Nesting Material

[Katt_Rambo]

I usually buy bales of straw from our local seller here, to put in our chicken coops, but he has none and does not think he will get any soon. I was wondering if I could use Alfalfa hay instead? I know chickens could eat it also. I don't want them to get sick, but I gotta get something in their coops that won't break the bank cause it's getting cold and they don't wanna lay (I have lights, I have high protein food).

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Are you asking about nesting material for their egg laying nest boxes?
Or bedding for the coop itself?
If for the nest boxes, alfalfa will work just fine as long as it doesn't get wet. I've used everything from straw to pine shavings to grass clippings to long grass strands to plastic nest pads to excelsior nest pads.
Virtually anything will work. The chickens aren't likely to eat much if any of it. Excelsior nest pads work very well and if anything happens like an egg gets broken in them you can just grab a pinch of the excelsior with the egg residue and dispose of it and still use the nest.
If bedding in the coop, I prefer pine stall shavings.

 

[Katt_Rambo]

Are you asking about nesting material for their egg laying nest boxes?
Or bedding for the coop itself?
If for the nest boxes, alfalfa will work just fine as long as it doesn't get wet. I've used everything from straw to pine shavings to grass clippings to long grass strands to plastic nest pads to excelsior nest pads.
Virtually anything will work. The chickens aren't likely to eat much if any of it. Excelsior nest pads work very well and if anything happens like an egg gets broken in them you can just grab a pinch of the excelsior with the egg residue and dispose of it and still use the nest.
If bedding in the coop, I prefer pine stall shavings.

For their coops. Their coops also have their nesting boxes in them. The straw helps with warmth and it also helps to keep in clean when they are in their laying.

We have a mini hatchery. I don't think pine shavings would be financially feasible. Two bales of straw (about 14 bucks) fills up all 10 of their coops pretty nicely. Alfalfa is about 13 bucks a bale, so it would be around 26 bucks. However, we have to clean it out once a week, or every 2 weeks sometimes when they don't use it much (hens aren't laying much in the winter).

I do use pine shavings for the inside brooders for the chicks, but it's far more expensive and you barely get much for what you pay for... however, if you have a connection or a place to buy that's reasonable, I am very open to that.


Thank you so much.

 

[StinkyAcres]

So the nesting boxes are on the floor, I assume? I wouldn't use hay on the coop floor, the risk of crop impaction and mold is too high. You may have to use pine shavings until you can find another place that sells straw. Pine horse stall pellets are another option. I read the pellets absorb moisture very well and last a long time so they don't need to be cleaned out often.

 

[Katt_Rambo]

So the nesting boxes are on the floor, I assume? I wouldn't use hay on the coop floor, the risk of crop impaction and mold is too high. You may have to use pine shavings until you can find another place that sells straw. Pine horse stall pellets are another option. I read the pellets absorb moisture very well and last a long time so they don't need to be cleaned out often.

We live in AZ. It rained twice in one year. I have never had issues with mold here and I been here for 30 + years. We do not have moisture here.

Our nest boxes sit up a foot or two up off the ground anyway. Helps keep them cool when its 120 degrees here.

 

[StinkyAcres]

We live in AZ. It rained twice in one year. I have never had issues with mold here and I been here for 30 + years. We do not have moisture here.

Our nest boxes sit up a foot or two up off the ground anyway. Helps keep them cool when its 120 degrees here.

Ah, okay. It would help if you put your location in your profile.
Hay is fine for use in the nesting boxes. I'd still be concerned about crop impaction if it is used on the coop floor because even if they don't try to eat it they do accidentally eat it while foraging.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Pine shavings baled for horse stalls is much less expensive than those sold in small packages for small rodents.
I get a bale that is enough to fill a 100 sq. ft. building deep enough to last a year that runs about $6.

 

[Katt_Rambo]

Pine shavings baled for horse stalls is much less expensive than those sold in small packages for small rodents.
I get a bale that is enough to fill a 100 sq. ft. building deep enough to last a year that runs about $6.

Where do you buy that at? We have a tractor supply, but doesn't have it. Do you know the name of the brand you use? I will google and see where the closest place is that has it. Thank you!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There is an old school feed store by my house where I usually get it. Across the river there are also a Tractor Supply and a Farm and Home stores across from each other. I never checked at TS but Farm&Home carries such a product.
I suggest asking around at area stables and ask where they get theirs. Some stables use straw but most around here use pine shavings for horse stall bedding. Since you have so many coops, it may be worth getting it by the truckload. Perhaps check at area sawmills too.

 

[Katt_Rambo]

Yeah, already did that. Thanks though.