Chicken bedding question

[irmad]

I've never seen either hemp or coco for sale around here as animal bedding.
Mary

You can order it from these folks ...look at the shipping<gasp>:
https://www.carolinacoops.com/accessories/american-hemp-bedding

Coconut coir is used as a growing medium.
Cocoa husks shells/hulls are used as a mulch.
These are from different plants, I think, coconut and chocolate....
....neither of which are grown in our region/climate/country.

Thanks for the link. Here in UK, the hemp bail is about £10. Coco coir is even more cheaper in the summer. 2x5 kg blocks for £2.50.

 

[aart]

I use 20kg compressed bail.. I added the photo of the one I currently use.

Little cheaper than here...if you don't count shipping.
Can you buy it local at like a farm store??

I'm pretty happy with PDZ in poop tray, poop sifted goes to buddies compost.
Pine shavings on floor, then they go into DL in run after a year.

 

[aart]

Here in UK, the hemp bail is about £10.

Omlet must mark it up, eh?
https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/poultry_bedding/9198/aubiose_bedding_-_20kg/

 

[irmad]

Omlet must mark it up, eh?
https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicken_keeping/poultry_bedding/9198/aubiose_bedding_-_20kg/

Cheaper in the local farm shop...Omlet definitely made an Omlet out of the price..lol.

 

[nminusyplusm]

I found wood chips are not very ubsorbant and i dont have access to dry leaves. Crushed hemp worked really well for me and was very cheap over time. Do you use deep litter method in your coop?

Yes, I use DL in the coop, about a foot of pine shavings which are pretty cheap here.

 

[Folly's place]

Using what's available locally always makes sense, especially with cost in mind. Here it's shavings, and the bales work well, especially the 'fines'.
Mary

 

[aart]

Using what's available locally always makes sense, especially with cost in mind. Here it's shavings, and the bales work well, especially the 'fines'.
Mary

I like the flakes better, hold up for longer, less dust.

 

[nobueno]

So @irmad how did you end up liking the coco coir? I found a pretty much unlimited free source of it and would it would make an amazing soil amendment after using it as bedding...

 

[Hokum Coco]

I been thinking of using coco husk as a bedding

There is only one way to know if this bedding is right for you and that is to try it in my opinion. I have tried a variety of material in my time (I have 68 trips around the sun). I have now stopped using bedding all together.
I have gone with a wire 2" grid (wire the size of a pencil) over my coop floor. Similar to what is pictured below with 4"x4"x4" cubed blocks stationed under neath the grid on top of a tarp to form a drop pit it worked excellent all summer and I will clean the coop before winter sets in and things freeze solid. The grid even keeps you chickens feet cleaner which in turn keeps your eggs and nest boxes less soiled. I live in Canada and am subject to -40º temperatures.

Clean up is simple replace the tarp with a second one. Spread the first tarp out in the sun to bake and dry. Then flex the first tarp over the compost bin and hose off any stubborn chicken poop.

 

[usmcpilot06]

I have a half acre set aside for hay growing. But here as soon as it warms up my chicks will be free range. I'll use wood chips in the coop. I dont use the hay in the barn, it is too hard to clean up. With the wood chips I can use a shovel.