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

[vjbakke]

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.

We do have a feed store, I was meaning if I had hay for other animals or lived on a farm I would use it. We have a store we will be getting our feed and other supplies from. I like the " free" options like paper!​

 

[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.

We do have a feed store, I was meaning if I had hay for other animals or lived on a farm I would use it. We have a store we will be getting our feed and other supplies from. I like the " free" options like paper!

LOL...

FWIW

you can buy a flake of hay from the feed store... Only if you wanted. The feed store I go to sells it by the slab or flake for people who have rabbits. Thats enough to fit in a garbage bag about ten pounds.

 

[mattdog1995]

I know you said your in the city but you may have access to pine straw. it works fine, thats what people always told me to use. my hens love it.

 

[The Funky Chicken Dunce]

Newspaper works in a pinch!

 

[cyrixlord]

Quote:
hm. the fake turf might help me out a bit in the event I have a 'blow out' (thats what I call it when they break an egg in the box). it sure would help in the cleaning up! as it is i have to hose out the nest box and let it dry. thanks for the suggestion!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

if you dont have many boxes to fill you can vist walmart or a local pet store and buy a bagged bail of hay there. They sell it for rabbits and chinchilas. Good luck

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Good option!!!

FREE is my middle name. Always go free when you can. More money in your pocket.

 

[Freebird Poultry]

Almost any kind of dry tree leaves also works real well.

 

[hstommel]

Hi, I was using pine shavings, until I lost my banty rooster. I believe he succumbed to the vapors from the bedding...now I don't know everything about chickens or pine shavings, but it happened about one month after I started using pine, and he did develop some type of breathing problem. I think because he was my smallest and youngest bird that he went first, so I stopped using the pine shavings. If anyone can say for sure that it couldn't have been the pine fumes let me know. I know it is not recommended to use them for small animals either. Oh and ps, it is a small coop, and it was winter, so it was mostly closed.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:

and sorry for your loss

Are you sure it wasnt cedar shavings?