Coop bedding - Does anyone use straw?

[loverOFchickens]

I use straw and then compost it in my garden.
It works really well and is one of the warmest winter beddings in my opinion.

 

[lunatic]

For those of you that use it in the run - how often do you find yourself having to clean it out and replace it? Our run will have a roof but will be open to the elements on the sides. We live in the Pacific Northwest and it gets pretty damp in the winter months. The floor of the run is elevated but I still worry about having to clean it out all the time.

Thanks!

 

[Starwalker Fallen Angel]

Here's some of the reasons I don't use Straw. Especially in areas that may get wet. My runs will be covered but open on the sides and front. Straw gets heavy, it harbors bugs and if it starts to decay before I can remove it the birds can gets sick or most likely die from the molds as it decays. It also has molds, even in dry straw. I have a bad back and I have come to the realization of what my family says. I'm not super woman.

I know some members are going to say. Just remove it quickly when wet. But here, that sometimes is not an option. I care for my elderly dad since mom died last October, as well as run my hubbys trucking company. In addition there's the household chores. My life is too busy.

The main coop alone is 20 coops with 20 runs. (40' building) Then there's 15 dog kennels (10x10x6) with coops and possibly adding another 5.

Inside gets shavings, outside gets sand. Both are shop vac'ed. Shop vac'ing is the best for me. It's quick, easy and saves my back from heavy wet straw.

I just wanted to praise our evil old cat. Charlie. I accidently locked her in my brooder room and there's 4 chicks with a momma hen running around. She was in there all night until I opened the door. All chicks are A-OK.

I guess I have to rethink my opinion on her meanness.

Nah, she still bites me.

 

[Horsewell]

I use straw also. Its easy to clean out too

 

[addicted2chicks]

I did post a thread here not long ago as we were debating on some other source of bedding for the inside coop. We went and bought straw today. Pine shavings were costing way too much at $5.50 a bad it cost me over $25 to fill the inside coop. I put down 1 bale of straw today at $2. I figured even if I changed my straw twice a week it would cost me $4 a week compared to even changing my pine shavings 1x a week at the $25. Not that I change it that often but at that cost, I could. I sprinkled Stall Dry on it and am ordering DE food grade that I will use instead once it gets here.
It is such a hard choice of what to use but I can't justify spending so much on bedding. Not to mention I think my chickens liked it more than the pine shavings. DH agreed. Hard to explain but you know your own chickens and we could tell they really did love it.

 

[ducks4you]

Shavings ALWAYS smell better than straw.

Use what costs less for you.

 

[wyndski]

I agree with the use what costs less in your area. I use shavings, sometimes adding a little grass hay on top. I can't even touch straw in my area. I brake down and buy it when I have a horse foal, but thats it. Even then I switch to grass hay after a few days. Last time I bought straw it cost me $18 a bale, and we are not talking huge bales either. It is very soft straw though, so good for foaling on. It amazes me that people only pay a few dollars for bales of straw and even alfalfa.

I guess that is what I get for living in FL.

 

[rigagirl]

straw here is $4-or $5 depending who has it, we like the shavings, right now we are only using it in the boxes. when i move them to the new coop i will also use the shavings, i feel that we get better use for the price. we did try the straw over the winter and by afternoon it was out of the boxes.

 

[JewellFarm]

I just put straw in mine. The pine was costing way too much, and I just couldn't see continuing to use it when straw works just as well and is so much cheaper.

 

[Crickett]

I use pine shavings because for me it's more economical. We live close to two lumber yards, and they let us have all the pine shavings we want for $0. That's definately in my price range!