The Best Material for Lining a Nest Box

[gritsar]

Quote:
I bought two bales of hay for $3 a bale (neighbor sells it to us cheap). Been using it for 4 months, filling four nest boxes that are cleaned out at least once a week. Just now starting on the second bale. IMO, it's the way to go. On the rare occasion when I get a little poop in the nest, I just lift up the whole wad of hay and the poop falls out.

 

[imfowl]

I never put anything in the nest boxes. Didnt know you were supposed to. Should I?

 

[mom'sfolly]

I've been using a variety of things; straw, shavings and coconut husks fibers (the stuff for lining hanging plants). The girls always kick out the shavings, don't seem to like the straw, and lay well on the coconut fiber. Because it forms a mat, they can still play with it, but it stays in the nest box. I've seldom had to replace it, because it doesn't really get dirty. I just lift it up occasionally and add DE under it and light on top.

 

[KYBOY]

I dont use straw very much anymore because my hens knock it out..Ive been using sawdust with much more success..

 

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
Cedar has oils which supposedly make fumes and create respiratory problems, especially in confined spaces (brooder box, nest box, etc)

Here a link to another discussion about cedar shavings:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=118774&p=2

 

[Sissy]

Have been using deep litter with wood
shavings and its the favorite of my ladies.
Get it at TSC and it goes a long way.

Cedar shavings are not good IMOP
We couldnt grow fruit trees near our cedar tree
we were told by a nurseyman the cedar has a scent and oils that are not healty.

 

[waynesgarden]

I use some pine shavings on the bottom but top it off with a few inches of pine straw. I rake up mountains of it in the yard and store it away in bags for keeping the nest boxes filled. (I also use it to mulch the garlic beds in the garden.)

Wayne

 

[zigzag3337]

I read a thread on this before I built my nesting boxes and someone added scrap carpet to the bottom of the nesting boxes to prevent the eggs from breaking when the chickens "drop" them.

Since we just installed carpet in our house, I cut a 12x12 piece of carpet for each nesting box. Then I added pine bedding on top of that. I also have a 4" piece of plywood at the front of my boxes to help keep the bedding in the boxes.

The first time one of my hens went into the box, she scratched out about half of the bedding and laid an egg right on top of the carpet.

 

[Snakeoil]

Yep pine shavings for me also.

 

[kwynn's birds Alaska]

I use straw...I lined the nest boxes with cardboard for padding, then add straw. I have straw on the floor, and just recently added a couiple handfulls of pine shavings for smell goods. Seems to work good for me.