Best Bedding Material?

[modchicken]

In my chick brooder I currently use pine shavings and then cover the top with a layer of paper towels!? It seems to work fine because it's pretty easy to just replace the paper towels. Except.. when they get about 5 weeks old then they dig up everything and knock over there water... ugh. Well, in my coop and run outside I use pine shavings and straw? Underneath the coop there is wire but it just makes it hard to clean!! Its packed with dirt at the bottom and then there's mostly pine shaving and some straw. In the run area it's just dirt and straw over it... ugh I need to do some upgrading. I'm planning on building some grazing frames and putting them in my big run where they hang out! Maybe plant some grass in those? Anyways... what's best for my coop and run? Bedding, and plant wise? I've heard that Pine Shavings can hurt them? Or was it Cedar? Personal experiences? Opinions? Thanks!

I can put a pic of my coop and run area if you'd like! Not working right now though..

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I've read that a lot of people have the same issue when they put wire on the bottom of their coop. In theory it sounds good to let the poop fall through, but it often just gets stuck and makes a mess. Plus, it's probably not very pleasant to walk on.

I have a plain plywood floor in my coop. I use a good layer of pine shavings which gets sprinkled with DE (to keep things dry) and is turned often (it's easy because it's a small coop.) I have a poop board under the roost that slides out and most of the night time droppings end up there.

My run is just dirt, but I save dried leaves from the fall and add them periodically. The hens scratch through the leaves and turn them into more dirt.

I've seen the grazing boxes and they are super cool if you have the room. Putting chicken wire over the top insures that they eat the tops and don't scratch up the roots.

Oh, and pine shavings are fine. The concern is that cedar shavings in an enclosed area will off gas cedar oil and cause respiratory irritation.

Good luck

 

[modchicken]

Thank you so much! Do you recommend taking out the wire? It keeps it from predators getting under it though? Also, I'm going to build a small run to attach to the coop itself (the one they sleep in). If I build it with Cedar wood will that be a problem? Cedar wood is like an outdoor wood so that's why I was going to use it? I was also going to use it for the grazing frames! Thanks!

 

[darkmatter]

I just use pine straw raked up from under the pine trees or lawnmower clippings-------same thing I use for my Coop deep litter.


Here's a couple pics where I was caught by my CoopCam

 

[modchicken]

Thanks!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I'm guessing your coop is elevated? If you take out the wire, I would definitely put in a wood floor.

Cedar board for building your coop or for use in the run are fine. By the time you purchase the lumber, it has already off gassed the oil. My coop is partially built from cedar.

 

[modchicken]

Heres my coop... it's not raised though. And thanks!

Ahhhh it won't workkkk

 

[Shenanigans1]

I am putting all the news paper, unwanted mail, (shredded) in the nest boxes. Thoughts on this.
I also am thing about taking down the old nest boxes and replace them with mod. milk crates. Easy to clean. Any thoughts on this also.
Thanks.

 

[bluejeans]

i read from some one on backyard chicken forum that she used peat moss..in her "chicken coop' .. I just wanted to thank that lady. I had lined my duck and geese brooder with pine shavings
which worked great except as they grew a person has to constantly clean and put in fresh shavings . not so with peat-moss i now just add a little once in a while ..

 

[kev terry]

Do you have to use straw or hay on top of the shavings or would the shavings be enough on there own? I am currently using both and my hens are all sleeping on top of the straw instead of on the perches which get buried under the straw! It's becoming a pain as they then lay on their poo! Any ideas?