Best Bedding for Coop / What to Put in Run?

[ObiHenKanobi]

First time chicken owner here! We are just finishing up a coop that my husband is building, which will be attached to a big run. I have seen a lot of conflicting info on what is the best bedding to use and figured I'd post here to see what everyone is doing.

Our current setup:

Coop: Our current coop is pretty small and has a board I can just take out and rinse off every morning, which is what I have been doing.

Run: We live in a residential neighborhood and only have a few hens. We are required to keep any chicken smell to ZERO, so thus far I have been using EZ Coop Refresh in the run once a week + straw. The hens mix the coop refresher and straw together, the smell is pretty much non-existent. I just scoop out the straw twice a month and put it in the compost bin. I like this setup but am wondering if there is a better way.

In the new coop:

• This one will be much bigger than the current one, but still not really a walk in coop. (I could walk in to do a deep cleaning.)
• I'd like to use the deep litter method, especially since I won't be able to use the hose in the winter months. (It gets to -15F in the winter.)
• The new coop will have the ability for me to just remove part of one wall and sweep it out. I have read pine shavings or hemp shavings are best for this. I plan to use the deep litter method and need to keep the smell down to pretty much nothing. For those using the deep litter method, what do you use?

In the new run: I'm wondering if I should to stop using straw since it takes up space and can harbor mites?

• Our soil is sandy so hauling in sand would not be needed. But how do you clean out the run and keep smell down? With our current straw method, the poop gets mixed in and then the straw composts for the garden next year.

Thank you for your advice and sharing what you do!

 

[DobieLover]

First time chicken owner here! We are just finishing up a coop that my husband is building, which will be attached to a big run. I have seen a lot of conflicting info on what is the best bedding to use and figured I'd post here to see what everyone is doing.

Our current setup:

Coop: Our current coop is pretty small and has a board I can just take out and rinse off every morning, which is what I have been doing.

Run: We live in a residential neighborhood and only have a few hens. We are required to keep any chicken smell to ZERO, so thus far I have been using EZ Coop Refresh in the run once a week + straw. The hens mix the coop refresher and straw together, the smell is pretty much non-existent. I just scoop out the straw twice a month and put it in the compost bin. I like this setup but am wondering if there is a better way.

In the new coop: I'd like to use the deep litter method, especially since I won't be able to use the hose in the winter months. (It gets to -15F in the winter.)

• The new coop will have the ability for me to just remove part of one wall and sweep it out. I have read pine shavings or hemp shavings are best for this. I plan to use the deep litter method and need to keep the smell down to pretty much nothing. For those using the deep litter method, what do you use?

In the new run: I'm wondering if I should to stop using straw since it takes up space and can harbor mites?

• Our soil is sandy so hauling in sand would not be needed. But how do you clean out the run and keep smell down? With our current straw method, the poop gets mixed in and then the straw composts for the garden next year.

Thank you for your advice and sharing what you do!

It's reads as if you do not have a walk in style coop. Installing poop boards is what I was going to recommend but I don't see how you'd be able to clean them. I use boards with Sweet PDZ and scoop them each morning. I clean the coop bedding out annually.
I don't clean the run. I just keep a deep layer on wood chips in it that the flock mixes up. I add more material as needed.
Neither my coop nor run smell at all. And it's all very low maintenance.

 

[ObiHenKanobi]

It's reads as if you do not have a walk in style coop. Installing poop boards is what I was going to recommend but I don't see how you'd be able to clean them. I use boards with Sweet PDZ and scoop them each morning. I clean the coop bedding out annually.
I don't clean the run. I just keep a deep layer on wood chips in it that the flock mixes up. I add more material as needed.
Neither my coop nor run smell at all. And it's all very low maintenance.

The new coop will be tall enough for me to walk in if I need to, but it's really not a walk in coop. That's why it's going to have the removable side boards. A poop board wouldn't really work for Winter, it gets so cold here the hose won't be usable and the poop would just freeze to the board. We regularly see -15F in the winter with several inches of snow on the ground from Nov - March. That's an interesting idea about using Sweet PDZ on the coop floor.

What kind of wood chips do you use? I have cedar wood chips in my garden but I read that can cause issues with chickens. It does deter bugs though.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
It sounds like you are in a colder norther state, and adding your approximate location helps here.
We use wood shavings that come in bags for livestock bedding at many feed stores, and you can also use wood chips, sometimes free from tree trimming companies, or your city, if you track them down.
Then add grass clippings, weeds, whatever non-toxic stuff you have, and your birds will mix it all up.
Avoid cedar in quantity, as it is irritating to their lungs. Black walnut in quantity is toxic to horses, and some plants, and I'd avoid it too. Also avoid anything treated with herbicides or pesticides in their coop or run.

Straw and hay in small amounts, because it's much more difficult to manage.
Sand may work for a few chickens in dry climates, but otherwise most people learn to hate it in the coop and run, because it does hold odors really well.
Mary

 

[ObiHenKanobi]

Welcome!
It sounds like you are in a colder norther state, and adding your approximate location helps here.
We use wood shavings that come in bags for livestock bedding at many feed stores, and you can also use wood chips, sometimes free from tree trimming companies, or your city, if you track them down.
Then add grass clippings, weeds, whatever non-toxic stuff you have, and your birds will mix it all up.
Avoid cedar in quantity, as it is irritating to their lungs. Black walnut in quantity is toxic to horses, and some plants, and I'd avoid it too. Also avoid anything treated with herbicides or pesticides in their coop or run.

Straw and hay in small amounts, because it's much more difficult to manage.
Sand may work for a few chickens in dry climates, but otherwise most people learn to hate it in the coop and run, because it does hold odors really well.
Mary

I'm in very northern Vermont.

 

[Flockincrazy]

coop definitely straw and run i have sand and mulch (uncolored) so people have just dirt and grass

 

[rosemarythyme]

• I'd like to use the deep litter method, especially since I won't be able to use the hose in the winter months. (It gets to -15F in the winter.)
• The new coop will have the ability for me to just remove part of one wall and sweep it out. I have read pine shavings or hemp shavings are best for this. I plan to use the deep litter method and need to keep the smell down to pretty much nothing. For those using the deep litter method, what do you use?

Is this coop directly on the ground, or elevated? Photos? How large is it?

It's difficult to do deep litter inside a coop unless it has a dirt floor and ample ventilation to let out any excess moisture build up. Are you sure you're not thinking deep bedding instead of deep litter?

 

[ObiHenKanobi]

Is this coop directly on the ground, or elevated? Photos? How large is it?

It's difficult to do deep litter inside a coop unless it has a dirt floor and ample ventilation to let out any excess moisture build up. Are you sure you're not thinking deep bedding instead of deep litter?

Honestly I didn't know there was a difference between bedding and litter lol. I'm not joking about being new to chickens!

I'm adding a photo of the in-progress coop. The opening on the wall opposite where the nesting boxes will be is where the clean out panel will go. What kind of bedding (?) would be best to use in a coop like this? The floor will have linoleum on it when the coop is done.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Honestly I didn't know there was a difference between bedding and litter lol. I'm not joking about being new to chickens!

I'm adding a photo of the in-progress coop. The opening on the wall opposite where the nesting boxes will be is where the clean out panel will go. What kind of bedding (?) would be best to use in a coop like this? The floor will have linoleum on it when the coop is done.

Deep litter vs deep bedding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...o-you-like-best.1384788/page-22#post-22806509

Actually that entire thread is a good one for you to read for coop bedding, as there's a LOT of different options mentioned and many posters explain why they chose what they did.

 

[ObiHenKanobi]

Deep litter vs deep bedding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...o-you-like-best.1384788/page-22#post-22806509

Actually that entire thread is a good one for you to read for coop bedding, as there's a LOT of different options mentioned and many posters explain why they chose what they did.

That is very helpful, thank you! I will read through it.

One other thing I should add here: We can't do a dirt floor in our coop for a few reasons. The biggest one is the number of predators that live in the woods behind our house. Racoons, foxes, fisher cats, weasels, they would all dig under and into the coop. In fact, there is a fisher cat that lives in the woods and comes to check out my chickens a few times a week. He's about 4ft long and 50lbs. The only thing keeping him out of my yard now is my 80lbs dogs and a secure (little) coop right now.

The other reason is just how cold it gets here. I don't think a dirt floor would allow the coop to hold in enough heat when it gets really cold and is snowing.

The new coop will be up off the ground as you see in the photo, with a re-enforced floor and then the run will have thick hardware cloth that has also extends down and out under the ground.

I would still love to know what method other more experienced chicken owners would use for the coop I posted.

Now I'm off to read the thread you shared!