Using Shredded Paper for Coop Litter - As Good As Wood Chips?

[Sueby]

So I've decided I'm not a huge fan of the shredded paper in the coop. The girls drag it in the nest box with them & then it sticks to the eggs. I guess not a huge deal, but it really does annoy me, ha! I did my semi annual clean of the coop last weekend & didn't put any paper in, I think I'll wet it & put it in the compost instead.

 

[gtaus]

So I've decided I'm not a huge fan of the shredded paper in the coop. The girls drag it in the nest box with them & then it sticks to the eggs. I guess not a huge deal, but it really does annoy me, ha! I did my semi annual clean of the coop last weekend & didn't put any paper in, I think I'll wet it & put it in the compost instead.

Every once in a while I get a paper shred in the nest box on an egg. It's not a big deal for me. But I don't use paper shreds in the nest boxes because I don't like paper shreds stuck on my eggs, either. I am still using pine shavings in the nest boxes.

We all live in different climates and our setups for the coops and nest boxes will be different. My nestboxes are about 1 foot off the floor and paper shreds cannot be kicked into the boxes. My girls have to jump up to the rail on the front of the nest boxes before they go in to lay an egg. I think that is maybe why so few paper shreds ever make it to my boxes.

Also, I wonder if the type of paper makes a difference. I assume it would. If we say that office paper is "normal", then newspaper shreds would be very soft and cereal box light cardboard would be hard. I mix all those papers in my coop and maybe that helps reduce the amount of paper that finds its way to the nest boxes.

Recently, since I got that pair of powered scissors for cutting heavy cardboard into strips for shredding, I have been running our box cardboard through my paper shredders as well. That packing box cardboard stuff is almost as heavy as using wood chips in the coop.

Anyways, all those different types of paper shreds get mixed together and it seems to work for me. Again, my goals are to reduce the amount of paper waste that I was sending back to the recycle center, and to increase the amount of paper products that I could use in the coop as litter and then compost later.

Out of curiosity, I am wondering what kind of paper shreds you were using and if you think your nest box setup was such that it made it easier for the girls to drag paper shreds into the boxes? I understand not wanting to have paper shreds stuck to the eggs, but it's just not something I have to deal with in my setup.

Also, what do plan on using for your coop litter after you get those paper shreds cleaned out? I have access to all the free wood chips I could ever want at our local county landfill, but this time of year I also have carts full of leaves on the ground that make good coop litter as well. I like free coop litter that is good for the compost and both wood chips and leaves have great potential in both respects.

 

[Sueby]

Yes, it's definitely my coop set up, the nests are on the floor & they have to walk through the coop to get to the nests. There is a lip, but only a couple inches so they certainly kick it in there too. It was all just shredded mail or office paper stuff.

I was only mixing some in with my pine shavings bedding, I'll stick to the shavings for now & compost the paper. I use excelsior pads in the nest boxes, I have a giant box of them so I won't change that.

If I had a different coop it would be a different story, I think. It worked well for everything, except sticking to the eggs.

 

[gtaus]

Yes, it's definitely my coop set up, the nests are on the floor & they have to walk through the coop to get to the nests. There is a lip, but only a couple inches so they certainly kick it in there too.

If I had a different coop it would be a different story, I think. It worked well for everything, except sticking to the eggs.

Thanks for the feedback. Like I said, I don't have the issue with paper shreds finding their way into my nest boxes. But my nest boxes are 1 foot off the floor, the girls have to jump up on to a rail, and then they enter the nest boxes. I seldom ever get any paper shreds in my nest boxes.

But, like I have mentioned before, I did not like using paper shreds in the nest box for bedding because the paper shreds will stick to fresh laid eggs. I dumped all my paper shreds from the nest boxes and went back to using only pine shavings in the boxes. No more sticky paper problems for my eggs.

 

[gtaus]

I use excelsior pads in the nest boxes, I have a giant box of them so I won't change that.

I had to look those up. I had never heard of them or seen them before. They look pretty nice. How long do those excelsior pads last?

I use pine shavings, which work really well, and the eggs are also nice and clean when I take them out. But the chickens will kick some of the pine shavings out coming and going and I have to refill the nest boxes about once a month.

I bought the bale of pine shavings about 20 years ago and never really used it. Since I got the laying hens, I have used maybe 1/3 of the bale of shavings in the past 4 years. So, I doubt if I will ever have to buy another bale of shavings for as much as I use them.

Having said that, if I do run out of pine shavings sometime in the future, my plan is to just use wood chips. I have a small electric woodchipper that can chip up wood almost as fine as those pine shavings. That about the only thing it does well. For me, it was just too small for my needs.

 

[Sueby]

They look pretty nice. How long do those excelsior pads last?

They last basically forever, I have barely ever had to change them. Only for a broken egg or I have a bird that molts REALLY hard & she will sleep in the box for a week or 2 - I think I've swapped excelsior pads after she was done molting because she pooped in there. I don't generally let anyone sleep in the nest, but I always feel bad for that naked bird, lol. I like that they are compostable too.

 

[Thebarter]

I have been using shredded newspaper for the last few months on top of wood shavings in the coop works good also if I have go much newspaper I burn it up for there ash bath

 

[gtaus]

I have been using shredded newspaper for the last few months on top of wood shavings in the coop works good also if I have go much newspaper I burn it up for there ash bath

Nothing wrong with mixing different types of litter for the coop. I have successfully mixed wood chips, dried leaves, and grass clippings in my coop before. I have enough paper shreds now that I don't need any other litter, but I would not hesitate to use whatever I could get for free. The chickens don't care as long as the coop is mostly clean.

Good idea to burn some paper but keep the ash for a dust bath. I heard that chickens like bathing in ash. I just let them dig holes out in the chicken run compost and they take dirt baths outside.

If you have a campfire with clean wood, that would make some good ash as well.

 

[Thebarter]

Nothing wrong with mixing different types of litter for the coop. I have successfully mixed wood chips, dried leaves, and grass clippings in my coop before. I have enough paper shreds now that I don't need any other litter, but I would not hesitate to use whatever I could get for free. The chickens don't care as long as the coop is mostly clean.

Good idea to burn some paper but keep the ash for a dust bath. I heard that chickens like bathing in ash. I just let them dig holes out in the chicken run compost and they take dirt baths outside.

If you have a campfire with clean wood, that would make some good ash as well.

I have a plastic box out the front of house and people drop there's newspapers init for me

 

[gtaus]

I have a plastic box out the front of house and people drop there's newspapers init for me

That's a great idea. I live out in the country, so that would not work for me. But it's great you thought of that idea.