Good Coop Bedding Aside from Wood Shavings

[lyndatu]

Chicken Feet: Gross....


Hello, there!

My coop is almost done! But! There is one thing I'm worried about: bedding. What's a good bedding for my coop? I found wood shavings to be perfect, but it's quite expensive since I have to replace it regularly. Any help?

Thank you for your usual kindness!

 

[bantymum]

Try some dry pine needles, they like them too!!!Ive done it when im out of shavings or hay and they really liked the smell and feel.

 

[Zah-zah]

I've heard people using sand (like in the sanbox for kids). You don't have to replace, just take out te poo... It should work perfectly. But I haven't tried myself yet.

 

[Poison Ivy]

I cover the whole floor of my coop in sand then a layer of coastal hay. I only replace the sand once or twice a year. The hay I replace about every 3 months it stays pretty clean because my chickens don't spend a lot of time inside the coop. I also have sand pits under the roosting area and that I scoop out daily like a kitty littler box.

 

[MissPrissy]

How big is your coop? If you can do the deep litter method you would only have to clean it out about once a year.

 

[1acrefarm]

Some firewood places and tree service companies give their wood chips away. Some municipalities do also. I used to go to a firewood place to get mine. They worked well. With some health problems I have shoveling my truck full of wood chips got old. I now buy the shavings. Its getting the time of year for leaves to fall off the trees. Those may work as well if you have a leaf shredder. If time is not a problem a lawnmower can do decent at shreading leaves.

 

[arlee453]

Dang, Poison, that's one clean coop! Were there any chickens in there yet when that pic was made?? LOL

 

[McGoo]

If you have a wood/paper mill nearby you could get pine shaving's from them. They are a little less consistant in size.
Since the Deep Litter Method (like Miss Prissy mentioned above) was explained to me by this board I've been using pine shaving's and only add a little to it weekly. It doesn't cost much to just sprinkle in a little more each time. Mostly you just turn the shavings to keep it aerated. And the chooks are all happy.

 

[lyndatu]

Thank you all for your help! I love this site! Especially this message board!


I think I'll go with hay, but where does it come from? Hehe, sorry!

I don't really know!

The others say that I can use paper cuttings. Is that true?

Oh, and this deep-litter method; looks convenient! I'll read more about it!

Thanks again!

 

[pollo]

I would stay away from bermuda grass hay. I had a chicken almost die when she was eating the long stringy bermuda grass hay. She got an impacted crop & was pooping clumps of tangled up grass. It dosnt digest & It can plug them up. I use shavings. If you buy a bale of hay from the feed store you will have to cover it or store it (the unused portion), otherwise if it gets wet it will mold & that is not good, plus its a mess.