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

[BigBlueHen53]

I use shredded paper from the bank both for litter on the floor of the coop and also in the nests. You're right, it does stick to some of the eggs, especially to the very dark chocolate brown ones. I don't really mind because I wash all my eggs before using them or selling them anyway and it washes off pretty easily.

 

[gtaus]

I use shredded paper from the bank both for litter on the floor of the coop and also in the nests. You're right, it does stick to some of the eggs, especially to the very dark chocolate brown ones. I don't really mind because I wash all my eggs before using them or selling them anyway and it washes off pretty easily.

If you wash the eggs, the paper shreds come off pretty easy. It was not a big deal for me either. But I still had more than half a bale of pine shavings to use up, so I went back to using shavings in the nest boxes. Pine shavings stick less than paper shreds. But I agree with you, using free paper shreds in the nest boxes is still a good option.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You're right, I can put up with a bit of inconvenience in exchange for the paper being free, Lol!

 

[gtaus]

This time of year is about my favorite. The leaves are turning color and falling down heavy. Yesterday, I mowed (vacuumed) up 9 bins full of leaves on my riding lawn mower and tossed them into the chicken run composting system. Love those wonderful colors. And leaf mold makes excellent compost.

Anyways, just for fun, I decided to get another 3 bins full of leaves and dumped them into the chicken coop on top of the paper shreds litter. Looks really nice inside the coop right now. However, I immediately noticed that the leaves had a dusty, musty smell compared to the paper shreds. That's OK. I will be cleaning everything out in another month and prepping the coop for the winter. I will only be using paper shreds again this winter.

I'm all for using whatever free resources a person has for free litter in the chicken coop. But I forgot how much "cleaner" and "dust free" paper shreds smell compared to using leaves - or even wood chips for that matter.

 

[gtaus]

Quick Update on Using the Harbor Freight Power Cutter

I have had this power cutter for almost a month now. I find I use it more than I expected. Just about all our heavy cardboard is now cut into strips and run through my paper shredder. All those Amazon boxes come with biodegradable tape, so I just break down the box with this power cutter and, presto, it becomes cardboard shreds for chicken coop litter.

Before, most of our heavy boxes got hauled off to the recycle center, because it was just too hard on my old hands to cut them up with a manual scissors. But now I'm cutting most of those boxes into strips at home and making shreds.

If we get a box full of non-biodegradable plastic tape that is too much of a pain to take off, then that box will get tossed into the recycle bin. But many companies, like Amazon, are making their packaging (boxes, tape, labels) safe for composting. Takes me no time to cut them into strips to feed down the paper shredder.

On my paper shredder, there is a designated area in the middle of the feeder for credit cards. That is why I cut the heavy cardboard into 2-3-inch-wide strips. I don't want to burn out my motor by forcing too big\wide a piece of heavy cardboard. Unless you have a professional grade paper shredder, then I suggest you always cut that heavy cardboard into strips. It takes almost no time at all with these power cutters.

This power cutter is also great for snipping off the plastic on those blister packs that are next to impossible to cut with a regular scissors without cutting up your hands in the process. I hate those things.

Again, I give this tool a solid 4/5 rating. I am very happy with my purchase, but a big part of that, I am sure, is because I got it on sale for $24.99, had $20 in Harbor Freight money that I had to use up, and I got a free 4 pack of tie downs that weekend for making that purchase.

If you have strong hands, then a big manual scissors would probably be fine. If I processed the heavy cardboard out in the garage, I would probably just use a razor knife to cut it into strips on some scrap plywood top. This power cutter is not an essential tool, but it is very nice to have, and just makes cutting heavy cardboard very easy.

 

[gtaus]

So I've decided I'm not a huge fan of the shredded paper in the coop.

Not to try to change your mind, but now that I am shredding heavy cardboard, I find that cardboard stuff almost as heavy as wood chips, and certainly heavier than pine shavings. I don't think those heavy cardboard shreds would stick to eggs.

If I get a nice batch of cardboard shreds only, I think I'll try some out in one of my nest boxes just to see if they stick to the fresh eggs like paper shreds will.

Right now, I'm just mixing everything (paper, newspapers, junk mail, light cardboard) along with the heavy cardboard and tossing it into the coop. But I will try to set aside enough heavy cardboard to test it in a nest box to see if it sticks to the eggs. I'll try to remember to update my experiment results if anyone is interested.

 

[Alderen]

I hate for my shredded paper to end up in the landfill. I mixed my shredded paper with pine shavings. My coop is covered and stays nice and dry. So far no matted, stinky mess. I do take a rake or pitchfork and turn everything once in a while to kind of check the paper - just to see how it's doing. No smell or clumpy mess. So far so good.

I make sure not to shred any staples and/or plastic. Our chickens will investigate the paper but I haven't seen any eating it. I have stopped shredding anything that has a LOT of red on it. They seem more interested in that and I don't want to take a chance that they might ingest it.

The only potential drawback that I've encountered is that our chickens "walk" the paper out of the coop. I've noticed a small amount under their door, but it really doesn't bother me. I know that it will eventually break down and since we live in the country, no one complains.

 

[gtaus]

I do take a rake or pitchfork and turn everything once in a while to kind of check the paper - just to see how it's doing. No smell or clumpy mess. So far so good.

I have had real good luck with using paper shreds. Turning over the litter can help freshen it up a bit. I usually just toss on a thin fresh layer of paper shreds when it needs some. As far as turning over the paper shreds, I will toss some chicken scratch in any area that I want the chickens to scratch up.

I'm all for mixing different types of coop litter if needed. Whatever a person can use for free is great by me. With my small setup of 10 chickens, I have enough paper shreds that I don't need anything else. But I have mixed in free wood chips and/or dried leaves from time to time. It's all good to me. I just happen to think the paper shreds work better for me than my other free options.

I make sure not to shred any staples and/or plastic. Our chickens will investigate the paper but I haven't seen any eating it.

Yep, I take out staples and plastic as well. Although I don't see my chickens eating any of the paper shreds, I still don't to risk them eating a staple nor do I want staples in my finished compost. Same for plastics.

The only potential drawback that I've encountered is that our chickens "walk" the paper out of the coop.

I don't have that problem, but I have an elevated coop so the chickens walk up a ramp to get outside. I imagine any paper shreds fall off before they reach the pop door.

At any rate, the paper shreds will compost really fast out in my chicken run exposed to the sun and rain.

 

[Sally PB]

If you have strong hands, then a big manual scissors would probably be fine.

I need to look into one of those cutters. I don't have big strong hands, and have actually done myself an injury more than once, trying to cut plastic with scissors.

I, too, really hate the tough plastic that stuff is packaged in nowadays.

 

[Alderen]

I have had real good luck with using paper shreds. Turning over the litter can help freshen it up a bit. I usually just toss on a thin fresh layer of paper shreds when it needs some. As far as turning over the paper shreds, I will toss some chicken scratch in any area that I want the chickens to scratch up.

I'm all for mixing different types of coop litter if needed. Whatever a person can use for free is great by me. With my small setup of 10 chickens, I have enough paper shreds that I don't need anything else. But I have mixed in free wood chips and/or dried leaves from time to time. It's all good to me. I just happen to think the paper shreds work better for me than my other free options.



Yep, I take out staples and plastic as well. Although I don't see my chickens eating any of the paper shreds, I still don't to risk them eating a staple nor do I want staples in my finished compost. Same for plastics.



I don't have that problem, but I have an elevated coop so the chickens walk up a ramp to get outside. I imagine any paper shreds fall off before they reach the pop door.

At any rate, the paper shreds will compost really fast out in my chicken run exposed to the sun and rain.

I originally planned to have the pop door in our coop elevated because I like/want to do deep litter. I wasn't present when my hubby cut the spot for the door. Does anyone want to guess what he forgot to do???? LOL It is what it is so we just roll with it. A little pine shavings and shredded paper on the ground is no biggie.