Best source for cheap pine shavings and a big OOPS

[Tomhusker]

Not sure of your location, but Hirsch Feed & Farm Supply has 40 pound bags for $4.50 or so.

 

[calista]

Call your local high schools and vocational colleges and ask to talk to the wood shop teacher. The one we hooked up with is HAPPY to let us haul away for FREE all the pine shavings we can use that accumulate from class projects.

 

[becstalls]

DH actually teaches at a tech school--the wood shop doesn't do much shaped board though (no planer) so they don't get much in the line of wood shavings Straw would be cheaper, but my understanding is that it is far less absorbent? I dunno.

So nobody seems to think there are any major issues with getting wood shavings from a lumber mill? If that's not a big deal, what should I try to avoid?

 

[Dingleberry]

I get mine from the feed store 10.00 for a 10 cubic feet bag/bale. I think that is an all right price. but I have not compaired other places
The chickens for dummies says it is ok for shreaded paper. what about offices or places that shread paper and use that. I am sure those places would be happy to give you the shreads for free.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Here's just one example of a dropping board. It's basically just a wide board (maybe 18 inches wide?) centered underneath your roost about 6 inches (give or take). The chickens do most of their bedding pooping at night, so it collects on the board. I keep a small bucket and putty knife right by the coop, and each morning spend about 30 seconds scraping the poop into the bucket (I dump it in compost every few days). So poop rarely makes it down in the floor bedding. Some folks use a plain board. Some cover a board in scrap vinyl. Some place trays (like cafe. trays) on the boards. Feel free to PM me if you have questions about them...

 

[The Tinman]

Hay make a good home for bugs and it is not as absorbant as wood shavings.
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[Alleychick]

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thats what i have been doing. i contacted a tree service that has a grinder, the grinder shoots the shavings into a truck and then they are dumped somewhere. seems wasteful to me i get 55 gal garbage cans a couple times a year.

 

[crawfordmama]

Find a local logger or lumber yard. Depending where you are, some local folks may plane their own wood. My husband is a logger, so I have pine shavings coming out the wazoo!

They'd be happy to give you their mess!

 

[PhilErvin]

I use the straw also. I put it lightly on the coop floor and it sprinkle DE on it. After a few weeks I change it out and put it in the compost heap. The poo (nitrogen) helps break down the straw. My local feed store sells a 14 cubic ft. bag of Douglas Fir shavings for $9.50 - when I run outta straw I may try it.

 

[R&RCoop]

We have found Shavings cheapest at feed/ tack stores. You can save quite a bit if you buy in bulk (normally 20+ or pallet), but we have horses we buy them for not the chickens. We actually have a concrete floor in the coop and went from putting straw, to shavings and now to sand. We have been happiest by far with sand. Easy to replace and a lot less waist IMO.