The Best Material for Lining a Nest Box

[lilchick]

Metal nest boxes with wire floors. I use old newspapers folded up and throw a handful of pine shavings on top.
Alot of my little banties including the roosters like to sleep in them at night to keep warm.. Easy to change out ....
Yesterday I put fresh papers in and told them to be sure to read the Wall St. Journal

Gotta smarten them up some how....

 

[Wynette]

I was using pine shavings in my wooden next boxes, but the girls would scratch out a bare spot and lay their egg and it would crack when it hit the floor. So, I invested in some astroturf looking stuff, cut them to size, and haven't had a problem since then. I put the pine shavings on top, so they still have shavings to play with while they're getting ready to lay. Haven't had a broken egg since then, and the mats are super easy to clean; I just hose them off if they get poopy (they typically do not, though).

 

[opihiman911]

I used dried grass clippings. After mowing the lawn I rake up a bucket full and spread it out and let it dry for a couple days before I put it in their box. I mow the lawn every other week so the nest boxes get cleaned and refilled at that time. The grass that been drying for the week goes into the nest box and replaced with fresh clipping to dry. I just throw the grass in there so it is probally 6-8" deep and the girls go in there an tramp it down in to a nice rounded nests. Just make sure the grass is completely brown and dry.
Cheap, easy and always available.

Cory

 

[katrinag]

I use straw and pine shavings. Since the price of pine bedding went up this fall I mostly use straw. The girls love it.

 

[PAchickies]

hi all, new here, but it sure looks like alot of fun..i have been raising chickens for many years, and i use the deep litter method..all pine shavings on the floor and in the nest boxes..what they kick out i just throw back in later..and the floor in the winter stays nice and warm. when i clean it goes to the compost and works great in my flower beds and garden..lots of good fertilizer..

 

[Rustywreck]

I put a piece of carpeting in each one of the nest boxes. They don't try to kick it out and don't poop in it - seems to be working perfectly.

 

[gritsar]

I use hay. It's plentiful around here and cheap. The girls make comfortable looking nests in the center of it and the eggs stay real clean. It doesn't get kicked out of the nest the way they did with the pine shavings I first used.
Some people say they'll eat the hay and have crop problems. I haven't found that to be the case here.

 

[cmom]

I use Spanish Moss, but I live in Florida where it is plentiful. I have seen post on some threads where some people use leaves, hay or straw, pine shavings, grass clippings, carpet remnants, etc.

 

[Hen'nbiddies]

Thanks for the warning about shredded paper. That ink can't be good for them to eat! I like the idea of the astroturf. Think I will try that. I heard of one person using shavings in the coop area and straw in the nestboxes.

 

[Kim_NC]

We like pine shavings too (not cedar, they're supposed to toxic to chickens). We layer them about 4 inches deep. The hens do scratch some of them out. I refill boxes about once/month.

They smell nice in the coop too. We use them on the floors at the doorways. Helps to clean the girls' feet on wet or muddy days. They dry well and don't mold easily.