Hemp bedding? Need advice!

[Farmgirl283420]

So I got hemp bedding just wondering will it work it looks like the hens can eat the stuff ick! Can I use it or is it bad please tell me I'm lost about it it's the weirdest bedding I've ever seen!

 

[tlcmurphy]

It is weird looking, but they won’t eat it. And my girls eat anything! I love hemp bedding, much better than shavings although it does tend to stick to freshly laid eggs.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Thank you so much can't wait to start using it also is it save for chicks?

 

[tlcmurphy]

I didn’t use it until my girls were about 8-10 weeks old, so not sure

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you so much can't wait to start using it also is it save for chicks?

I've used hemp in the past and prefer it to wood shavings. But I can't get it locally and shipping has become so bad that it is no longer an option for me. I'm going to check out coffee chaff and see how dusty it is or isn't and hopefully use that.
I would keep newly hatched or just received chicks on puppy pads for 3 days until they are very familiar with their food source. Then you can switch to the hemp. They shouldn't eat it but keep an eye on them because they can sometimes do things that are unpredictable.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I've used hemp in the past and prefer it to wood shavings. But I can't get it locally and shipping has become so bad that it is no longer an option for me. I'm going to check out coffee chaff and see how dusty it is or isn't and hopefully use that.
I would keep newly hatched or just received chicks on puppy pads for 3 days until they are very familiar with their food source. Then you can switch to the hemp. They shouldn't eat it but keep an eye on them because they can sometimes do things that are unpredictable.

Puppy pads is a brilliant idea! I wish this multiple time puppy owner/first time chick owner had thought of that

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I think I'll hold out on the hemp bedding for the chicks I use pine shavings for them thanks for the advice!

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

I love hemp bedding and use it in my coop and raise my chicks on it. I do a deep bedding system in the coop with the hemp… I only have to clean out the coop once a year. Chickens will pick at it but mine don’t actually sit there and eat it. I didn’t have an issue with my chicks either… I kept them on paper towels for 2 days before switching over to the hemp so they can differentiate their food from the bedding first. The smell is next to none with hemp as the bedding when brooding chicks which was really nice. It was also way less dusty than pine shavings.

 

[BecksNesting]

Hey, I'm with you on the hemp bedding. I use an exhaust fan when "sifting" the hemp of chicken "deposits", and then I flip the fan back to where it cools the coop. I can honestly say, I won't need to add or remove the hemp by using 1/2 inch hardware cloth on a horse stall rake which I shake to release the small bits of hemp. It works extremely well.

 

[BecksNesting]

So I got hemp bedding just wondering will it work it looks like the hens can eat the stuff ick! Can I use it or is it bad please tell me I'm lost about it it's the weirdest bedding I've ever seen!

Hemp bedding is an awesome product, and I haven't observed any of my chickens deliberately eating it. I'm sure some goes down their hatch, but for the most part, get ready it is AWESOME!