Nesting boxes, bedding, etc.

[bbchickies]

Me and my dad are building our own coop and we have a plan, but we dont know everything on the plan. One thing is nesting boxes. We looked all over a website called "My Pet Chicken" and all of the nesting boxes are out of stock!

Does anybody know another place to get nesting boxes? The second matter is bedding. We think/know we are getting pine shavings unless there is something better...(?) but where can you get pine shavings? Thanks in advance, bbchickies.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

BBChickies - If you or your Dad are handy...you could build the nesting boxes. Do you have a farm supply store near you like Tractor Supply or a local feed store? That's usually the best place to get your pine shavings (make sure not it's pine not cedar) and you might find nesting boxes there.

Depending where you are located, lots of people are doing animal swaps and the one I went to Sunday had a person there selling nesting boxes.

Best of Luck!

 

[bbchickies]

Thank you! As for the nesting boxes, I will ask my dad. And don't worry, I know not to use cedar chips (gladly). I will see if there are any stores like that around, and if there were, that would be SOOO helpful! Thanks again, bbchickies

 

[GoldDogsMom]

People also use a variety of items for nesting boxes like buckets laid on their sides, old milk crates or even cardboard boxes!

 

[bbchickies]

Wow! I never would have thought of doing that!

 

[GoldDogsMom]

That's why you came here to BYC with your questions!

 

[bbchickies]

Totally!

 

[4 the Birds]

Tractor Supply sells big blocks of Pine chips for about 5 dollars. Pine chips work great in the nest boxes and for the coop floor. They also sell plywood nest boxes for a few dollars each. I would think that you and your Dad could build boxes since you are building your coop.

 

[PCallahan]

Hey, out of curiosity what do you use for your coop floor. We have 6 chickens and I am using straw but it gets so matted down and smells. I am cleaning it twice a day and the used straw piles up fast.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

pine shavings...and I added a poop board filled with pdz-makes a huge difference! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/621363/poop-board-convert-warning-graphic-gross-poop-pictures

I have considered using sand on the floor of the coop-if you scooped it out daily it could last a long time!