MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

Sometimes someone poops in the box or breaks an egg so obviously I change it then.
Otherwise I really only top it up now and then because they do throw it around.
I would say I probably top up roughly monthly based on them emptying it out.

Have you continued with the plastic tubs as nest boxes?

 

[MaryJanet]

I was using the Superior Shavings for bedding but I found a local mill that sells an identical product at half the price.

Yeah the shavings wouldn't work so well with a vented floor unless you could put a false floor in the nesting box. If you give them enough shavings they can build a deep bowl but unless your nesting boxes have a big lip on them the chooks would kick the shaving out pretty quick.

Yes, that would be a problem.

 

[MaryJanet]

I change it every two weeks now. Weekly when it’s warm in summer (bc of a higher risk of getting red mites). And less often in winter.

I didn't think about the mites at your place. It would change the nest refresh schedule.

 

[Down Under]

Fresh PVC is poisonous. And its bad for the environment too.

It is sad that the same can be said about marine grade plywood, to get it to stand up to the rigours of a salt water environment it has to be treated with chemicals so that it does not rot and the glues are pretty extreme to keep wet wood bonded together. There is also a warning that all plywood is toxic and safety measures should be used when cutting and/or working with it. So something natural has been turned into something that appears natural but is actually far from it.

 

[RoyalChick]

Have you continued with the plastic tubs as nest boxes?

Yes. They work well and I think to some extent meet the need to create a deep nest by providing 'sides'.
I over-fill the bowls and the hens dig around and create a depression in the shavings in the middle.
Tassels looks cozy enough!

 

[Shadrach]

I use shredded paper, fine shred and cut, and I use it because of the features that many wouldn't, and because I get it for nothing.

It's worth bearing in mind that a hen makes her nest on the ground and that means in earth and that if one has a strong enough nest box with a solid bottom is what I would use and have used in the past. Hens don't need soft and bouncy for their nest. What they need is something they can shape that will absorb some moisture and keep the shape the hen made.
Regarding other popular nest materials the important things are it shouldn't bring mites and pathogens to the nest and it shouldn't be dusty. Well managed second cut straw that's dust extracted is okay. Some wood shavings are okay if they are made from hardwood. Shredded cardboard (dust extracted) can work well.

 

[MaryJanet]

I use shredded paper, fine shred and cut, and I use it because of the features that many wouldn't, and because I get it for nothing.

It's worth bearing in mind that a hen makes her nest on the ground and that means in earth and that if one has a strong enough nest box with a solid bottom is what I would use and have used in the past. Hens don't need soft and bouncy for their nest. What they need is something they can shape that will absorb some moisture and keep the shape the hen made.
Regarding other popular nest materials the important things are it shouldn't bring mites and pathogens to the nest and it shouldn't be dusty. Well managed second cut straw that's dust extracted is okay. Some wood shavings are okay if they are made from hardwood. Shredded cardboard (dust extracted) can work well.

How often do you clean out and refresh the nests Shad?

 

[Shadrach]

How often do you clean out and refresh the nests Shad?

I don't have a routine as such. I strip out if there are droppings in the nest and once in a while when I torch the nest boxes. Shredded paper does get dragged out of the nest boxes and I do top up as and when required. I nspect the nest boxes daily and date mark any eggs in the nest. I don't empty the nest of eggs, but I do try not to encourage sitting just because there's a pile of eggs that look like they need something done with them. The underneath of the shredded paper is less dry than the top layer but not damp on most days. When it's been wet outside the paper takes on some of that moisture but no more than earth would.

 

[BY Bob]

Thanks Bob. Peggy is not her usual self.

It can take some time for them to adjust. Some hugs for Peggy.

 

[MaryJanet]

I don't have a routine as such. I strip out if there are droppings in the nest and once in a while when I torch the nest boxes. Shredded paper does get dragged out of the nest boxes and I do top up as and when required. I nspect the nest boxes daily and date mark any eggs in the nest. I don't empty the nest of eggs, but I do try not to encourage sitting just because there's a pile of eggs that look like they need something done with them. The underneath of the shredded paper is less dry than the top layer but not damp on most days. When it's been wet outside the paper takes on some of that moisture but no more than earth would.

Have you ever had mites or lice in the nests? What would you use to reduce/resist mites or lice?