Different kinds of nest bedding???

[mjlabs]

Starting chickens this spring and would like to know what everyone uses for laying nest bedding? I know straw is obvious but what other bedding have you used? For example do hens like wood shavings, etc ? Also thought about using newspaper thats been through a paper shredder but maybe thats not a good idea?? Let me know! Thanks for you opinions......

 

[ChicKat]

Hi mjlabs,

For my chickens, I use wood shavings. They come compacted in bales at the feed store here. I put them where my chickens lay eggs, and also on the ppoop trays to absorb moisture, odor etc, and make the poo slide off easier when dumping them. When my pullets first started to lay, I think that they objected to the prickle of the wood shavings....and shoved them away..... Now it seems to work very well.

Hope this helps.

 

[ChickenPrnces]

We use the shvings with some hay on top! Our girls seem to like it! Well at least thy did before it got to cold for them andthey stopped laying for winter!!!

 

[Mnswm2]

I use the pine shavings also. It works great in the nest boxes, on the floor and on the poop boards.

 

[Illia]

Straw, hay, alfalfa - Whatever spare grassy type bedding is available at the time. I like to make the nests as natural as I can.

 

[RebornHeart]

I use pine shavings mostly, but also put in some coastal hay recently, and the hens seem to like it. I put it over the pine shavings. They will rustle around in it trying to get comfortable, but they will eventually get used to it. the shavings smell pretty gnarly when they get wet combined with the waste. But, alas, all part of the wonderful life with Chickens!! I like using the large flake pine shavings as opposed to the smaller flake.

 

[auto5man]

Pine shavings...already have it for their the coop floor so double use....my girls seem to like it just fine.

 

[RedDrgn]

Well, I started by putting straw in the nest boxes (we used pine shavings in the rest of the coop). However, it was clear after a few weeks that they didn't care one way or another because they'd kick all of the straw out of the boxes and lay right on the darn floor.

So we stick with pine shavings....which they still tend to launch out of the boxes.

 

[MedChicken]

I use shredded junk mail and newspapers in the nest boxes and dried leaves in the rest of the coop. They tend to scratch it up (and I've caught a few eating tiny pieces), but they seem to like laying in it. I do get occasional ink transfer onto a just-laid egg, particularly from newspapers.

 

[mjlabs]

Thats what I was thinkin! who knew all these credit card companies were actually making bedding for hens???????? haha.... I dont know what else they are good for, seems like we get 2 or 3 a week from citibank, capital one, etc etc.......