Shredded office paper

[Jeni1953]

Does anyone use shredded office paper. I was a little worried about the staples. Any thoughts?

 

[Hardknockshomestead]

I simply tear the top corner of paper off, staple and all, and then shred the rest of the paper myself. I only use paper that I have shredded so I know there are no staples or plastic, etc.

I used machine-shredded newspaper in my brooder when my current flock was young, and they are healthy!
After changing the paper bedding in the brooder, I simply threw the soiled paper into my compost bin.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I would worry about the ink. That stuff is toxic.

 

[aart]

I wouldn't use it cause it will fly all over the place...
...it wouldn't be great for bedding as it will mat.

 

[RonP]

I have used shredded junk mail and bills for over a decade in the nest boxes.
Nothing shiny nor metallic. No plastic, staples, or paper clips!
Yes they will eat it.
If soiled, easily removed and tossed into the litter.
Yes, they will eat it... there is nothing toxic to the birds, they could and will eat much worse.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I would worry about the ink. That stuff is toxic.

Newspaper ink is required by law to be non-toxic because it is considered to be for home-use. Most newspaper ink is made from soy.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Newspaper ink is required by law to be non-toxic because it is considered to be for home-use. Most newspaper ink is made from soy.

I misspoke. "Non-toxic" doesn't mean good to ingest and, as @RonP says, chickens will eat it. The OP is talking about office paper, which usually means laser printers. My first search result on google came up with this answer.

Anything you put in with chickens should be edible.

Also, I go through the trouble to feed my chickens organic feed. I do not want to ruin what I am trying to do by giving them something that they shouldn't be eating.

 

[paintedChix]

Hmmm... food for thought, I suppose.

I have used office paper from my job (I go thru and remove the staples, clips & paperclips. Have 11 cases of forms from a clean out of paperwork that had already been scanned), phone books (yep, they still print those), junk mail (I remove the plastic) and all other house paperwork, as we've not needed it, for years.

I have a good paper shredder that works well. It will even shred all the Amazon boxes we get at this time of year. I've used the shredded paper & cardboard directly in our compost, in the coops/runs and in my brooders. I haven't used it in the nest boxes - that's next, LOL. The chickens will compost it nicely, when using DLM, it just disappears into the litter. I've not noticed any issues with it. It can get a bit "fly-a-way", but the coops i've used it in are in our pony pastures on sand, so I've never been too worried about it. This winter, I will be using it in combination with leaves, yard debris and pine straw in the coops behind the house and would be happy to let you know how it does...



A friend brought a bunch she'd already shredded over. It was double shredded - very fine and tiny. it's kind of neat! That, I would think, won't be used for the chicks. Very different from the shred from our shredder.

******

Over Christmas, my granddaughters and I are going to try our hand (s) at making concrete blocks. They will be made with 1/2 Quikrete, 1/2 shredded paper and water. They will be set up in the card board boxes I bring home from work (high volume spay/neuter clinic) - different sizes and all boxes I've chosen so far are marked to make the "blocks" 2.5" thick. I have a path from the drive way to the house that's about 4' wide and about 80' long (haven't measured it, might be a bit wider and it could be either longer or slightly shorter). If these work, it will take a lot of boxes and shredded paper to make the whole walk-way. But it will be another use for the cardboard boxes and for the shredded paper. (some references - Papercrete in the garden, Kid friendly stepping stones, Stepping stones. ) I planned on mixing the shredded paper with quickrete instead of Portland cement... A family activity that will get me a not too expensive concrete stepping stone path, I hope!

Who knows - we may build forms and then make papercrete foundations for our hoop coops so that we can do a DLM and not have lumber bottom bases rot away - what a way to use resources we already have access to. I was even thinking of trying to use some round foil pans we'd gotten take-out in. Then putting a hole thru the center and will see if it will work for "stone" wheels for chickie tractors! We shall see...

 

[aart]

I've used the shredded paper & cardboard directly in our compost, in the coops/runs and in my brooders. I haven't used it in the next boxes - that's next, LOL. The chickens will compost it nicely, when using DLM, it just disappears into the litter. I've not noticed any issues with it.

With other ingredients it can be fine...the folks I give my chicken poop to use shredded paper in their compost.

 

[paintedChix]

Hey aart, I added to the last paragraph... LOL!!!