Nest pad ideas!!!??

[rosemarythyme]

Take empty feed bags, put in a couple sheets of bubble wrap (optional), and fold to snugly fit in the bottom of the nest box. Voila, free padding that the birds can't budge and can be easily thrown away if it gets soiled.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Take empty feed bags, put in a couple sheets of bubble wrap (optional), and fold to snugly fit in the bottom of the nest box. Voila, free padding that the birds can't budge and can be easily thrown away if it gets soiled.

 

[Nurfsmom]

I use the silicone pads and am quite fond of them. Previously, my hens would not leave straw, pine shavings, etc. in the nest. Have had no problems with the silicone pads. Plus, you can take them out, wash and sterilize, then dry and replace.

 

[Callender Girl]

What I use depends on the coop construction and the girls who live there.

In some of my coops. I use the pads that @Aunt Angus used -- before the duckies ruined it for everybody! In others, I use wood shavings.

But, In my avatar coop, I use EZ.SIMPLY chicken nesting pads, available on Amazon. Made of a soft plastic, mine have been in that coop for more than 3 years with no signs of wear. The pads fit pretty well in the nest boxes, and the girls don't kick them out or break eggs.

To clean the pads, I pull them out, knock them against a solid surface to remove stuck feathers, poop, whatever, and periodically just hose them off. Sometimes, the "gunk" in the pads is a bit of a challenge to remove, but I like buying them once and not having to replace them.

 

[Aunt Angus]

What I use depends on the coop construction and the girls who live there.

In some of my coops. I use the pads that @Aunt Angus used -- before the duckies ruined it for everybody! In others, I use wood shavings.

But, In my avatar coop, I use EZ.SIMPLY chicken nesting pads, available on Amazon. Made of a soft plastic, mine have been in that coop for more than 3 years with no signs of wear. The pads fit pretty well in the nest boxes, and the girls don't kick them out or break eggs.

To clean the pads, I pull them out, knock them against a solid surface to remove stuck feathers, poop, whatever, and periodically just hose them off. Sometimes, the "gunk" in the pads is a bit of a challenge to remove, but I like buying them once and not having to replace them.

Those aren't bad. That's more or less what I have now (mine are gray - no idea the brand). I put pine shavings on top because my hens don't like them. Maybe if I'd used those before the ones with the straw-like material, they would be fine with them.

 

[janiedoe]

I loved using these:
View attachment 3240795

I used them until my ducks decided to eat them - lol! I HIGHLY recommend them. The hens can arrange them as needed but not kick out the material. I replaced them occasionally if they got dirty, but it is easy just to shake them out.

Likewise.
These are pretty nice and convenient. Chewy and Walmart carry them. All the chain farm stores have them too. I like that I can toss them in the compost pile when they get dirty.
I used the turf style liners for a while, but I found them hard to
clean, and the hens obviously prefer straw, but they kick and scratch it out within a few hours.
The 13 x 13 excelsior pads are a nice compromise.