What can I use as nest coop bedding?

[Bryce Thomas]

Can I used crushed up fallen leaves? I hear that works well, I love to be cheap and not spend any money. Any ideas on what I can use? Thanks!

 

[Weeg]

I'm a big fan of pine shavings. I also like Flock Fresh and Chopped Straw.
I use leaves in the run, never have in the coop but I'm sure it would work.

 

[DickMidnight]

Can I used crushed up fallen leaves? I hear that works well, I love to be cheap and not spend any money. Any ideas on what I can use? Thanks!

are you talking about the coop itself or your nesting boxes?

either way i left the feed store today wirh 50lb of food, 5lbs of grit, a brick of pine shavings, a bale of hay, and dog treats for less than $60.

i’m not sure how much cheaper you want…

 

[rosemarythyme]

Wood shavings, hay, sand... just has to be something with some cushioning that's dry and clean.

 

[aart]

Any ideas on what I can use....as nest coop bedding?

Title is a bit unclear.
Nest or coop....or both?

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 8 years.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Title is a bit unclear.
Nest or coop....or both?

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 8 years.

I am sorry, I was tired when typing this, I just mean the nesting bedding, not the coop bedding

 

[arwoon]

I am sorry, I was tired when typing this, I just mean the nesting bedding, not the coop bedding

I use straw for my nestboxes. One bale of hay lasts a long time in 3 nest boxes with 12 hens. Easy to clean as well. That's what I would recommend

 

[RoyalChick]

I use leaves in coop and run. In the nest boxes I use pine shavings or shredded, un-bleached packing paper. My ladies usually bring a few leaves in from the coop to decorate the nests but I have never just done leaves in the nest box. Not sure why not really.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Can I used crushed up fallen leaves? I hear that works well, I love to be cheap and not spend any money. Any ideas on what I can use? Thanks!

I like that, I totally agree.

People use many different things for nest bedding. For example: wood shavings, straw, hay, dried tree leaves, shredded paper (not newspaper, the ink leaves stains), rags, pieces of carpet, Spanish moss, or feed bags. For my nests I cut long grass where I don't mow or weed eat and dry that.

You may not like how some of these work. Some people don't but others are happy with them. If you try something that doesn't work for you, try something else.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I'm a reuse and recycle kinda gal myself. I use paper from our shredder to line the bottom of my boxes and cut grass, dry on top of coop and bag (old feed bags) It is soft and nice smelling. I can change often cuz it's all free! My girls prefer and it compost wonderfully.
I use wood chips from the county for coop floor and run to freshen and adding the organic material just helps. All free - effort, time and sometimes gas.

in a pinch I'll steal alfalfa from the horses. Cheaper than hay