Kitty Litter?

[AnimalGeek23]

Hi all, I’ve heard that sand or wood shavings were good floorings for your coop...
But I have a question: does anyone use cat litter as a flooring? It absorbs the waste, so it must be a good flooring, right?

 

[PirateGirl]

Hi all, I’ve heard that sand or wood shavings were good floorings for your coop...
But I have a question: does anyone use cat litter as a flooring? It absorbs the waste, so it must be a good flooring, right?

It depends what kind. I wouldn't use anything clumping because if ingested (and chickens try to eat everything at least once) clumping litter can create intestinal blockages and kill and animal. However there is corncob cat litter... I'm not sure if something like that would work. It would be a lot more expensive that pine shavings or straw In the long run.

 

[AnimalGeek23]

What about in the nesting box?
I’m just curious

 

[50-45-1]

I just googled what is kitty litter made of and it looks like it started out being mostly derived of clay.
Now however they are adding other stuff so it is non clumping, more absorbent and odor free. Silica is one of the additives now and can be harmfull to pets.
We built our coop it is 11X14, it has an enclosed roost section 8X6 wich we added a cement floor. The rest of the coop area is dirt floor. I change the dirt each year.

 

[50-45-1]

I use straw in my nest boxes, the hens love to move the straw around and build a nest.
Shavings also work.

 

[AnimalGeek23]

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Folly's place]

I'd avoid kitty litter of any sort out there. It would be too easy to get something scented, or with additions that won't be so good for your birds to live in or eat.
Shavings, mats, hay, straw, or some combination of unprocessed and 'natural' products work fine, and have been used for generations with no problems.
Mary

 

[PirateGirl]

There is no need for something absorbent like kitty litter in a nest box, they don't poop in the nest box. They just need something soft so that when they lay an egg and it hits the floor of the nest box it doesn't crack.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The best thing similar to kitty litter would be sand. Your typical kitty litter is so full of additives that I would definitely not use it in a coop.