Nesting boxes? Hay and straw not available, what to put in them?

[vjbakke]

We are in town and don't have access to hay or straw for the nesting boxes, What else could we use?

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

I use pine shavings. Don't use cedar though because the smell is too strong for the birds.

BTW

 

[kuntrygirl]

Shredded paper?

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Quote:
X2

 

[blefky]

I have a nest pad in the bottom of each nest (just a piece of artificial turf cut to the size of the bottom of the box, for padding), on top of that I put a couple inches of pine shavings, and on top of that I put shredded up brown paper grocery bags (I keep a shredder in the kitchen and any brown paper that comes into the house hits the shredder). I change out the shredded paper about once a week depending on the weather - they get a lot dirtier faster in wet weather. The shavings are changed out less frequently. I also sprinkle some DE on the shavings and mix it in to help repel creepy crawlies.

 

[chicks@feathers]

I have used old bed fome from camper and it woked great. they chicken loved it sat in it more than any thing else. it was broke up in small pieces.

 

[vjbakke]

Quote:
We always have lots of that!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
We always have lots of that!

A lot of people use it. I have used it many times in the past.

 

[Kbagwell1]

Quote:
X2

X3 And they love digging through it!!!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:

I use pine shavings. Though I have a horse that I supply bermuda hay for. No Pine trees here in the desert or id use those they sound cumfy. I got wierded out thinking about putting those nest pads in like astroturf.... until I got to thinking about the fact that you are not making a bed you are making a clean place for your chickens to lay their eggs.

Hmmm... You dont have a feed store near your town? Where are you getting your chicken feed and oystershell.