Good grief- I put 3 bales of straw in coop for warmth now I read that it is a no no

[ChocolateMouse]

Chicken chick is VERY hit or miss, and in my experience usually miss. Bloggers aren't exactly experts, now matter how much they get product sponsorships. As a blog owner, if blogs are your primary source of information, I STRONGLY suggest broadening your information sources. PLEASE do not take bloggers as a reliable source of information. (And hey, you're looking for opinions here! That's good!)

Straw is fine. Yes it CAN harbor insects. So can any non heat-treated bedding or any bedding that comes in contact with animals that come in contact with wild animals. So if a bird flies into your pen, spreads lice to your chickens, and then your chickens go to the coop and you have ANY bedding it can harbor insects. Sand can harbor lice and fleas too, and dust mites just LOVE newspaper. Bugs are everywhere.

The idea that straw is pointless in the winter but magically hot in the summer is just... I can't even on that one.

My chickens have been on straw as their primary material with leaves and shredded paper and wood chips mixed in for like 5 years now. We've had one mite problem and it came from some discount chicks from TSC, not the straw. A $12 bottle of permethrin fixed it for 30+ birds. No more problems.

Your chickens will be totally fine.

 

[B-Goock]

If I had some readily or cheaply available I would use it. I mainly use pine shavings in my coop.
The run gets used shavings, leaf litter from the woods, small twigs & cuttings. Its like anything you use has downfalls. Your good navagal

 

[Mdrook]

People have been using straw as bedding since the 1700s probably before. I have used it all my life and have never had a problem, Ever. I live in upstate NY near Rochester and the winters can get brutal so i usually put bales of straw against the west wall of my coop to help cut down the chill from the wind too

 

[sdm111]

So I have sand in my coop and then I put a layer of straw down because I was going to start the deep litter method now I'm beginning to change my mind and I'm thinking maybe I should put the poop boards back in because I have been reading about the dangers of straw. I also added three bales of straw into the coop around the perimeter on the inside. Please send me suggestions regarding winterizing the coop. Thank you. I do not have it insulated

I've been using straw for about idk 25yrs or so and had no problems