What bedding u use for your chickens?

[Ponypoor]

Dirt is in very short supply where I live. Most of the soil around here got scraped away about 15,000 years ago. One end of the chicken run is exposed bedrock, and the other end it is only about 2-3 inches deep. If I rake out all the existing dirt and poop, there would be nothing left. That would be hard on the chicken's feet, plus the point is I want chickens to build soil for me.

Ah I see NWT person cold yet??? Haha. Bet it's getting dark....


Well in that case how about a mix of sand, gravel and if you can find it used horse sheep cow bedding or softwood shavings. Mix 50 percent sand 30 percent gravel and rest shavings or old horse cow sheep bedding.

With any soil for planting you need it to not be too fine or you will end up with mud, the sand gravel mix will give you drainage and the rest will be organic matter which plants need

Of course I am betting right now you are entering the wonderful throws of that joyous season we call winter so not much to be done until spring breakup.

You should post some pics of your critters from way up there!

 

[Happy hen lover]

Pine shavings are great. I get the mini shavings from tsc and use a cat litter scoop to filter out poo once a week. The pine is kind of deodorizing too. She's a cutie maybe you could find someone private to get a couple more hens from.

 

[WIchickMama]

I currently use a mix of pine shavings and straw in the coop but have 2 bales of hemp waiting for me in the barn. In the run I have 3/4 as wood chips and 1/4 of dirt/rock for dust bathing and grit finding.

 

[Happy hen lover]

I use horse pellets. It absorbs everything and lasts *forever*.

Horse pellet bedding?

 

[FlipFlopFarmer6279]

Yeah I get it from tractor supply.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Because my coop is bigger now and I have less chickens in it, I have been turning the bedding and removing big poops every day. So I only clean every other week.
I've got 7 chicks (3 inside and 4 outside) which will take up some coop space when they grow up. So I'm not sure if I'll keep this method or not

 

[FlipFlopFarmer6279]

I didn't soak it and it works fine.

 

[FlipFlopFarmer6279]

Yeah it works for deep litter. It starts as pellets and slowly turns to pine scented dust over the course of a month.

 

[FlipFlopFarmer6279]

Here it is: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb?cm_vc=-10005

 

[MysteryChicken]

I use straw.