Shredded paper instead of pine shavings

[kickenwing]

Is this possible? I know pine shavings are inexpensive but I can get a lot of shredded paper for free so I was wondering if this is a viable alternative? Thanks in advance

 

[galanie]

I see little reason why not, except that it sounds like it would really be pretty messy. Paper tends to soak up water a lot better and hold that moisture longer. Might be worth a try though, you can't beat Free!

 

[DangerChickenHouse]

I read that paper shreddings were a really great option because it's really easy to compost everything. In a homesteader book I was reading, the author said that it was their preferred chicken litter. But, you have to shred it.

 

[kickenwing]

Quote:
That sounds great to me

. I can get every shred of paper from work as we just usually throw away bags and bags full. Do you happen to know the name of the book?

 

[zDoc]

I used it for a while and didn't like it for a couple of reasons, one the chickens ate it, and two it had no odor prevention qualities. Pine shavings always seem to help in the odor department. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Beekissed]

If you are using it for temporary bedding it may work out okay. If you are using it for deep litter production it is best when mixed with pine shavings. When you use the shredded paper for deep litter it tends to form a "cap" of moisture and must be really turned and fluffed to keep it dry and to keep it from getting moldy. I have used shredded paper in my deep litter mix for some years now but it always does better if the ratio of pine shavings to paper shreds is 2:1.

I never knew my chickens to eat the paper but I don't know what confined to the coop and run birds may find interesting and edible. Since my birds free ranged all the time, they spent very little time in the coop.

 

[swmalone]

I was using it and noticed that it didn't do as nice a job with odor as the pine shavings, but I may do a mix in the coop part. I have switched to hay mixed with pine shavings in the nest box. I would recommend that you use the longer shredded paper if you can as opposed to the confetti type shredded paper. But I'm a huge fan of free. I just discovered freecycle.org this year and have become addicted.

 

[ranchhand]

The biggest concerns for me are lack of absorbtion and if the paper has been printed. Most inks these days are non-toxic- but how do you feel about dirty chickens?

 

[Christie Rhae]

I am thinking... paper mache? lol

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Inside the roosthouse it worked OK, particularly the cross-cut type of shredded paper. It stayed dry and got the job done.

Outside the roosthouse once the rainy season started you could practically see it rotting away once it mixed with the manure.