Best nesting box bedding for cleanest eggs?

[CanadaEh]

What is the best bedding (straw, hay, pine shavings, etc) for nesting boxes to get the cleanest eggs?

I am currently using straw. Whenever there is wet weather outside - almost all eggs are dirty. Also occasionally there is a poop in the nest (possibly because of some of them molting and have no other business to do in the nesting box). Also there is one chicken that lays very fragile egg that often crashes making all eggs in the nest covered with yolk.

Would pine shavings work better in cleaning their feet and neutralizing occasional poop at least? Not sure if anything could efficiently absorb a broken egg quickly enough.

 

[Pierre duck drake]

I use hay that seems to work pretty good considering all my silky roos and ducks sleep in the nesting box. You will need to clean out nesting boxes at least 1 time a week of you want clean eggs!

 

[WIchickMama]

I use straw and shredded paper. I dont clean my nesting boxes weekly, but only a couple times a year do I give them a good scrub. My girls dont sleep in them. I clean up poop daily in the coop and their run is covered which helps

 

[CanadaEh]

I use hay that seems to work pretty good considering all my silky roos and ducks sleep in the nesting box. You will need to clean out nesting boxes at least 1 time a week of you want clean eggs!

would you recommend hay over straw?

I use straw and shredded paper. I dont clean my nesting boxes weekly, but only a couple times a year do I give them a good scrub. My girls dont sleep in them. I clean up poop daily in the coop and their run is covered which helps

why shredded paper and what kind - long strips or cross cut? Does it absorb better than just straw?

 

[3KillerBs]

I think that it's more a matter of having enough clean, dry bedding in the coop for them to walk across than a matter of what's in the box -- assuming that they're not pooping in the box itself.

 

[CanadaEh]

I think that it's more a matter of having enough clean, dry bedding in the coop for them to walk across than a matter of what's in the box -- assuming that they're not pooping in the box itself.

agreed, but never possible. In our winter deep litter is either wet or frozen at best. And they do poop in the nest occasionally (or an egg breaks)

 

[3KillerBs]

agreed, but never possible. In our winter deep litter is either wet or frozen at best. And they do poop in the nest occasionally (or an egg breaks)

I guess the best thing in that circumstance would be as much as you can stuff into the nests of whatever bedding is abundant and stays fluffy.

 

[rayrose]

I line my nest boxes with astro turf. Easy to clean and
no broken eggs.

 

[aart]

My nests are 14x14x16"H.
I like a thick flake of straw, tucked in tight then bowled out.
Keeps a nice cushion around the framing of nest, even after they scratch out the middle to bare nest bottom, which can deter broken eggs.

I have a scrap of vinyl flooring fit tight in bottom of nests, with an extra for quick change out, makes it easy to lift the whole mess out.

Poop in nests is usually from nest sleepers, which I do not allow.

Dirty feet can be hard to avoid in certain conditions, usually not a problem in winter, except during thaws.

 

[Iluveggers]

We use these nest box liners from Amazon.

windy ridge co. Natural Chicken Nesting Pads - 10 Pack - Aspen Excelsior Bedding Hen Nest Box Liners - USA Made - 13" x 13" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XWH1MT...t_i_YABQ2NYGERP0GA89KV4W?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

They last for a long time and the hens scratch around to make little laying divots inside but they can’t kick all of it out because they are attached. Probably a bit overkill but my aunt had some from her old coop that she hadn’t used and I’ve been pleasantly surprised how well they’ve held up! They were already on hand so I always try free first lol.