Hemp Bedding?

[Annalyse]

What do you guys think of Hemp bedding in winter?

 

[One Lucky Momma]

I jumped on this because I keep hearing wonderful things about hemp bedding, but am embarrassed to say as of right now I don't know anything about it, winter or otherwise. So I’m hoping to learn. There‘s an organic hemp farm just up the road.

If it’s ok, I’ll follow along to see what those in the know have to say about it.

 

[Annalyse]

I jumped on this because I keep hearing wonderful things about hemp bedding, but am embarrassed to say as of right now I don't know anything about it, winter or otherwise. So I’m hoping to learn. There‘s an organic hemp farm just up the road.

If it’s ok, I’ll follow along to see what those in the know have to say about it.

thank you. I read a blog and another thread someone made about with people really likeing it in winter due to its absorbing the poop and getting rid of the smell and I got hooked after that. lol

 

[One Lucky Momma]

I’m going to stop and talk with the folks at the hemp farm to see what they do with their stalks after flowering is over. I know it’s used for hempcrete, as well, but I don’t think this is a big enough operation for that. I have a low level brush shredder that might handle the grinding. I’ll let you know if I learn any good from them.

 

[Annalyse]

I’m going to stop and talk with the folks at the hemp farm to see what they do with their stalks after flowering is over. I know it’s used for hempcrete, as well, but I don’t think this is a big enough operation for that. I have a low level brush shredder that might handle the grinding. I’ll let you know if I learn any good from them.

thank you

 

[Sally PB]

My husband's coworker uses hemp and said he loves it. I started with pine shavings, and got a bale of hemp to try it. I do like it better, so I'm going to stick with it. I've only had chickens since spring, so this will be my first winter.

I have a variation of the poop board: I call it a poop mat. It's a boot mat under the roost with a good bit of PDZ on it. I scoop the poop off every day (I want it for the compost), and unless there's a fresh cecal poop in there, I don't smell anything.

When the weather gets cold and the chickens want to stay inside more, I'll see how hemp works as far as keeping the smell down.

 

[howdyitsmia]

I use hemp bedding and I think it’s fantastic. I don’t know about in the winter, but I like it because it isn’t dusty, and it seems a lot easier for my chickens to breathe in the coop than it was with pine shavings. I would be coughing every time I cleaned the coop but I haven’t had that issue with hemp bedding.

 

[Annalyse]

My husband's coworker uses hemp and said he loves it. I started with pine shavings, and got a bale of hemp to try it. I do like it better, so I'm going to stick with it. I've only had chickens since spring, so this will be my first winter.

I have a variation of the poop board: I call it a poop mat. It's a boot mat under the roost with a good bit of PDZ on it. I scoop the poop off every day (I want it for the compost), and unless there's a fresh cecal poop in there, I don't smell anything.

When the weather gets cold and the chickens want to stay inside more, I'll see how hemp works as far as keeping the smell down.

thank you and it will be my first winter as well. I use straw for there coop. I don't have a poop board and I keep adding ventilation but I'm afraid it'll keep getting colder so since this traps smell I figured id go with hemp. Im going to be trying it next time I clean the coop so.

 

[SMHChickens]

I have been keeping chickens for 6 years and I used to use sand for bedding. I have a 4' x 6' coop for about 10 birds. I don't scoop poop daily, don't have poop boards, and would only clean the sand about 1 time a month. It was very manageable. I did let the litter build up pretty deep in the winter and then got the shovel out in the spring each year. But for some reason this fall, I couldn't find play-sand bags anymore at stores, so I had to switch bedding.

I purchased a bale of hemp a few weeks ago, and just put it in my coop. I used half a bale for my 4'x6' coop floor. I haven't been scooping the poop since I put it in. I may go out there and see if there are any blobs to be picked up to try to make it last. But when it gets really cold in the winter, I usually don't clean it out for a couple of months. Having a thick layer of something on the floor of the coop helps it stay warmer for the chickens.

I can try to remember to let you know, here, how it goes for us, and I will be interested to hear how it goes for you too.

 

[Annalyse]

I have been keeping chickens for 6 years and I used to use sand for bedding. I have a 4' x 6' coop for about 10 birds. I don't scoop poop daily, don't have poop boards, and would only clean the sand about 1 time a month. It was very manageable. I did let the litter build up pretty deep in the winter and then got the shovel out in the spring each year. But for some reason this fall, I couldn't find play-sand bags anymore at stores, so I had to switch bedding.

I purchased a bale of hemp a few weeks ago, and just put it in my coop. I used half a bale for my 4'x6' coop floor. I haven't been scooping the poop since I put it in. I may go out there and see if there are any blobs to be picked up to try to make it last. But when it gets really cold in the winter, I usually don't clean it out for a couple of months. Having a thick layer of something on the floor of the coop helps it stay warmer for the chickens.

I can try to remember to let you know, here, how it goes for us, and I will be interested to hear how it goes for you too.

Thank you. We just put a poop board in and until I get hemp bedding I'm going to be using straw and maybe some flakes. I'm keeping it as dry as I can. Hopefully i can get hemp soon and try it out.