Nesting liners... how long do they last? Worth the price?

[Panhandler80]

https://www.amazon.com/MagJo-Excelsior-Shaving-Nesting-Liners/dp/B076ZSJBWD?th=1

I'm 3-4 weeks out from my birds beginning to lay. Before too long I'll remove the barricade from the external boxes and will need some bedding in the boxes. Anybody ever used what's pictured above? At $27 a dozen, they aren't exactly cheap. If they keep eggs from breaking, stay put and are not scratched back into the coop, and last quite a while, then they might be worth it though.

If not this, then what? More pine shavings, or straw?

PH80

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

https://www.amazon.com/MagJo-Excelsior-Shaving-Nesting-Liners/dp/B076ZSJBWD?th=1

I'm 3-4 weeks out from my birds beginning to lay. Before too long I'll remove the barricade from the external boxes and will need some bedding in the boxes. Anybody ever used what's pictured above? At $27 a dozen, they aren't exactly cheap. If they keep eggs from breaking, stay put and are not scratched back into the coop, and last quite a while, then they might be worth it though.

If not this, then what? More pine shavings, or straw?

PH80

Back when I had laying hens we just used pine shavings or grass clippings. When my current ones start laying we will probably use grass clippings or dirt. I’ve heard people have had good experiences with nest liners, but I haven’t.

 

[Doc7]

on mine, which has a hard wood bottom, I have two layers that I cut out from a large amazon box (so 2 pieces of 12x12 cardboards) and pine shavings on top of that. I put a handful of line shavings on top every couple weeks as the hens kick them out but the cardboard is 2 years old no issues.

I had a cracked egg early on and I just assumed it was because of the wood bottom which is why I put the two pieces of cardboard.

 

[Sueby]

I've used both the pads & the loose excelsior & I like the loose better as the pads didn't fit right in my boxes and they are almost impossible to cut to size since they're so thick. But my birds don't poop in their boxes so in the year I've been using them I've never really had to change them out except when I've cracked an egg. The birds like it because they can form it into a bowl shape like they like to do. It's compostable too.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here's another free option: fold up empty feed bags to fit snugly in the nest box, then top with bedding of choice. If the bedding gets soiled, you can just pick up feed bag with bedding and all, and toss it.

 

[aart]

I use pieces of vinyl cut to fit tight in bottom of nest, and extra to swap out, then a tight flake of straw shoved in tight and bowled out a bit.
Works a charm here, but I have space to store a bale of straw.
Made a 'bale bag' to hold it in place after cutting bale strings.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I started using these last September when the new girls started laying. I just changed them after 8 months when I cleaned the coop. Now they were very dusty when I removed them, but since the stuff falls to the bottom, I don't think it affected the hens. Probably will change them a bit sooner this time, not because there was any problem. I have clean eggs except in the muddiest times, cleanest eggs ever, not sure why, but I like it. Previously I used shavings for years & then chopped straw for a year or so. Shavings stuck to the newly laid eggs, but was easy to pick off. Straw seemed to keep them cleaner, but the tiny pieces that sometimes stuck to the egg were on like plaster, a real pain. I tried the astro turf ones for a few months, but they seemed smelly in the summer, especially when I had a broody hen sitting in the next box. I really like these, nothing to stick to the eggs & will probably buy more when I need them. I only replaced 1 ahead of time when I had a broken egg. YMMV

 

[MPJ]

I use those nesting liners and love them. I tried straw at first but it got constantly kicked out.

 

[hellotrixie]

I use those mats and love them. My girls don't typically make too much of a mess (poop) in the nest boxes, so they last a long time for me. One of my nest boxes gets A LOT more use than the others, and I change that mat maybe twice a year. The other boxes every 8-9 months or so. I typically put a couple of handfuls of shavings in on top of them because it keeps my hens from picking/pulling the excelsior and makes the mats last longer. Occasionally when I scoop the coop, I take the mats out and shake all the shavings/dust/feathers off them. It works great a prolongs their life. I almost never have cracked or dirty eggs. When I used cardboard and shavings I had cracked eggs fairly often.

 

[Panhandler80]

I started using these last September when the new girls started laying. I just changed them after 8 months when I cleaned the coop. Now they were very dusty when I removed them, but since the stuff falls to the bottom, I don't think it affected the hens. Probably will change them a bit sooner this time, not because there was any problem. I have clean eggs except in the muddiest times, cleanest eggs ever, not sure why, but I like it. Previously I used shavings for years & then chopped straw for a year or so. Shavings stuck to the newly laid eggs, but was easy to pick off. Straw seemed to keep them cleaner, but the tiny pieces that sometimes stuck to the egg were on like plaster, a real pain. I tried the astro turf ones for a few months, but they seemed smelly in the summer, especially when I had a broody hen sitting in the next box. I really like these, nothing to stick to the eggs & will probably buy more when I need them. I only replaced 1 ahead of time when I had a broken egg. YMMV

Started using what last September? The ones that I referenced in the original post? Thanks.

I use those mats and love them. My girls don't typically make too much of a mess (poop) in the nest boxes, so they last a long time for me. One of my nest boxes gets A LOT more use than the others, and I change that mat maybe twice a year. The other boxes every 8-9 months or so. I typically put a couple of handfuls of shavings in on top of them because it keeps my hens from picking/pulling the excelsior and makes the mats last longer. Occasionally when I scoop the coop, I take the mats out and shake all the shavings/dust/feathers off them. It works great a prolongs their life. I almost never have cracked or dirty eggs. When I used cardboard and shavings I had cracked eggs fairly often.

The ones I posted a link to? Thanks.