How did your chickens react to pine bedding? Pellets and shavings

[JennyLynnLuv]

Today I noticed the smell. The it's close to that time again smell LOL I have used straw bedding up until recently. I really just don't like the way the straw smells personally. I know it's supposed to stay dry but to me as it gets soiled it does start to have a wet smell! We originally used straw in both the coop and run to help with mud. After having to self teach dirtball removal we started looking into more absorbent options. I've heard hemp is the bomb but due to cost we switched our run over to pine pellets and it has done an excellent job keeping the run dry and no more dirt balls since! Well.. today upon smelling THE SMELL I realized we were down to.. well.. not enough bedding! So I ran to the local TSC and grabbed a bale and was going for some dust and was SHOCKED at the price difference between the bale and the pine shavings! 3 times as much bedding! I of course did some research I understand the hazards of cedar in ferrets and was unsurprised to find chickens respiratory systems are also sensitive to it. So as I'm sure you've guessed I went for the pine shavings came home and immediately got to work! I myself was excited for the woodsy smell and I hoped the ladies would be happy with a dust bath as well. In my opinion it looks and smells great!! The ladies... They seem to absolutely HATE IT!!! I have birds in the rafters! Mind you they've all loved the pellets and digging in the run now since we switched straw to pine pellet and have cleaner ladies as a result but switch from straw to shavings in the coop and I have no feet on the floor! how did your chickens like pine shavings???

 

[chrissynemetz]

My flock like it, but I will admit it took them a few days to realize it wasn't gonna eat them.

(My chickens totally freak out with anything new or different.)

 

[JennyLynnLuv]

My flock like it, but I will admit it took them a few days to realize it wasn't gonna eat them.

(My chickens totally freak out with anything new or different.)

Ohhh nooooo our girls are clearly spoiled and set in their ways

 

[RojoMarz]

Hubby chipped pine tree limbs this past weekend. They were cut off trees last year, so were dry. After he chipped, I swept out the coop and put in two wheelbarrow full of new pine chips. My girls don't seem to mind the pine smell, but they are surrounded by pine trees and I use pine chips all the time.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Pine shavings is about all you can get here so that's what they have had forever. I tried straw and leaves etc but quickly went back to shavings in the coop itself. I've not had any problems. I have pine sawdust down really thick in the area they like to hang out in when it rains (it's a little open shed, not their coop) and they spend a lot of time dust bathing in there.

 

[aart]

They may hate anything 'new'.
Even when I totally switch out old shavings with new they freak out.
I save some of the old stuff to spread over the top of the new, that has helped a lot.

 

[JennyLynnLuv]

They may hate anything 'new'.
Even when I totally switch out old shavings with new they freak out.
I save some of the old stuff to spread over the top of the new, that has helped a lot.

I may try that! Usually I throw some of their old over the yard where they scratch to add some dry material. Also inevitability there's always food in the old bedding and they seem to enjoy scratching thru it when they free range

 

[meowloud]

After one of my lavender Orpingtons impalled her foot on a piece of straw, I only use Fine Pine from TSC. Works so much better than larger chips, less bark and dust in the mix. After a week, they were happy because it is so soft. Over time, it breaks down into dirt in their yard, thus eliminating the holes and burrows they dig. Plus, when it’s time to clean the coop, I take it all into their yard and start the breakdown process all over. They get so excited on rake day… new stuff to dig through!