New with chickens. Bedding question.

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Lots of people use the same thing they use in the coop. I imagine you will get as many varied responses as if you asked what bedding to use in the coop. Straw, pine shavings, rice hulls......I'm going to be using oat hulls when mine get big enough. Anything to cushion the egg and that can be cleaned out when one breaks in the nest. I don't think you can go wrong.
 
Hi @Donna Runyan :frow Welcome To BYC

There are a lot of opinions on what to use in nesting boxes. You can "experiment" to see what fits best for your situation. As mentioned above, shavings, hay, straw, etc. are all used.

I use pine shavings for bedding in the coop, so this is what I use in my nesting boxes as well. It's convenient and I don't have to buy anything "extra".

The only thing to avoid would be cedar shavings - they are too aromatic for a chickens delicate respiratory system.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC! :frow

I have tried just about everything in my nest boxes and as long as it's not a dangerous material, you can use what ever works for you. Wood shavings are easily scratched out of the boxes, however if you use a tall lip on the front, it will stay in the boxes better. Sand is a wonderful bedding for nest boxes and stays a lot cleaner are drier although it can be cold in the winter. Wood chips make a very nice bedding because the birds don't scratch around in the boxes as easily. Grass hay or straw is a wonderful material to use, however some birds eat grass hay more readily, they are easily kicked out the boxes and mites can hide in the shafts of the stalks. These are all the things that I have tried. Other people have used shredded paper, although I am sure my birds would try and eat these. LOL Pine straw, (pine needles) can also be used, but can be pokey on the pads. There are also such things as chick pads that are made from natural fibers, you can order these from My Pet Chicken.

So all in all, I would try what works best for you. Since the birds aren't doing anything but laying or brooding in there, absorbance isn't your number one concern, although if you have a hen that can't put a shell on (one of my older hens just can't put one on anymore and her yolks soil the box material all the time,) you may need to put down some sort of material that can't be absorbed into the wood of the box and is easy to clean. I put a sheet of tin down in the bottom of the box she prefers to use and deeply bedded it with wood chips. Very easy to clean up after her.

Good luck and welcome to our roost! :-)
 
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I have used both wood shavings and hay.
They kicked them both out all the time.
 

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