What bedding do you use? - POLL

[In2Ice]

I use sand in the coop and gravel in the run. I will probably be scraping up the gravel and putting sand in the run too. I love the sand. It is very easy to clean

 

[Pharm Girl]

Sand in the indoor coop area, which I plan to switch to the sweet PDZ.
Fragrant green hay in the covered run and bottom part of the coop.
Sand/bark chips in the rainy outdoor run.
Garden waste (ie. leaves, ponderosa pine needles, grass clippings) in their outdoor garden playground.

I use it all!

 

[roxyblue]

I was thinking about trying sand, I think i might now that it got so many positive responses.

 

[fireguy56]

Love pine shavings....work great.

 

[lcammack]

We use sand in the outdoor run (it works great, no mud and it dries out fast) and inside the coop we use animal bedding pellets (they are pellets made for horse stalls etc.) They break down as they get wet or poopy and turn into a wonderfully soft material (kind of hard to explain its like sawdust only larger pieces so not dusty like sawdust) I used it in the brooder and in the coop and I will not use anything else. There is literally no smell and it dries out the poos really fast. I put 3 or 4 bags in last June and have not had to change them yet. I rake/stir it up about once a week so it doesn't get packed down (I want them to have a soft landing from their roosts) Also they are under $5 a bag so that is great value for how long they last. Keep in mind that we use a poop board which we clean daily and that helps alot. I also through some DE every now and then for insect/pest prevention. We use pine shavings and grass hay in the nest boxes.

 

[karlamaria]

Shavings in our coop, they stay dry and cleaner and we just clean the coop out every 2 or third week. Sand will be in my new run when it's done. Right now nothing in the run, we just pick up poo. No smell no mess. And totally dry.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Shaving in the pens and coop floors. Cypress mulch in the small runs along with sand, and grass in the large runs

 

[mkeawsh]

ok this may be the total DAHH newbie question.. but whats DE?

DE - Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth -
Pest control

Diatomite is used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate.[9] Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans, with questionable efficacy.[10][11] It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate cockroach and flea infestations. This material has wide application for insect control in grain storage.[12] It has also been used to control bedbug infestations, but this method may take weeks to work.[13]

 

[mommissan]

We use sand in the outdoor run (it works great, no mud and it dries out fast) and inside the coop we use animal bedding pellets (they are pellets made for horse stalls etc.) They break down as they get wet or poopy and turn into a wonderfully soft material (kind of hard to explain its like sawdust only larger pieces so not dusty like sawdust) I used it in the brooder and in the coop and I will not use anything else. There is literally no smell and it dries out the poos really fast. I put 3 or 4 bags in last June and have not had to change them yet. I rake/stir it up about once a week so it doesn't get packed down (I want them to have a soft landing from their roosts) Also they are under $5 a bag so that is great value for how long they last. Keep in mind that we use a poop board which we clean daily and that helps alot. I also through some DE every now and then for insect/pest prevention. We use pine shavings and grass hay in the nest boxes.

Ooooh I am going to try the horse bedding! I used a little with the pine shavings, but it sounds like it will last longer if I use it straight. Thanks for the insight!

 

[SteveBaz]

I used compressed bag of shavings all wood shaving by Stallion and a deep litter method