Non Aromatic Coop Bedding

[Willowspirit]

I am deathly allergic to pine shavings and now I've discovered to doug fir as well. We redid the chick bedding with paper, hemp and some pellet thing. All of this is pricey so when we get them in the big coop we are considering straw. Any advice about straw or other alternative bedding?

 

[DobieLover]

I am deathly allergic to pine shavings and now I've discovered to doug fir as well. We redid the chick bedding with paper, hemp and some pellet thing. All of this is pricey so when we get them in the big coop we are considering straw. Any advice about straw or other alternative bedding?

I hear some people use washed sand sometimes mixed with PDZ. You can scoop it with a kitty litter scoop.

 

[Willowspirit]

I hear some people use washed sand sometimes mixed with PDZ. You can scoop it with a kitty litter scoop.

Can you use cheap kitty litter i wonder. Also i would do nest boxes in fluffy plant material but I'm thinking about the coop floor.

 

[DobieLover]

Can you use cheap kitty litter i wonder. Also i would do nest boxes in fluffy plant material but I'm thinking about the coop floor.

I think cheap kitty litter would be extremely dusty.

 

[aart]

I am deathly allergic to pine shavings and now I've discovered to doug fir as well.

Is it just the aromatic odor and breathing it....or does it affect your skin when you touch it?

Almost anything you use for bedding, and just having birds, is very dusty.
You might consider a high quality mask.....or different pets.

Straw could work on floor, but it's not very absorptive so you may need to clean out more often.

 

[Better Than Rubies]

Straw is pretty good, in my opinion. And, my chickens love it, too.
But I agree with Aart; anything involving chickens involves dust. It's kinda nasty and, well...dusty. But it's just a part of owning chickens, it would seem.

 

[Willowspirit]

Is it just the aromatic odor and breathing it....or does it affect your skin when you touch it?

Almost anything you use for bedding, and just having birds, is very dusty.
You might consider a high quality mask.....or different pets.

Straw could work on floor, but it's not very absorptive so you may need to clean out more often.

The dustiness isn't the problem, it's the resins in the wood i react to. And it's respiratory and by touch. I just need to use something different. We have our guinea pig on blanket cloth. But i don't think that will work for chickens. Today we have them on paper stuff with pdz under and I've been ok. It's just that paper is spendy.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I used straw on floor and nests for 2 1/2 years. . . I am currently using Alfalfa and Orchard grass bale and Pine shavings. The compressed bale of Alfalfa and Orchard is extremely dusty when tossing it in the coop. I am going to look into something else. GC

 

[aart]

The dustiness isn't the problem, it's the resins in the wood i react to. And it's respiratory and by touch. I just need to use something different. We have our guinea pig on blanket cloth. But i don't think that will work for chickens. Today we have them on paper stuff with pdz under and I've been ok. It's just that paper is spendy.

I'd try the straw then...might be the cheapest if it's readily available in your area.
Might consider poop boards with PDZ under your roosts, that should lengthen the duration for when the floor bedding needs to be changed.
Any chance you can get hardwood shavings?
What will you use in your run?
Gonna be tough to avoid evergreens and save money.

 

[Willowspirit]

I'd try the straw then...might be the cheapest if it's readily available in your area.
Might consider poop boards with PDZ under your roosts, that should lengthen the duration for when the floor bedding needs to be changed.
Any chance you can get hardwood shavings?
What will you use in your run?
Gonna be tough to avoid evergreens and save money.

All good advice! I need to look around for additional options. I can get straw and hay because we already have horses.