Chickens eating pine shavings - alternate nest box material?

[sixlittlechickens]

Our 6 18-week-old silkie bantam hens are almost ready to lay. But all of the hens are eating the pine shavings out of the nesting boxes! This has led to several crop issues for one of the hens. Can anyone recommend an alternate material for use in nesting boxes? Thanks.

 

[MarkJr]

Grass hay, straw, wood bbq pellets, pine needles,

 

[sixlittlechickens]

Thanks, will definitely try some of those!

 

[Stephanie8806]

I got some awesome turf at Lowe’s. The “grass” is about an inch long and super solidly attached. I was having issues with my girls scratching out all the straw and eggs cracking when they hit the exposed wood.

I used 3M double sided sticky tape and cut the turf into squares to fit the boxes. Then, I put a little straw back in on top of the turf.

The girls don’t pick at the turf, and barely scratch in the straw anymore. And they don’t scratch the turf square loose. And even better, no more cracked or broken eggs!

The turf came in a 12’ length, and I got a 1’ wide strip. Plenty for my 6 boxes, with enough left over to replace them all down the live if needed! And it may have just been the nice ladies at my Lowe’s, but the strip they cut me ended up being over 16” wide... so I got some bonus sections that I could piece together if need be.

 

[Gene Neill]

I got some awesome turf at Lowe’s. The “grass” is about an inch long and super solidly attached. I was having issues with my girls scratching out all the straw and eggs cracking when they hit the exposed wood.

I used 3M double sided sticky tape and cut the turf into squares to fit the boxes. Then, I put a little straw back in on top of the turf.

The girls don’t pick at the turf, and barely scratch in the straw anymore. And they don’t scratch the turf square loose. And even better, no more cracked or broken eggs!

The turf came in a 12’ length, and I got a 1’ wide strip. Plenty for my 6 boxes, with enough left over to replace them all down the live if needed! And it may have just been the nice ladies at my Lowe’s, but the strip they cut me ended up being over 16” wide... so I got some bonus sections that I could piece together if need be.

I really need some of that. I'm using astroturf now, but yours sounds way better. You don't remember what it was called do you?

 

[Stephanie8806]

I really need some of that. I'm using astroturf now, but yours sounds way better. You don't remember what it was called do you?

I don’t remember if the brand was SYNlawn or Everlast, but it was the Fescue(I think that’s the type of turf, as it’s the same in both brands)