What Bedding Do You Use? ~ Member Poll And Compilation~

[Allthefloofs]

We use Standlee Flock fresh when it's decently priced, otherwise pine shavings.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Straw, Pine Needles, and other Leaf Litter. Straw is my preference for the nesting boxes. After that, its what my land provides.

 

[Solange73]

I use Sani-care for the floor of the coop, and scoop/sift daily - their website has a store locater to see whether anyone local to you sells it. https://www.sani-care.com/ It works out too pricey if you have to order online because of shipping costs, but is very economical if you can buy it locally. I paid less than $10 bag, and initially used 2 bags for our small coop - have recently added some from 3rd bag. Won't need to buy any more until I do a thorough clean in Spring or Summer. The nest boxes I use pine shavings. The floor of the outside run, wood chips.

How is your experience with wood chips for outside run ? Do you need to clean often ? Does it get smelly ? Thks

 

[NickyPick]

This has already been done:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...dding-do-you-like-best.1384788/#post-22741575

That was 5 years ago. I'd say it's perfectly fine for someone to do another.

I do deep litter. My coop is currently 12x24 and is about to become 24x24. The floor is dirt. I add pine shavings 2-3 times a year. In the fall, I add bags of fallen tree leaves and in the summer, if I can get it, I'll throw in some grass clippings from lawn mowing. I stir it up every other month. The coop is big enough that everything tends to decompose pretty quickly, so I haven't had any smell issues or over-poop issues. We do scrape the roosts down once a month and add the pure poop to the compost pile for the garden.

 

[akddr]

PLEASE DO SHARE YOUR OPINIONS, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM!

IF YOU BUY ONLINE OR KNOW WHERE FROM, PLEASE SHARE A LINK.

IN A MONTH, I WILL POST A COMPLIATION OS 'THE BEST BEDDINGS 2021', WITH THE MOST POPULAR BEDDINGS, YOUR OPINIONS AND LINKS.

HAVE FUN, AND FEEL FREE TO DISCUSS WHATEVER YOU WISH!

ALSO, I'D LOVE PICS AND ARTICLE LINKS.

When I have herbs that have dried and lost culinary use I add to the coop bedding. It smells good but I have no idea if the chickens get any benefit.

 

[britinpa]

How is your experience with wood chips for outside run ? Do you need to clean often ? Does it get smelly ? Thks

Hi, we've been pretty satisfied with them. Doesn't get smelly really. This year's load has begun to break down underneath. They love to dig through it now, so I try to rake it over at end of day or in the morning to level it off again. We will probably shovel a load out in spring and spread a fresh layer in there

 

[Jocelyne13]

I have sand trays under my roosts, and clean it with ease using a cat litter scoop. For the floor of the coop and nesting boxes, I use hemp. I find that the coop smells fresh for weeks at a time, and is nearly dust free. As well because it is a finer bedding, I am able to sift with my scoop easily when a hen decides she is going to use nesting box to sleep in thus leaving a mess. I have also read that hemp absorbs moisture better than most beddings, is warmer, and has antimicrobial properties. Though hemp is more expensive, I have been able to stretch it out for a lot longer than I could with straw, or even shavings I suspect. I pick through to collect what I can to keep it fairly clean, and change more concentrated areas of use out completely maybe every couple of months. I also use Zeolite, scattering it on the floor and in my sand- this has not only helped with odor control, but I think has helped me stretch out what I get out of my hemp bedding since the zeolite helps with moisture control and ammonia.

 

[garlandchickens]

I use grass clipping from the lawn mower and pine shavings.

 

[Thunder344]

I use wood chips. Got around 1 ton of it so i use it as bedding.

 

[lizziehollar]

I use pine shavings/pine pellets in the duck house and my chickens are in A-frame style coops/tractors so no bedding needed (poop falls through, 1" hardware cloth enclosing the coop section under the roosts). They all have straw in their nesting boxes.