Nest Box Material

[ClickerChick]

My girls have started laying. I want to build a nest box or two for them to lay in, but I can't think of a good nesting material. Here are my ideas and things I have heard about:

1. Straw. (I don't have much access to this)
2. Hay. (Can be harmful to chickens if they ingest, and is hard to manage as it easily absorbs water and rots, and can house parasites)
3. Pine Shavings. (I can get this, but my duck, Lizzie, eats it and I'm not sure it's OK for her to eat lots of wood shavings)
4. Sand. (I thought of using sand, as the duck doesn't eat it, and it's a natural dust bath material! But I'm not sure if they would take dust baths in it instead of laying eggs in there)

Any more ideas? Opinions?

Thanks!

 

[alb9202]

How about grass clippings? Or shredded newspaper?

 

[alb9202]

How about grass clippings? Or shredded newspaper?

 

[ClickerChick]

Lizzie would eat both...

 

[Janay]

Can saw dust be used?

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Having tried pine shavings vs. straw, my girls prefer straw. I see where you don't have a lot of access to it, though. The good news is that you wouldn't need a lot so one bale - if kept dry - should last you a long time.

I began adding cut herbs to the nest for no reason other than I had quite a few and needed to cut/thin them out. Catnip, thyme, and rosemary. The girls seem to like that and I find them moving the bits of herbs about in the nesting box.

 

[chickenlver2013]

My girls have started laying. I want to build a nest box or two for them to lay in, but I can't think of a good nesting material. Here are my ideas and things I have heard about:

1. Straw. (I don't have much access to this)
2. Hay. (Can be harmful to chickens if they ingest, and is hard to manage as it easily absorbs water and rots, and can house parasites)
3. Pine Shavings. (I can get this, but my duck, Lizzie, eats it and I'm not sure it's OK for her to eat lots of wood shavings)
4. Sand. (I thought of using sand, as the duck doesn't eat it, and it's a natural dust bath material! But I'm not sure if they would take dust baths in it instead of laying eggs in there)

Any more ideas? Opinions?

Thanks!

leaves from trees. I'm using leaves at the moment right now and it's giving my hens The feeling of being in the wild

 

[ClickerChick]

I got ahold of a bale of straw, and have been using that for a while. It seems to be working - they can't eat it, but I keep having to put it back in the nesting boxes from being scattered all over the floor!

Oh well, thanks anyways!

 

[maggierose]

I got ahold of a bale of straw, and have been using that for a while. It seems to be working - they can't eat it, but I keep having to put it back in the nesting boxes from being scattered all over the floor!

Oh well, thanks anyways!

hi ClickerChick... just FYI... there is an Eastern Washington group you might be interested in joining... we just compare notes, talk about the weather, and what's going on with our beloved chickens! anyway, just noticed you were in Walla Walla so thought I would mention it!

 

[ClickerChick]

OK, I'll look into it!