shredded paper for bedding

[Ichthus]

Is it okay to use shredded office paper (no plastics) in place of hay or wood shaving in the nesting box?

 

[beak]

It's ok but tends to get mushy when wet. We had a turkey hatchling swallow a strip at 3 days old and he became real lethargic then perked up a few days later. Then he died a few days after that. So I guess it's nit good for hatchlings.

 

[fhdogs]

One of my neighbors uses shredded paper in the winter.

I'm getting free wood shavings right now, but I was planning to use paper also in the winter since the pile of wood shavings I have access to will be covered with snow.

 

[Imp]

I use shredded newspaper in the coop and nest boxes. Works great for me. My coop is dry so it works well in absorbing any moisture. Never any odor, rarely have to clean and when I do it's just a sweep up. Can see where it wouldn't be a good idea if it could get wet. Good luck

Imp

 

[noodleman]

I was wondering the same thing. I have shredded paper redily available to me, but have been hesitant to use it. My concern has been that the hens would eat it, as they already peck at the wood chips, and get sick from the ink on the paper. ?????

 

[Casey3043]

I used strips of shredded paper in the coop when I first put my hens out there (they were 3 months old, so long past eating their bedding). Got a laugh when a hen came out trailing a strip that was stuck to her foot, kind of like a woman coming out of the restroom with a piece of tp trailing from her shoe.......

I have since changed to aspen shavings in the coop, and that gray recycled paper bedding in the nest boxes. You can buy it at Walmart, it's for small animal cages (hamsters, etc). The shredded paper blew around too much and didn't compost quietly. Looked trashy.

 

[Buckguy20]

I have used shredded paper in the nest boxes and I didn't like it. It was always sticking to the eggs and very hard to scrape off some of the time. I haven't used it as litter.

 

[bywaterdog]

I quit using it in the nesting boxes when my eggs had ink marks on them. On damp days the transfer was like silly putty.
Maybe I should line the nest with the Sunday comix for colored eggs.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
My hens don't eat it, but this is Seattle so of course, it's soy ink.

Imp

 

[boxermom]

I use shredded paper and pine shavings for litter. The chickens love it. They settle down and lay in it when I put fresh paper in the barn. I just set up the nesting boxes this week so I'll have to wait and see if they or I like it there. The golf balls look comfortable....