Nesting Box Bedding Material Selection (the do's and don'ts)

[thecreekhouse]

I am a recent convert to the Petmate nest box liners: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00C...e+nest+box&dpPl=1&dpID=51xplf56IwL&ref=plSrch

The nesting material is attached to brown butcher paper, holding the nesting material in place in the box while still letting your chickens scratch and circle and get comfortable. But because the nesting material is attached to the paper, your hens can’t kick it all out of the box. Also, the premade nesting squares last longer because when they get soiled, you just pick them up, shake the mess off outside the coop and then replace them back into the nestboxes exactly as they were before. I’ll never go back to shavings or straw again.

 

[chickens really]

I use pine shavings and straw. Works great for me.

 

[aart]

I like a thick flake of straw shoved in tight and 'bowled' out a bit.
If it gets dirty(broken egg) or too thin I change it out and toss it into the run or on coop floor. Also have pieces of vinyl in the bottoms of nests to make cleaning those broken eggs out much easier, started that when I had a serial thin shell layer, have an extra one so swapping it out is fast and easy.

Made a 'bale bag' (holding hay in pic) to store it so it doesn't end up all over the place when strings are cut, go thru maybe one a year.

 

[Backyard Bruce]

My hens hate every loose material I've tried, from pine shavings to chopped up letters and other assorted papers.
They would just kick it out until empty and then lay their eggs on bare plywood.
I found some soft rubber welcome mats at Lowes, the ones with the soft rubber bristles about 1/2" long. I cut it up into three pieces, one for each box, and all is right in their world.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I have a roll out nest box... and just use some old carpet to line the bottom. I used pine shaving in it at first just to get them using it. Then took those out so the eggs will roll out freely. The hens use it fine with just carpet now.

 

[50-45-1]

Made a 'bale bag' (holding hay in pic) to store it so it doesn't end up all over the place when strings are cut, go thru maybe one a year.

Im curious @aart, how do you get that bale of straw into that bag?
Im envisioning a struggle... like me slipping into my "not so skinny" jeans!
Tug..wiggle..tug.. jump up and down...jerk..pull...etc

 

[aart]

Im curious @aart, how do you get that bale of straw into that bag?

I prop bale up, pull bag down over it most the way, then flip it over.
There's couple inches clearance all the way around, it's not too hard to do.