Nesting box material?

[MEMama3]

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Hi folks. So I've taken to washing and combing my own wool fleeces to spin into my own yarn to knit. Question is, I have bits of the fleece left over that are full of grass, tiny knots and basically just isn't usable after I comb it out.  Can I put this in my nest boxes for my chickens?

I normally use pine shavings in my coop but since my girls started laying, it just gets scratched out.

I can't see why not. The natural lanolin would prevent mold and bugs. Wild birds use it all the time. I'd say give it a try (and report back, I never thought of using my leftovers)

 

[ydkjenn]

I just had an EE lay her first egg. I'm behind and had to quickly make a nest box as there wasn't one in the coop and she layed on a corner of the floor.
I bought a cheap Rubbermaid type container that fits really well on the shelf thats' in the coop.
I just threw pine shavings in it as that's what I had that was clean. I noticed she kicked all the pine shavings out of the box today and is now trying to lay in the empty box, but she's also slipping around the bottom. Is this ok or is there something else I can use in the box to get better traction?

 

[So Cal Chic]

I'm having a similar problem. Two weeks ago I inherited six hens from a friend who moved to Sweden. She gave me two trash cans full of straw to use for nesting material in their temporary coop/run, but every time I collect the eggs, there isn't a scrap of straw in the box. Based on my observations, the head hen is kicking it all out. I tried paper from my shredder, but the strips got caught on their feet so they were dragging it around, and didn't like it. No broken eggs. Their egg production has fallen off. My friend said she'd usually get 6 eggs a day, but the most I've collected in a day is 4 or 5. I don't want to stress them out any further by continuing to put straw in the box if they don't like it. Should I just leave it be until they move into their permanent coop/run?

 

[Susanv47]

Where do u get pine shavings?

 

[cowhlb]

What do you use for material in your nesting boxes? I've read different things online and thought I would ask folks what they recommend?

Pine shavings

 

[cowhlb]

Where do u get pine shavings?

Tractor Supply

 

[So Cal Chic]

Where do u get pine shavings?

My local feed store carries it. Any place that carries horse or poultry feed and supplies should have it.

 

[Susanv47]

Thank you everyone, I found some Aspen shavings at Wal-Mart for now. I put it in the boxes and sprinkled choc mint leaves in. So far they really enjoy it.

 

[birdlady79]

How often are you suppose to clean nesting boxes? I use pine shaving and dried grass clippings... I clean coop everyday so no poo is being tracked in or out.... I sprinkle DE in boxes..... Thanks

 

[PurpleChicken1]

Wood Shavings are great.