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

[gtaus]

@gtaus Wondering how you are liking the shredded paper bedding in your coop. I just got a new crosscut shredder and I'm hoping to save on bedding by shredding all the boxes I get with online orders.

I have been using paper shreds almost exclusively for over 3 years now. Crosscut shredders are my staple. I love using paper shreds as coop litter because they are almost dust free compared to using wood chips, or dried leaves, that I used in the past. Also, once I dump the used paper shreds out into the chicken run, they break down into compost in about 2 months in my weather. Very nice. Wood chips and leaves also break down well, they just take longer.

If you plan on shredding all those cardboard shipping boxes, just keep in mind the max sheet capacity of your shredder. I cut all my cardboard into ~2 in wide strips to feed into my 9 sheet shredder, and feed the strips down the center of the shredder where you would put a credit card, for example.

My old hands will cramp up using a heavy duty scissors to cut cardboard into strips. If you are handy with a razor utility knife, that will cut cardboard nicely. I ended up buying a power cutter which makes cutting cardboard much easier and safer. It was a good investment for me not just for cutting up boxes for paper shredding, but also cutting open those nasty plastic blister packs that so many items come in.

I got my latest power cutter from Menards, on sale, for less than $10.00 a few years ago. Their everyday price is $15.00 and still probably the best deal even at that price.

I think I shred about 99% of all our paper and cardboard that we get in the house. It has become my preferred FREE coop litter resource for over 3 years now.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I have been using paper shreds almost exclusively for over 3 years now. Crosscut shredders are my staple. I love using paper shreds as coop litter because they are almost dust free compared to using wood chips, or dried leaves, that I used in the past. Also, once I dump the used paper shreds out into the chicken run, they break down into compost in about 2 months in my weather. Very nice. Wood chips and leaves also break down well, they just take longer.

If you plan on shredding all those cardboard shipping boxes, just keep in mind the max sheet capacity of your shredder. I cut all my cardboard into ~2 in wide strips to feed into my 9 sheet shredder, and feed the strips down the center of the shredder where you would put a credit card, for example.

My old hands will cramp up using a heavy duty scissors to cut cardboard into strips. If you are handy with a razor utility knife, that will cut cardboard nicely. I ended up buying a power cutter which makes cutting cardboard much easier and safer. It was a good investment for me not just for cutting up boxes for paper shredding, but also cutting open those nasty plastic blister packs that so many items come in.


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I got my latest power cutter from Menards, on sale, for less than $10.00 a few years ago. Their everyday price is $15.00 and still probably the best deal even at that price.

I think I shred about 99% of all our paper and cardboard that we get in the house. It has become my preferred FREE coop litter resource for over 3 years now.

Thank you! Especially for the tip about putting the cardboard in the credit card spot. I got an 18-sheet shredder, but it still says in the manual not to shred cardboard.

 

[gtaus]

I got an 18-sheet shredder,

That's fantastic! I think my biggest is a 9- or 10-sheet shredder.

Thank you! Especially for the tip about putting the cardboard in the credit card spot. I got an 18-sheet shredder, but it still says in the manual not to shred cardboard.

I can shred cardboard with even my small 6-sheet shredders. However, the trick is, I need to cut the cardboard into strips and feed it down that credit card slot. If not, I risk overloading the shredder and breaking something.

All of my shredders have been purchased at our local church charity Thrift Shop for less than $5.00. Most of them cost less than $2.00 each. Since I use them to shred newspaper and cardboard to make coop litter, I end up wearing out and breaking the used shredders faster than if I just used them for shredding the occasional paid invoice or bill with sensitive information on it. I'm OK with that because I buy them with the intention of making shredded paper for coop litter. I get my money's worth out of my shredders many times over.

I have never had a big 18-sheet shredder. That's a heavy-duty shredder compared to my 6- and 9-sheet shredders. I don't have any problems shredding cardboard in my smaller paper shredders as long as I cut the cardboard into strips. I would suggest you do the same for your 18-sheet shredder because I am sure it will put less strain on the machine, and it will last years longer.

Although I might wear out and break one of my smaller paper shredders after a year or so, in the meantime, I am shredding all our paper and cardboard at home and not having to drive across town to the recycle center. It costs me about $5.00 in gas roundtrip from where I live out in the country to drive to the recycle center on the other side of town. We used to have a load of paper products about once every two months to take to the recycle center. Since I started shredding all our paper products at home, it has been over 3 years since I have gone to the recycle center to drop off paper. You can see how much money I have saved in gas alone by shredding all our paper products at home.

Well, saving gas money is a good thing, but I also enjoy reusing and repurposing as much stuff as I can here at home. The older I get, the more I have tried to reduce our trash output. Back in the day, we used to bag our leaves and grass clippings and dump them at the landfill. We would load up our fallen branches and trees after a storm and haul them to the landfill. Now, all that stuff I use at home with my backyard chickens. Even the wood I put through a woodchipper and/or use to burn out stumps. Nothing organic leaves my property if I can find a way to use it with the chickens. They are the best recyclers!