Perfect nesting material

[Areemas]

So I have been using aspen shaving and that has been working find. But they haven't been able to build actual nests out of it. So I got some straw. I haven't even used the straw yet and already hate it. It is a dang mess! Just carrying it to the back yard I left a huge trail. My plian was to use the aspen shavings as a base with the straw on top. But I'm not sure about using the straw at all. Any suggestions?

 

[theuglychick]

What kind of birds do you have that you are trying to provide nesting material?

If you have chickens, they don't really build nest, like say a mocking bird or hawk would. They just kind of wallow out a shallow spot and call it good.

I use large pine shavings for mine.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I'm not sure about using the straw at all. Any suggestions?

I use solely a fold up a nylon mesh feed bag in my nest boxes. When a bag get soiled pop out the soiled pop in a fresh one. Frozen poop just peels off. Poop in other months just flakes off when left out in the sun to dry.

Easy Peasy Japaneasy.

 

[Areemas]

What kind of birds do you have that you are trying to provide nesting material?

If you have chickens, they don't really build nest, like say a mocking bird or hawk would. They just kind of wallow out a shallow spot and call it good.

I use large pine shavings for mine.

I guess my issue is that they usually push all the shaving to make a bowl but the center tends to be bare wood. Is that all right?

 

[theuglychick]

Yes, all of mine do the same thing. I think they like the cooler wood for some reason.

 

[aart]

They do like a bowl. I've found that even if the bottom of bowl is bare,
the soft sides of bowl catch the egg as it falls and it rolls down to bottom without breakage. I shove a good flake of straw tight in nest then bowl it out a bit, it stays together pretty good most the time.

I made 'bale bags' out of feed bags to hold bales of straw and hay from getting scattered all over my storage area after cutting the strings. A couple feed bags opened flat and sewn together offered just enough material to closely fit a whole bale, they've really worked out great.

 

[theuglychick]

They do like a bowl. I've found that even if the bottom of bowl is bare,
the soft sides of bowl catch the egg as it falls and it rolls down to bottom without breakage. I shove a good flake of straw tight in nest then bowl it out a bit, it stays together pretty good most the time.

I made 'bale bags' out of feed bags to hold bales of straw and hay from getting scattered all over my storage area after cutting the strings. A couple feed bags opened flat and sewn together offered just enough material to closely fit a whole bale, they've really worked out great.

View attachment 1130238

What a great idea!

 

[rosemarythyme]

The folded up feed bag technique works just fine for padding. I also use aspen shavings and mine always shove them out of the way, but thanks to the feed bags I don't have an issue with egg breakage.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

We use Sweet Timothy Hay sold in the pet section at Meijer for small animals. It comes in small bags already cut to the perfect size for the nesting boxes.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Sweet Timothy Hay

One advantage a folded feed bag has over any other type of bedding (even if used in conjuction) is cleaning the nest box after an egg is broken.