Coop bedding - Does anyone use straw?

[lalaland]

hay! love the smell of it, keeps the chickens happy in the winter because they can scractch for seeds and they eat some of the dried grasses. Easy to poof up if you have the right garden tool - like a 3 pronged claw on a full length handle - hoe type thing? sorry, don't know the word for it.

I use the deep litter method, but do clean up droppings from the roost, etc using a paint scraper.

Pine shavings are a little too pricey, and weirdly enough, seem to stay wetter longer than hay, maybe because they can matt down.

 

[greathorse]

I have been using straw becaus it is available to me. I do like to throw scratch in it on a fairly regular basis the hens scratch through it and turn in up and keep it from matting. works ok all things beign equal shavings are nicer in some ways.

 

[BlackBart]

I use shavings in the bottom and then some nice sweet smelling hay.
I change the hay about once a month and the shavings when they are soiled.

 

[MrsMamaHen]

I use straw for the hens in their hen-house. Ours run free through the pasture, woods, yard, etc. I tried using shavings, and they did NOT like it. So if I don't want to hunt through 10 acres to find their laying spots, it has to be the straw. We change it regularly, and "sanitize" the house with some sprayed bleach water, air it out well, and then replace with fresh straw.

 

[Cetawin]

I am using straw and composting it. I was using shavings but a 12 x 12 gets expensive replacing shavings.

I am considering sand with straw on top though.

 

[al6517]

I use straw hay as i have to bale ours and it is always available. recently the road crews have been out here in the contry clearing the bar ditches and fence lines of trees from the power lines. they have been leaving these huge piles of very nicely chipped up wood shavings. I ask them about it and they said come and get all you want, I showed up 10 minutes later with my 20' flat bed trailer, and shoveled for an hour till it was way full, now I have plenty for all yr.

AL

 

[hoosier]

I use straw.
If I have the opportunity to rake leaves in the fall before it rains on them, I will put those in as well. They love scrathing around in them.

 

[lunatic]

When you guys say "coop" do you mean just the hen house? Or the run as well? Obviously this question doesn't apply to anyone who has lots of land for free ranging!

 

[al6517]

I use it in both.

AL

 

[futurefarmer08]

We use straw in the coop and in their little chicken run. We let them free range in our yard when home. They seem to like the straw well enough. We compost it when it is time to clean out the coop. We live in a suburb and only have 4 chickens out there right now.