Recommendations on coop bedding, nesting material and run floor material

[RuffIedFeathers]

Hello,

What I currently do with my coop is the deep litter method with hemp. Recently I tried using just one bag of hemp to see if I preferred cleaning more frequently, but after a month it smelled really bad; it didn't when I was using 3 bag of hemp and the deep litter method. I was a little grossed out by the concept, but it never smelled. However, 1 bag of hemp is about $100, so it's $300 every time I change it, which is 2-4x/year.
For their nesting boxes I've been using nesting pads, but they're about $40 for 10. Some of the chickens soil in them, so I have to clean them the best I can and then just toss and replace. It gets expensive. I was thinking of use straw, but not sure what the best options are.
In the run floor I have mulch and I HATE IT! It doesn't break down and it just smells horrible. My chickens free range so it's not like they're confined to the run constantly. I don't know what to do for the run floor. Just dirt? Bedding?

My question is, what can I do for bedding/nesting/run that would work the same but is more affordable? Would pine or aspen be fine? Should I just stick with hemp (which I really like). What should I use in the nesting boxes? Run floor?

Thank you for any guidance!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Pine shavings run me about $8 per bale, and it goes a long ways. I use large flake for the coop floor and fine flake for the nesting boxes. Keeps nice and fluffy, and keeps the eggs clean and cushioned. Your call for the run; personally, I'd just keep it in dirt and let Mother Nature do the cleanup.

 

[whatthechickens]

That sounds awfully expensive. Is there anywhere nearby you can get straw/hemp/hay/lucerne for cheaper?
There is a place near me that sell all the above in big bales, but they end up with lots of loose scrap in the warehouse so this is all swept up into a big bin where customer can bag it themselves and pay a few bucks for a huge bundle.

My deep litter is 2-3 inches and lasts 6 months although this is a dry hot climate. For the run I just have dirt and rake it every few weeks. This is with only one hen per 50 square feet though.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For their nesting boxes I've been using nesting pads, but they're about $40 for 10. Some of the chickens soil in them, so I have to clean them the best I can and then just toss and replace.

Free nest pads: Take empty feed bags and fold them to fit snugly in the bottom of your nests. If you have some excess bubble wrap sitting around, you can slip a few sheets inside the bags as well. Top with whatever nesting material you'd like - even if the birds scratch off most of it, the feed bags will still provide padding.

Run floor, I'd look into what other folks in your area use for litter, as climate, soil conditions, volume of litter to birds, and litter materials all make a difference.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

We use straw in the coop and the nesting boxes which they don't and won't use, a clean corner is what they prefer. The run is natural sand that perks well and provides a natural dust bath for them.

 

[arazla]

We use straw in the coop and the nesting boxes which they don't and won't use, a clean corner is what they prefer. The run is natural sand that perks well and provides a natural dust bath for them.

Where do you get your sand? I'm finding this to be really challenging. There is something called tube sand at our local home depot, but it doesn't say pet safe, so I'm not sure if that's right. They have play sand which does say pet safe, but it's always slightly damp feeling and cool to the touch. Since it's winter here right now, it doesn't seem like the best thing. The chicken chick swears by sand and says it retains heat best, stays cleanest and is a great choice in the winter. On the other hand, fresh eggs daily claims straw and hay are the best and naturally warm for winter. We're finding it something in between. Sand stays cold just as long as it retains heat, smells terrible after a while and is not cozy at all, but at least they don't eat it. The hay and straw stay fairly comfy, but seem to retain moisture in the winter due to rain and ice from our shoes and droppings even if we still spot clean and turn it over regularly (we do a modified deep litter method to try to keep the moisture down, but not sure if that's right). Plus they get a fair amount of hay in their crop now matter what we do. Straw less so, but it seems less absorbent. Pine shavings have been pretty good, but seem to go farther when mixed with some straw or hay. We like to put a path down on the ground when it snows or there's ice so they don't get frostbite on their feet, so even the pine shavings really rack up.

So that brings me back to the question of sand. If we could find a safe and less damp alternative, it would at least be helpful for certain areas and for poop boards.

I've now decided that actual leaves from trees make the best bedding for the run, or at least as a supplement. We have whole blankets of leaves during the fall around our property and I just wished I'd saved more, dried it, crunched it, etc. Free, but a heck of a lot of work.

 

[Kellow1]

Where do you get your sand? I'm finding this to be really challenging. There is something called tube sand at our local home depot, but it doesn't say pet safe, so I'm not sure if that's right. They have play sand which does say pet safe, but it's always slightly damp feeling and cool to the touch. Since it's winter here right now, it doesn't seem like the best thing. The chicken chick swears by sand and says it retains heat best, stays cleanest and is a great choice in the winter. On the other hand, fresh eggs daily claims straw and hay are the best and naturally warm for winter. We're finding it something in between. Sand stays cold just as long as it retains heat, smells terrible after a while and is not cozy at all, but at least they don't eat it. The hay and straw stay fairly comfy, but seem to retain moisture in the winter due to rain and ice from our shoes and droppings even if we still spot clean and turn it over regularly (we do a modified deep litter method to try to keep the moisture down, but not sure if that's right). Plus they get a fair amount of hay in their crop now matter what we do. Straw less so, but it seems less absorbent. Pine shavings have been pretty good, but seem to go farther when mixed with some straw or hay. We like to put a path down on the ground when it snows or there's ice so they don't get frostbite on their feet, so even the pine shavings really rack up.

So that brings me back to the question of sand. If we could find a safe and less damp alternative, it would at least be helpful for certain areas and for poop boards.

I've now decided that actual leaves from trees make the best bedding for the run, or at least as a supplement. We have whole blankets of leaves during the fall around our property and I just wished I'd saved more, dried it, crunched it, etc. Free, but a heck of a lot of work.

I use sand in my coop so that it is easy to scoop with a kitty litter scooper. I have straw everywhere else as the chickens like it. When I cut the straps on a bale of straw, they spend the next week spreading it all around the run. I pull out any straw that is soiled from the nest boxes and add fresh straw about every other day. Eggs stay nice and clean. I probably have 4-5 inches of straw on the ground. When there is a lot of poop, I use a leaf rack and clean everything up and dispose of it in the compost pile.

 

[Kellow1]

I use the construction-grade sand that you can get from a place where they pull it out of the ground and sell it by the truckload. Check to see if you have a place like this in your area. Contractors get their supplies of soil and gravel from places like this.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Where do you get your sand? I'm finding this to be really challenging. There is something called tube sand at our local home depot, but it doesn't say pet safe, so I'm not sure if that's right. They have play sand which does say pet safe, but it's always slightly damp feeling and cool to the touch. Since it's winter here right now, it doesn't seem like the best thing. The chicken chick swears by sand and says it retains heat best, stays cleanest and is a great choice in the winter. On the other hand, fresh eggs daily claims straw and hay are the best and naturally warm for winter. We're finding it something in between. Sand stays cold just as long as it retains heat, smells terrible after a while and is not cozy at all, but at least they don't eat it. The hay and straw stay fairly comfy, but seem to retain moisture in the winter due to rain and ice from our shoes and droppings even if we still spot clean and turn it over regularly (we do a modified deep litter method to try to keep the moisture down, but not sure if that's right). Plus they get a fair amount of hay in their crop now matter what we do. Straw less so, but it seems less absorbent. Pine shavings have been pretty good, but seem to go farther when mixed with some straw or hay. We like to put a path down on the ground when it snows or there's ice so they don't get frostbite on their feet, so even the pine shavings really rack up.

So that brings me back to the question of sand. If we could find a safe and less damp alternative, it would at least be helpful for certain areas and for poop boards.

I've now decided that actual leaves from trees make the best bedding for the run, or at least as a supplement. We have whole blankets of leaves during the fall around our property and I just wished I'd saved more, dried it, crunched it, etc. Free, but a heck of a lot of work.

Our sand is the Pine Barren sand which we call Sugar Sand and has been here for eons so we don't really worry about run ground cover. Fortunately it rakes easy and the rain and snow melt perks so fast there's never any muddy/ponding mess. Hopefully others who have to work their runs will help out.

 

[aart]

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
- Large flake pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 10 years.