavings it would take me at least and hour and a half. Now it takes me 20-30 minutes. Cleaning time is important to me because I don't like a stinky messy coop so I take out the bedding and sweep everything out every 2-3 weeks. Just scoop it all up with the pitchfork and since it breaks down faster there's less of it coming out then there was going in. Another good thing about it breaking down faster...faster compost.