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

[gtaus]

Shredding Super Heavy Cardboard - Can Do?

Recently I got a new BBQ grill. The shipping cardboard box was made out of double thickness heavy cardboard. My main shredder is rated for 9 sheets, so the question was could I even shred that super heavy cardboard?

The only way I can shred any cardboard is by first cutting it into 2-3-inch-wide strips that can go down the center "credit card" slot of my shredder. My go to tool for cutting cardboard is the cordless power cutter. I have two different cutters, but both are about the same. Save yourself some money and get the inexpensive Tool Shop power cutter at Menards if you can...

I am really happy with the performance of this cutter. It works just as well as my 4X more expensive power cutter that I bought from Harbor Freight....

After I cut all that shipping box into ~3 inch strips, I was able to shred all that heavy cardboard and got a lot of really nice cardboard shreds. I save the cardboards seperately for the nest boxes because the heavier cardboard will not stick to the eggs like lighter paper shreds will.

I mentioned that the shipping cardboard box was double thickness. It barely fit into the shredder slot. I had to force it down into the machine until it got caught by the teeth. Then it pulled the rest of the cardboard down on its own. However, in the process, I mucked up the sensor that tells the machine to automatically turn itself off because the paper is done shredding. Now I have to turn off the shredder manually. I must have jammed that switch, or something. It's a totally manual shredder now. Oh well.

I stopped by the local charity Thrift Shop today and they had a 10-page shredder on sale for $2.00. That's bigger than the one I just mucked up. Good timing. Seems like they get a shredder every ~6 months and I always buy it unless it is only good for light office paper. Dear Wife and I shred almost all our paper and cardboard in these Thrift Shop used paper shredders. I run them until they break. Then I put my backup shredders into action.

Google picture of the model I just picked up...

I already have my chicken coop filled with fresh paper and cardboard shreds for the winter. I'll continue to toss in bags of fresh shreds throughout the winter, maybe a bag full every other week. It's still my favorite coop litter option. Next spring, all that used paper shred litter will be dumped out into the chicken run for composting. It's just a great way to reduce our home paper products that we used to send to the recycle center or landfill.

Of course, none of these paper shredders talk about shredding cardboard. I would not shred cardboard in a brand new, expensive shredder if I wanted it to last a long time. But cutting the cardboard into strips and feeding it down the center credit card slot seems to work for me. These are working machines for me, so I don't expect them to last forever shredding cardboard, or newspaper, like I do for the chickens. But I always get more than my money's worth out of these shredders before they wear out or break.

 

[Three Stents]

Stater Bros has switched over to using paper bags. Thinking about shredding these instead of tossin them in the recycle bin or fireplace. What say you?

 

[fat brown hen]

Stater Bros has switched over to using paper bags. Thinking about shredding these instead of tossin them in the recycle bin or fireplace. What say you?

You live in a state that banned disposable bags, so you have to bring your own bags to the grocery store... right? Hang on to those paper bags, those things are priceless!

 

[Three Stents]

You live in a state that banned disposable bags, so you have to bring your own bags to the grocery store... right? Hang on to those paper bags, those things are priceless!

Try to stay on topic

 

[fat brown hen]

Try to stay on topic

I'm answering your question:

What say you?

Shredding bags would be a waste of an otherwise useful resource. Fireplace or recycle bin would be an even bigger waste.

 

[gtaus]

Stater Bros has switched over to using paper bags. Thinking about shredding these instead of tossin them in the recycle bin or fireplace. What say you?

I don't know of any store locally that use paper bags anymore. It's all plastic or bring your own. Having said that, I used to shred our paper bags from the grocery store. Given the option, I would always choose paper over plastic bags because part of me does not want to encourage single use plastic bags. Again, I shred almost all our paper products for use as coop litter, then as filler for the composting.

Interesting that your store has switched over to using paper bags. I'm actually all for that. Is that some "Green" initiative where you live? We have gone just the opposite where I live. I cannot think of a single store in town that uses paper bags.

We do have plastic bag drop off bins at our local WalMart and/or larger recycle bins for glass, metal, paper, and plastics. I really don't know how much of our recycle bin stuff gets used again. Probably not much. I do know that all my household paper gets shredded and used as coop litter and then composted.

 

[gtaus]

Try to stay on topic

It's all good. Shredding paper bags or reusing them until they rip, and then shredding them, is all part of the discussion.

 

[gtaus]

Shredding bags would be a waste of an otherwise useful resource. Fireplace or recycle bin would be an even bigger waste.

Well, paper bags don't last forever. If you can reuse a paper bag for something that has value for you, then go for it. When the bag finally rips or is no longer useful, then I would shred it for coop litter as my next best use.

As to the recycle bins, I just don't think much, if any, of our recycle bin paper ever gets used again. That would be my last choice for any paper products. I'd rather use it to start a fire in my burning ring to burn out a stump before driving into town to drop the recycle paper off in a bin. But I shred about 99% of our paper products at home these days. It has been maybe 3 years since I brought any paper to the recycle center or bins.

 

[fat brown hen]

As to the recycle bins, I just don't think much, if any, of our recycle bin paper ever gets used again. That would be my last choice for any paper products. I'd rather use it to start a fire in my burning ring to burn out a stump before driving into town to drop the recycle paper off in a bin. But I shred about 99% of our paper products at home these days. It has been maybe 3 years since I brought any paper to the recycle center or bins.

Agree 100%. What do you do with glossy junk mail, magazines, etc? Those are the only "paper" items that go into my recycle bin, but I wonder if I could burn them instead.