Nesting box bedding

[Lulu-vt]

I bought some of those nesting pad straw type things. But my chickens take them and rip them apart in their coop, leaving the nesting boxes bare with wood.

I know I don’t need the fancy stuff, but what should I put in there to make it more inviting?!

They are 19 weeks old and no eggs in sight. Granted with the time change, it messes up their light exposure.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Wait until they are laying to bed the nesting boxes. Until they start they will just shred or kick around anything you put in there.

 

[aart]

I know I don’t need the fancy stuff, but what should I put in there to make it more inviting?!

Whatever is handy and easy to get. I used to use flakes of straw wedged tight into nest box then bowled out a bit in the center. Now I just have the same pine shavings that are on the floor of coop.
They will tear up the nests as they begin to start laying, that usually smooths out after they've been laying awhile.
Post pics of your nests?

They are 19 weeks old and no eggs in sight. Granted with the time change, it messes up their light exposure.

The time change did not actually change the length of daylight
The clock change should not have affected the birds at all, unless you r are using supplemental lighting and changed the timer too.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Wait until they are laying to bed the nesting boxes. Until they start they will just shred or kick around anything you put in there.

Ok. Good idea. I just wanted it to look inviting!!

 

[Lulu-vt]

Whatever is handy and easy to get. I used to use flakes of straw wedged tight into nest box then bowled out a bit in the center. Now I just have the same pine shavings that are on the floor of coop.
They will tear up the nests as they begin to start laying, that usually smooths out after they've been laying awhile.
Post pics of your nests?


The time change did not actually change the length of daylight
The clock change should not have affected the birds at all, unless you r are using supplemental lighting and changed the timer too.

The sun is so much lower in the sky so we don’t get the same amount of light. My chickens always seem to lay less in the winter.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Whatever is handy and easy to get. I used to use flakes of straw wedged tight into nest box then bowled out a bit in the center. Now I just have the same pine shavings that are on the floor of coop.
They will tear up the nests as they begin to start laying, that usually smooths out after they've been laying awhile.
Post pics of your nests?


The time change did not actually change the length of daylight
The clock change should not have affected the birds at all, unless you r are using supplemental lighting and changed the timer too.

Here’s a picture but not a great one. I’m looking for the nesting boxes specifically.

 

[thistlewick]

I use straw, simply because it smells divine and looks cute in the nesting boxes. They seem to like it and make beautiful little nests every day, fussing all adorably around the boxes, picking up pieces of straw and setting it where they want. Chickens are the b e s t.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Anything should be fine. I've used aspen shavings, hemp, back to aspen again because its coarse and doesn't stick to eggs as much. The birds drag sticks and feathers into the nests too.

For free extra cushioning fold up empty feed bags and snuggly push them into the bottom of the nest box, then top with the nesting material of choice - even if they scratch half the material out the bottom of the box will remain padded.

 

[chicken1234]

I put a handful of shavings down first then some straw on top.

 

[The Moonshiner]

A lot of mine are destructive to the nests so I try to go with a cut to fit rubber mat then pine chips and stray on top.