Fine Shavings vs. Regular Shavings

[RoseHawke]

Although by my guess the New Coop™ is a couple of weeks away from usability, I'm starting to think about things like bedding.

I know there are people who swear by the pine pellets for bedding, but we use that for kitty litter at which it excels, however when the occasional pellet gets flipped out of the box and you step on one my god it's like stepping on Lego. I can't imagine the chickens find it much more pleasant (and we do have one cat which doesn't like it either, although at the end of the day she's "special".)

I've used the TS "fine" shavings for brooders, I've also used the regular for isolation cages for grown hens, but nothing over a large area (New Coop™ is 8'x10',) and was wondering if there were any particular pros and cons of each? At this point I'm thinking the fine even though it doesn't cover as much area per bag as I suspect the fluffy "regular" shavings are going to fly all over the place, especially with vigorous wing flapping.

Thoughts?

 

[DobieLover]

Definitely the large flake. It doesn't fly all over the place when wings flap. My flock of almost 30 birds flies down onto it all the time without an issue.

The finer shavings are more dusty than the large. But the large does become dusty as it breaks down from the scratching and with age.

 

[paintedChix]

Something else to consider is shredded paper. This includes junk mail (plastic windows removed), paper from your office, last years kids' assignments & drawing projects, phone books & card board. There are several of us that do this - in slightly different ways.

ETA - The link below isn't the beginning of that thread. Not sure what I did - it starts @ post # 680...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...r-as-good-as-wood-chips.1503415/post-28563272

Will you have a poop boards under your roosts or are the roosts open to the floor & bedding below? That makes a difference too.

Even if not doing the actual DLM (cold compost, usually done when coop open to ground, more difficult in a floored coop), leaves make a great bedding. I don't have experience with rice hulls or hemp, but have heard both are great.

Regardless of types of bedding, as chickens scratch, dust bathe & manure breaks down, even the bedding considered dustless becomes dusty as it breaks down. Some are dustier from the beginning. You may need to try different types of bedding just to see what works best in your environment.

Not much help, sorry. There are so many options!

 

[RoseHawke]

Something else to consider is shredded paper.

That would take a heckuva lot of shredded paper for 60+ square feet (there will be a poop tray with sand under the roosts,)! Also, no office (both retired,) no kids, very little junk mail, and what cleaned cardboard there is goes into the compost for "browns".

If the regular shavings aren't a problem, I'll probably go with those if for no other reason than I think they might be a bit more economical.

even the bedding considered dustless becomes dusty as it breaks down

Yep, dust is just a part of keeping chickens, or birds in general really.

 

[paintedChix]

That would take a heckuva lot of shredded paper for 60+ square feet (there will be a poop tray with sand under the roosts,)! Also, no office (both retired,) no kids, very little junk mail, and what cleaned cardboard there is goes into the compost for "browns".

Yes, I suppose so. I have a stockpile in our shop - paper & cardboard - from our daughter's families & from work. I haven't brought any paper/cardboard home since January 2024.

Edit - changed left to right.

I broke my left leg right above the ankle & dislocated the foot 90° to the right in Feb 2024, then developed other health issues... But getting paper & cardboard still pretty easy as some products come in boxes, Amazon orders etc. I can now, once again, move boxes & break them down, get them shredded & move bags of shred. And for me (us), it's easier then hauling cardboard in to recycling. We actually have trash pickup now, but cardboard takes too much room in "can". The service doesn't pick up cardboard separate from the "can".

Soo... one less product to purchase (we already had/used a shredder) & recycling a waste product.

 

[The Yardbird Life]

Not a ton of chicken time under my belt but I started with the larger TSC "Flake" shavings for the floor of my coop in which I'm running a depth of about 4". In the roost/nest box area I started there with TSC "Fine" shavings since our new birds would be spending a great deal of time in there after transfer from the brooder. The fine are softer and not as gnarly as the larger flakes. Just made sense to me at the time.

Now, after a bit more experience, I took back a standby "Flake" bale and replaced it with Fine shavings so when I cycle through he remaining Flake, I'll backfill with fine. I'm going with Deep Litter method and the fine shavings will no doubt break down at a much faster rate and be more compatible with the composting phase when I do my bedding changes. I was worried about a "dust" factor as mentioned above and I have found that not to be an issue whatsoever. At least not with TSC Fine shavings. Just don't get the bale of the super fine, practically sawdust, version I saw there. Not sure what it's called but it looked like what a woodworking shop would sweep up at the end of day. I'm only dealing with 6 ladybirds in our flock and haven't experienced blowing or loose shavings anymore than what the knuckleheads manage to kick and scratch all over creation. It stays confined in the 1/2x1/2" hardware cloth. As for dust? Yeah....CHICKENS = DUST...regardless of what's on the floor!