shredded newspaper?

[6chickens in St. Charles]

A.T. Hagan :

I've tried shredded office paper as litter before.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_SxFfd4HLezA/T...Dun Hagan chicken yard circa 2007 or 2008.jpg

For inside the roosthouse where it doesn't get wet much it worked pretty well. I think the crosscut stuff works better than the stuff that just gets cut into long strips as it's easier to fork out again when the roosthouse needs cleaning.

For outdoors it worked well enough until the rainy season started. Between being wet, the birds scratching in it, and the manure supplying nitrogen it would disappear seemingly as fast as I could bring another load home.

Used it for nest box litter as well. By itself it eventually matted down more than I liked. Mixed with pine shavings (hay may work as well) it did OK.

Shredded paper liberally laced with plenty of manure tilled into a garden, watered well, then allowed to decay for about a month or so makes a very nice garden.

Y'know this is like music to my ears.​

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

How does your newspaper get shredded? What's the most efficient and economical method?

Any and all methods will be considered!

Office paper shredder?

Exacto knife over the driveway?

Special scissors?

Goats?

Wood chipper?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I use an electric paper shredder. The source I get mine from has two commercial shredders they use for all of their office paper. They think I'm a little crazy but they let me have their shredded paper.

 

[beverlinmom]

I currently use straw for inside the chicken coop. I would like to add newspaper strips to help with some asorbtion, but not sure if they will mix well. Thoughts?