How often do you freshen nest boxes?

[thecatumbrella]

I'm a bit mite paranoid with my feather-footed birds (who already managed to get scaly leg mites), so I've been freshening weekly. Would love to be convinced to go longer in between full cleanings. I use a plastic nest pad, covered in large flake shavings. Everything is liberally dusted in First Saturday lime. The girls have been very good about not sleeping/pooping in it.

Photo just for fun.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Monthly. I use ground hemp, which is pricey, but lasts and lasts, especially if I don’t have to poop clean it.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Monthly. I use ground hemp, which is pricey, but lasts and lasts, especially if I don’t have to poop clean it.

I'm using hemp in the droppings tray, but I refuse to put it in the nest box. Mine will NOT STOP PLAYING IN IT! It's like catnip or something. Maybe once they grow up a little more. Yeesh. But otherwise, I'm a big hemp advocate as well.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've never had any kind of mites or lice with mine. I'm not sure how your experience with leg mites might affect your decision.

Some of my nests have a solid wooden floor. Some have a 1" hardware cloth floor so stuff can drop through. For bedding I cut tall grass from places I don't usually mow or weed-eat and let it dry. Sort of like straw but finer and more delicate. When they go into the nest to lay an egg they scratch a lot, making a bowl-like depression to form a nest. That scratching will eventually shred the bedding into bits so I top off with fresh bedding when I need to. I generally do not remove the old, just toss some more on top.

I clean mine out after a broody hen hatches in the nest, if an egg gets broken in the nest, or if one poops in there. Basically, when something makes a mess in there. I toss the messy stuff in my compost pile.