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

[chickengeorgeto]

Decide now if you want nest boxes in which your hens will lay your breakfast eggs, or if you want nest boxes in which your hens will incubate and hatch their children. The best box for one is not the best box for the other, just saying.

 

[Phoenixxx]

Decide now if you want nest boxes in which your hens will lay your breakfast eggs, or if you want nest boxes in which your hens will incubate and hatch their children.  The best box for one is not the best box for the other, just saying.

How do you mean? Please describe! I'm after both, you see, and right now the nest boxes aren't really boxes, they're shelves with a lip on them. Do they need to be "boxed in" with dividers?

 

[sunshinechicken]

im going to start using sand

 

[tbcorum]

I use sand as a "little box" only but sometimes chicken will get in to bathe. They have area to do so, but still like to play in the sand....they are chickens. It is cleaned daily with a cat litter scooper. I use play sand. If I feel the sand needs to be removed due to being wet underneath it because of the chickens cleaning their systems out daily which is a lot, I simply use a shovel and remove all the sand, clean the area with white vinegar ( I use all natural products) wait to dry then reapply sand.

I use shaving on floor. They are just simpler to clean.

I use shredded paper in plastic pans for nesting. Shredded paper does not attract flies, flees, lice and if there is a broken egg, it will absorb the liquid from the egg. The shavings can be thrown away, environmental friendly and if you have a broken egg in a plastic nesting box, you simply dump the egg and paper and wash box and start over. Simply, quick and easy!!!! I have experimented with shaving, sand, and now the paper is the easiest for me. Trial and error.

You have to do what is easier for you.

My dilemma now is the droppings in the house in the sand since I have increased my flock to 31. This is a lot of poop. I am trying to figure out a way to put up a mesh wire or something to catch it when it drops prior to hitting sand. Chickens love to use sand to bathe in sometimes therefore I keep it clean!!!! Need to be able to clean quickly, keep chickens safe, maintain weight of poop and chickens if they happen to jump on it. Here I go with trial and error again.

Hope my comments have helped you. I enjoy my chickens so much.

tbcorum