nesting material

[DWV2528]

new to raising chicken have learned a lot but i would like to know what is the best material to use in the nest

 

[Wynette]

Some folks use straw or hay, although if they eat the hay (they won't eat straw), it can get balled up in their crop and cause major issues. I simply use pine shavings.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Welcome to BYC!

A search for "shavings straw best" brought up:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=263365
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=242611
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=226886

 

[Plain Old Dee]

Would shredded paper be safe to use? I have a cross-cut paper shredder that I use in my home office. It would be great to be able to recycle the paper into the nests and eventually into the compost heap...

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

Quote:
Only one way to find out!

Be careful, though. Paper can get moldy/mite-y/wet/nasty fast

 

[chickeydee]

I use the out door green carpet in mine .Its works great ! When I need to clean I just take it out and wash it off ,let it dry and put it back in . You can get it at lowes or home depot ,or a home inprovement store ..I heard to many stores on chickens eating the hay and what it can do to them .

 

[gritsar]

I use hay. It's cheap and easy to get around here. My hens have never shown an interest in eating it, but they do like to arrange it into beautiful little nests.

 

[Mahlzeit]

I use hay also and have had no problems with it.

 

[feathersnuggles]

I use straw and soft pine shavings.

Some people use their mowed grass (that has been dried out first).

I knew a woman who had sheep, who lined the nests with fleece she couldn't sell.

Whatever it is, be sure to keep it dry.

 

[bywaterdog]

Quote:
I have been using shredded paper for years, the only problem is that the girls like to "snack" on it once in a while, or the bloom will pick up letters.[like Silly Putty, from long,long ago.]


The good thing about it is, that beacuse of it's high Carbon value the shred's cool down their droppings faster to make garden ready additives.