Nest box pads? (As opposed to loose bedding)

[blackdog043]

I use straw and don't have a problem. I have a 3 - 4 inch board across the front of the boxes so it keeps it in there pretty good. If it gets soiled or I get the occasional soft shelled egg that gets broken in the box, I throw the straw in the run or compost pile and put fresh in the box. Cheap and easy

 

[Relleoms]

Funny you should ask @thecreekhouse, as a couple of weeks ago I was investigating this myself.

We had used these excelsior nest pads, as you are considering and they were fine, but apparently my pullets were unimpressed with the paper lining. All excelsior scratched off in less than 24 hours - paper in the coop, along with a good bit of the excelsior. It was so consistent that we just ripped of the paper backing the last couple of refreshes, in order for more excelsior to stay in (and we do have a decent lip on the front of the nest boxes to prevent everything coming out). So, once that 10-pack was almost gone, I started to look into options. I strongly considered the plastic ones you can hose off, but many comments were that they were stiff and chickens were not always accepting of this (I figured I could add excelsior at first to get them used to it). I also considered carpet like @Eilsel and @OhZark Biddies. In the end, with the recommendation from my 12yo chicken assistant recommending continuing to use the excelsior, I purchased a 10lb box of the excelsior (no paper backing) from Amazon. It was listed under "willow specialties" sold by Wasserstrom restaurant supply. It came very clean and was over 10lbs by weight (included the box weight), and not a whole lot more expensive than the 10 pack pads.

Good Luck with your decision!

I also bought the 10 pound box and use it on top of the rubber mats. When we get sideways rain, there’s a bit of seepage into our nest boxes. The rubber keeps air flowing and the excelsior provides a little padding and material to scratch!

 

[Acre4Me]

I also bought the 10 pound box and use it on top of the rubber mats. When we get sideways rain, there’s a bit of seepage into our nest boxes. The rubber keeps air flowing and the excelsior provides a little padding and material to scratch!

We get a little seepage too if rain is at right angle, which is why I considered the plastic ones. Maybe they will be a spring coop improvement (along with excelsior for comfort if they are stiff and chickens rebel) as we need to do a few nest box improvements anyway.

 

[campchocolate]

Have any of you tried any of the nesting box pad products for your nest boxes as opposed to using loose bedding (I’ve been using pine shavings) - loose bedding that your hens just kick out of the boxes until the floors of the boxes are bare?

I’m looking at the Petmate Excelsior brand nest box pads which are advertised as soft and comfortable (made of biodegradable materials). Hens can scratch at them and fluff them up but they stay in place with a brown paper back lining. Then every 2-4 months you just remove the pad and paper, add them to the compost pile, and then refresh each of your nest boxes with a fresh pad. This product has high ratings on Amazon.

An alternative would be the rubber, cut to fit pads for the bottom of nesting boxes. They are slotted so fresh air circulates, they’re soft to stand and sit on for your hens, and they can be removed for easy rinse down at any time. These seem like maybe they wouldn’t give hens the enjoyment of scratching and pecking at a natural nest box material, preventing them from moving the nest box material at Nestound to get it as comfortable as they like but I don’t know. Maybe these would be okay with laying hens.

Have any of you used a product like either of these in your nest boxes? I’d love your input. Right now my hens are kicking the pine shavings I’m using in the boxes out until they’re left with bare wooden floor. None of my pullets (age 4-8 months) have begun laying yet so I want to make sure that the nest boxes remain comfy and inviting and not scratched down to bare wood floor.
[/QUO

Hello! I see this was posted a few years ago. I'm hoping some of you will receive an alert that I've posted here.

The issue is we have built roll away egg nesting boxes. I cannot use pine shavings as they slide down into the collection area. If I use straw the eggs will not roll away. It is now winter and the boxes are not 'cozy' to say the least. We are noticing the ends of the eggs have a 'ding' or crack as they hit the plywood before rolling away.

I have seen where people have used artificial grass, but I have the concern of them ingesting it. Same with carpet. Are you finding the pad liners working still? What are they called? I do like the idea of cutting up the door mat. I have an old choir mat I could use.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[WthrLady]

I used them when they first came out about 5 years ago. Mine just tore them to shreds, literally. They would fluff them up nice enough, but then turn them into a bowl, then they would tear the bottom out of the bowl and through the paper backing. If an egg broke, which it often did when they broke through the excelsior and paper, then the whole pad needed changed $$$$.

I find pine shavings far more economical and clean. They have just as much fun playing with and decorating with it.

 

[jreardon1918]

We use pine shavings with a good size lip. They shape the shavings to their liking. Every few weeks we add a bit more. If they are expelling any, they just fall to the coop floor which also has pine shavings.

We have only had a handful of broken eggs over the last 3+ years.

 

[CincyChickFarm]

Have any of you tried any of the nesting box pad products for your nest boxes as opposed to using loose bedding (I’ve been using pine shavings) - loose bedding that your hens just kick out of the boxes until the floors of the boxes are bare?

I’m looking at the Petmate Excelsior brand nest box pads which are advertised as soft and comfortable (made of biodegradable materials). Hens can scratch at them and fluff them up but they stay in place with a brown paper back lining. Then every 2-4 months you just remove the pad and paper, add them to the compost pile, and then refresh each of your nest boxes with a fresh pad. This product has high ratings on Amazon.

An alternative would be the rubber, cut to fit pads for the bottom of nesting boxes. They are slotted so fresh air circulates, they’re soft to stand and sit on for your hens, and they can be removed for easy rinse down at any time. These seem like maybe they wouldn’t give hens the enjoyment of scratching and pecking at a natural nest box material, preventing them from moving the nest box material at Nestound to get it as comfortable as they like but I don’t know. Maybe these would be okay with laying hens.

Have any of you used a product like either of these in your nest boxes? I’d love your input. Right now my hens are kicking the pine shavings I’m using in the boxes out until they’re left with bare wooden floor. None of my pullets (age 4-8 months) have begun laying yet so I want to make sure that the nest boxes remain comfy and inviting and not scratched down to bare wood floor.

 

[CincyChickFarm]

Have any of you tried any of the nesting box pad products for your nest boxes as opposed to using loose bedding (I’ve been using pine shavings) - loose bedding that your hens just kick out of the boxes until the floors of the boxes are bare?

I’m looking at the Petmate Excelsior brand nest box pads which are advertised as soft and comfortable (made of biodegradable materials). Hens can scratch at them and fluff them up but they stay in place with a brown paper back lining. Then every 2-4 months you just remove the pad and paper, add them to the compost pile, and then refresh each of your nest boxes with a fresh pad. This product has high ratings on Amazon.

An alternative would be the rubber, cut to fit pads for the bottom of nesting boxes. They are slotted so fresh air circulates, they’re soft to stand and sit on for your hens, and they can be removed for easy rinse down at any time. These seem like maybe they wouldn’t give hens the enjoyment of scratching and pecking at a natural nest box material, preventing them from moving the nest box material at Nestound to get it as comfortable as they like but I don’t know. Maybe these would be okay with laying hens.

Have any of you used a product like either of these in your nest boxes? I’d love your input. Right now my hens are kicking the pine shavings I’m using in the boxes out until they’re left with bare wooden floor. None of my pullets (age 4-8 months) have begun laying yet so I want to make sure that the nest boxes remain comfy and inviting and not scratched down to bare wood floor.

 

[CincyChickFarm]

Funny you should ask @thecreekhouse, as a couple of weeks ago I was investigating this myself.

We had used these excelsior nest pads, as you are considering and they were fine, but apparently my pullets were unimpressed with the paper lining. All excelsior scratched off in less than 24 hours - paper in the coop, along with a good bit of the excelsior. It was so consistent that we just ripped of the paper backing the last couple of refreshes, in order for more excelsior to stay in (and we do have a decent lip on the front of the nest boxes to prevent everything coming out). So, once that 10-pack was almost gone, I started to look into options. I strongly considered the plastic ones you can hose off, but many comments were that they were stiff and chickens were not always accepting of this (I figured I could add excelsior at first to get them used to it). I also considered carpet like @Eilsel and @OhZark Biddies. In the end, with the recommendation from my 12yo chicken assistant recommending continuing to use the excelsior, I purchased a 10lb box of the excelsior (no paper backing) from Amazon. It was listed under "willow specialties" sold by Wasserstrom restaurant supply. It came very clean and was over 10lbs by weight (included the box weight), and not a whole lot more expensive than the 10 pack pads.

Good Luck with your decision!

 

[CincyChickFarm]

I currently use the excelsior pads but have found they only last a few days so they are not economical. The chickens pull them apart, to the point it's sometimes difficult to locate the eggs. They have a paper lining that gets wet and easily falls apart. I like that I can compost them tough. I'm considering swtiching to the rubber or silicone ones.