Sand in the coop, what do you put in the nesting boxes?

[skitzkle]

I have sand on the floor of my coop that I clean daily and was wondering what to put in the nesting boxes? I heard that straw would get in the sand and mold? What do you other sand users use in yours? My backyard mutts are 10 weeks old, just getting ready for when they start laying! Thanks!

 

[dadschicks]

I have been wondering the same thing. Our young chickens are about 9 weeks and are in the coop during the day and in a dog crate in the garage at night. We are thinking they are ready to stay outside overnight in the coop and want to get set up. Currently we have nothing in the nesting boxes. I see there is some poop in there so the have obviously been up there a few times. For the most part, during the day they are in the lower part of the coop. I have gravel over dirt now, but see that maybe I should get some sand and DE.

Not sure what to do about the nesting boxes. Any help here?

 

[Mehjr10]

I use pine shavings in our nest boxes.

 

[Delight30]

I use shredded paper in ours and I would not allow access to nest boxes until 16 wks. You will end up with poop on your eggs. You only want them in nest boxes to lay eggs and not to sleep. If you use straw and clean your coop daily I would not think you would have an issue with mold.

 

[dadschicks]

Thanks for the tips. I didn't realize that about the next boxes. I will find some what to block access to the nest boxes until we are at 16 wks as you suggested.

 

[MandalaMaMa]

I use rice hull in my nest boxes and hen house floor. I love how easy they clean with a kitty litter scoop.

 

[skitzkle]

I use rice hull in my nest boxes and hen house floor. I love how easy they clean with a kitty litter scoop.

Where do you get the rice hull?

 

[Mrs Rebecca]

I use sand in my coop and run, but straw in my nest boxes. It takes very little straw for the boxes and only a few strands make their way into the coop. They are easy to clean out when raking the sand. However, I have never had any mold if I left it. My girls seem to like arranging the straw into little nest.

 

[City2RanchGirl]

This has been a very helpful post! I'm new to chicken raising and our girls (and boy) are going on 15 weeks. we are using a milk crate idea I found from a friend with a removable cardboard bottom and straw or pine shavings in the center. We started to set it all up and found that the girls like to stand on the sides...so they were pooping into the box. They weren't laying in it. But we're reworking our design to be sure they can't perch on the top or rather the sides of the boxes. I like the idea of sand in the coop for easy cleanup. Thank you for the tips

 

[nab58]

I use Timothy grass in my nest boxes but I think any long dried grass that could be shaped into a nest would do. Don't have a lip on the edge of my boxes so any loose material would fall out easily..