best bedding

[sanctuaryworker]

o.k. I have a slight problem. We use straw to bed down our chickens which I have always disliked because its hard to keep clean, and it just holds smell.

Now I have a little problem, today while I was cleaning out their area I noticed that some of the females were huddled in a corner, when I moved them I didnt see anything, but then as I moved the straw around I realized that they were hiding their eggs under there! very smart no their part since we do not want chicks and pull their eggs several times a day.

So now I need help. What type of bedding are other people using for their chickens and why? I would definitely love to change bedding to something that is safe for the chickens, easy to clean and doesnt smell.

Thanks for any responses.

 

[LovinMyHensInNC!]

I like to use pine shavings sprinkled with DE... I use to use straw as well and the hens always pulled so much of it out to fix their nest that usually they left hardly any in and eggs were cracking as they were laying them. I like the shavings much better!

 

[giasmom]

I use the horse bedding that they sell at tractor supply. Its easy to keep clean & they sell the blocks that are split open at discounted prices. I tried hay but my hens didn't care for that to much.

 

[kajunchicken]

Pine shavings ..... definitly.