Nesting box pads???

[Gypsy07]

I use wood shavings.

 

[NHchicks]

I was just thinking this morning, instead of using hay, why not used grass clippings?

I realize this probably doesn't help the original poster because the grass may mark up the eggs anyway.

But I'm a little tired of spending so much money on shavings and hay that need to be cleaned out regularly.

Has anyone ever tried a pile of grass clippings?

 

[Fiddlehead]

I use the nesting pads and I LOVE them! I thought at first they wouldn't work because they feel kind of hard and prickly, but my silkies and BLRW's love them and lay ggs in them and even sleep in their nesting boxes (which I am not happy about!) I can't tell you how easy they are to clean. I hated straw, it is impossible to scoop. I didn't mind shavings except that I have a sand floor and the shavings would spill out of the box and mess up my clean sand floor! Haha, I know a little OCD there.... but I couldn't be more happy with my nesting pads! You can get them at cutlers supply or farmtek, I have even seen them on Ebay. Not sure who has the best quality, I have only bought them once, and have nothing to compare them to yet. I got them about 6 weeks ago and they look exactly the same as the day I bought them. Good luck!

 

[Tracydr]

One person on the AZ thread uses AC filter material and it looks really nice. She just cuts to size and rinses it out to clean it. I've been using herbs- lots of rosemary, lavender and lemon grass. I cut big bundles of herbs and lay them in the next boxes with an old Manila file folder as a liner. When dirty I can lift the file folder and dump everything all together. The mix of herbs smells so good! I added a little pine needles for extra cushion now that I have more hens laying, just to prevent eggs breaking because so many hens are going in and out of the nest box all day long.
I have lots of herbs and huge pine trees so trying to use free nesting materials. The rosemary, lavender and lemongrass make the coop smell really nice, plus I need to trim back the plants every so often, anyway. I've heard they are supposed to repel lice and mites, too.

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

Quote:
Wow - what a great idea! And I bet your coop smells sooooo nice -

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
I'm sure my girls would LOVE this. Free food while in the nest box ! LOL

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
ANother great idea. I wouldn't want shavings to mess up my sand floor either.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
More good things to grow!

 

[SadieSue]

I have a friend who is using the excelsior pads and loves them. I'm think I might switch over to these for a while and see how they work out. I currently have small plastic litter boxes filled with straw inside the nest boxes, but I think the pads might be tidier.

http://www.eggcartons.com/Nest-Pads-and-Bedding/products/29/

 

[stargazingmommy]

my hen won't use a nest box, or the cute little basket, or a cardboard box. Just digs a hole in the dirt where she lays her cute little egg. I added more pine shavings, she moved them...and laid on the dirt. I have since added a good foot or more of straw. She still wont use the box. or the basket. or anything but a certain spot on the floo by the door.