Preferred nest box bedding?

[dfdesigns]

New to chickens... sorry if this is completely common knowledge!

My four girls free range all day, and then come into a large coop at night. There are six nesting boxes in there, which I have deeply bedded with shavings and a few golf balls. (No one is laying yet. Close, I think, but nothing yet.) Most of the pictures I see here show nesting boxes with straw, not shavings... have I missed the bedding boat? Should I switch over to straw?

Thanks so much!

Dana in San Diego

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I have shavings in mine, because that's what I have. It's just fine, although they kick it all over and I'm going to have to put a higher lip on the nest box to keep it in.

 

[Citychick42]

I have shavings in mine too. Im fairly new to the chicken world as well but my blrw's lay fine in there nesting boxes. (just started laying) Hope that helps!

 

[gryeyes]

I don't have a source for hay or straw, so I buy and use the pine shavings I use for brooders and the coop for the nest boxes, as well. Works fine enough for my birds. And easy to clean, too - don't need to discard as much when just a bit of the pine shavings get soiled.

Put it in nice and deep and the girls will nestle down into it.