Nest box material

[cromschickens]

I have 23 buff orpington's that are set to start laying anyday now. We are very excited and anxiously await our first eggs, problem is the girls empty all the nesting material out of the nest boxes. We are currently using straw but are switching to pine shavings. I have golf balls in the nest boxes in hopes of them getting the hint to lay in them. The golf balls are left in there but the straw is all gone. I realize straw is not the softest of material but it is in abundant supply around our place. I hope the pine shavings help, just wondering if anyone has had this issue in the past and what they did to take care of it. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[SouthernChicka8]

I also put pine bedding and the golf balls in the nesting box. Before that they were laying wherever they wanted. I noticed that now with the golf balls They lay in their nesting box.

 

[Den in Penn]

I use straw. Since I grow grain I get it as a by product. Soon to be laying pullets often pull the nesting material out of the nests during the period of investigating where to lay. Doesn't matter what the material is they can throw it all. Do your nests have a lip on the front to keep the material in? Always surprised on how many don't or it is too low. If you do and they still are, just wait. They will settle down once they start laying and stop throwing the nesting materials around. In the normal course I only have to replace the straw when there is a broken egg, or I clean the whole coop. And as they walk on the straw it softens.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I use straw. Since I grow grain I get it as a by product. Soon to be laying pullets often pull the nesting material out of the nests during the period of investigating where to lay. Doesn't matter what the material is they can throw it all. Do your nests have a lip on the front to keep the material in? Always surprised on how many don't or it is too low. If you do and they still are, just wait. They will settle down once they start laying and stop throwing the nesting materials around. In the normal course I only have to replace the straw when there is a broken egg, or I clean the whole coop. And as they walk on the straw it softens.

I agree I also use straw and it does soften as they walk on it, usually after just a few days. I cant see spending so much on pine shavings when straw is abundant and either super cheap or free in some cases.

 

[CarolJ]

I use pine shavings. The nest boxes had a two-inch lip, but the hens were kicking the pine shavings out of the nest boxes. So I nailed a board across the front of the boxes - giving the boxes a good 5-inch lip. Now the shavings stay in the nest boxes. I had worried that they wouldn't be able to get in and out of the boxes with that extra board there since it made decreased the height of opening for the chickens to get in and out of the boxes. They have problem whatsoever, though.

Pine shavings vs. straw. It's mostly personal preference. I like the smell of the pine shavings & they seem easier to work with. I use pine shavings for the coops deep litter. I use it for the nest boxes - and I occasionally put a couple bags in the run area just to keep it from getting muddy. I've read that straw tends to mat up easily - but I've never used it - so I don't know if that's true or not.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I keep it turned, along with the chickens help, and I havent had a problem. Now I will use pine shavings in my brooder, I want something soft at the start for the babies.

 

[cromschickens]

I do have a lip on the front of the nest boxes, it is a 1X4. I think I will let nature take it's course and leave the straw there, as it is free for us. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[SouthernChicka8]

I suppose bedding is up to what your chickens prefer. I tried the hay but they just kick it out. Even with the added lip. Now when I added the pine shavings the just moved it around the nesting box and that was it. They never kicked it out. I still keep the golf balls in.

 

[galanie]

I use straw. Not hay, but straw. Yes, they'll kick it out at times but they still prefer that to anything else. And I like it cause it's easier to keep the boxes clean.

 

[HEChicken]

I've read that straw tends to mat up easily - but I've never used it - so I don't know if that's true or not.

I haven't had that problem.

Now I will use pine shavings in my brooder, I want something soft at the start for the babies.

Oh, I'm just the opposite. I used to use shavings in the brooder but never liked them. They are difficult to dispose of (they don't decompose in the compost very fast and if you don't bury them in the pile, the wind just blows them away), and they weren't very absorbent. The poop would sit on top, they'd run through it and have poop and shavings caked on their feet in no time. So for awhile I switched to old towels and liked that a lot better. I could shake the dried poop off, and save up enough towels to do an animal only load so I didn't have to wash our clothes in the same load. I am currently brooding some chicks and this time I started them straight on straw and love it. After 10 days, I need to add a little more because they have it packed down but you practically can't see any poop on it at all. They've stayed clean and the feeder and waterer have also stayed clean.