kickin the straw out!

[TheLazyMac]

My chickens have been kickin the straw out of their nesting boxes! Every time I fill them, they kick it out. We thought maybe it had bugs in it so put some seven dust on but it's still happening. Anyone have any ideas???

Much appreciated!
TheLazyMac

 

[gsim]

Switch to something else, such as hay , crushed leaves , or wood chips. I use grass clippings and no trouble. In fact, I use them for litter too. Free and smell good even when dried.

 

[blessedchickenmama7]

Mine do it, too. Not sure what you can do about it. I kept adding fresh until I figured out that I must have been fluffing the boxes up more than they liked. Once they get it down to a certain level they pretty much leave it alone and just lay. Seems like each hen has to "adjust" it, too each time she gets in. So I add, but only little bits at a time and not as much as I used to. I use hay.

 

[ginbart]

Quote:

 

[Spore]

They like to do that. You could always put up a small ledge in front to hold some of the straw in.

 

[Uzuri]

Some just like to scratch. I've got one that claws all the way down through the bedding to the bare wood -- and the first egg she laid, she clawed all the way through the paint and made grooves in the floor as well. Think of it as part of chicken Lamaze -- they're grabbing the edges of the bed and screaming.

 

[JakRat]

I have the pine shavings in mine... i find that it is alot cleaner than the straw/hay and it stays in!

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Use GRASS hay, no alfalfa, no straw, just grass. Mine really like the stuff and I relplace it about once a week. I keep a full feed bag full in the chicken barn. I have grass hay for the horses.

 

[chicknjane]

Welcome to BYC, LazyMac.

Glad you're here and glad you asked that question. Mine girls do the same thing. I fill their nest boxes with straw, push it down and sort of form it into a bowl shape for them. They come in and kick it all out. Fussy little buggers they are. Looks like I'm going back to pine shavings, although they pretty much pushed that all around so that they were laying on the floor of the nest box anyway.

Good luck with yours and

Marcy

 

[CARS]

Mine will do that when the straw is loose. What I do is cut the strings on the bale and it will fall apart in chunks a few inches thick. Just lay those slabs in the box. The birds will make up the rest of the nest.