Coop bedding - Does anyone use straw?

[erijn5]

See if you can locate a local saw mill or wood worker. You maybe able to get chips or dust for free, or at a low price just so they can get rid of it.. I was using straw, but I have now whiched to shavings..

Smells better, looks better, and it just doesn't clump up like straw when pooped on..The chickens scratch through it and sometimes even dust.

Fine sawdust is also good, in like a kiddy pool during the winter. My chickens love it, and it gives them a chance to fluff their feathers!

Just a thought..

 

[Starwalker Fallen Angel]

I ditto the shavings and Sweet PDZ. I use a shop vac on cleaning days and straw don't vac at all.

Cleaning is so easy now.

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

I use pine shavings at all times. Summer and winter. The reason why I use it in winter however is cause I bring my birds in for the winter. The pine shavings are easier to clean up for me and I use them in the garden and give them to friends and family to use in thier gardens.

 

[chickon baby]

We save our grass clippings and use those,they loved it til we ran out during the winter.We bought straw and they litterally kicked it ALL out of the beds.We bought a bag of small pine chips and they are ok with that.This summer we will save alot more grass clippings to last through the winter since we know it is theyre favorite. Since using the pine chips we also bought a kitty pooper scooper so we can actually use the poop for the composte and not waste pine chips.We just use the scooper for cleaning out the beds,of course every week we clean out all of it.

 

[Zahboo]

We use wheat straw with full grown chickens most of the time. I dislike it though. It isn't very absorbent. It is good for small coops that get cleaned often. We use it when they are sold out of Regal Shavings. It's big enough for a 8x4 coop and is 6 bucks. It will take 2 bags for 2 weeks in my coop.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I use pine shavings all year round...have two coops and because it's so absorbent it doesn't smell much if at all! I only have to add new pine shavings once a month...In the summer even less. I add two bags (3 cubic feet) right away in my 8X8 coop and refresh (I don't take the old out) through the winter as needed. I buy a bag of chips every other week is all. It's worth it! Straw gets stinky WAY to fast for me. I find I am out there a lot more often trying to keep it clean and smelling good. Plus when you buy pine shavings at the store you know it's not full of bugs like the straw could be.

 

[momma's chickens]

I also use pine shavings and love it, it is great and when it needs fluffed up I throw some stratch in there and let the chickens go at it. To me it is way worth the extra cost. I also use straw and hate to go back. With my dropping boards I only have to change the shavings about three times per year.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I used straw in the past, but am thinking of switching to shavings in the future.

Straw is very warm (for those who prefer the deep litter method), but spreading it in the coop (it must be fluffed out from the bale) takes time, and cleanup can be bothersome (wet straw is very heavy!).

 

[buglit]

I didn't think that we suppose to use straw because it is hollow and can harbor unwanted critters like mites, etc. Am I wrong?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I didn't think that we suppose to use straw because it is hollow and can harbor unwanted critters like mites, etc. Am I wrong?

This is the reason I don't use it. My friends chickens got infested with mites using straw and it cost her more for meds for them then it would have for the pine shavings. I use the deep litter method so I change mine only once a year. NEVER had any really bad smells in there yet

Like i said before...I do freshen it with fresh shavings and I also throw down treats to let the hens scratch and mix it up like Mama's chickens does