What do you all use to line the nesting box?

[masschix]

Ringo71 wrote:
Dumb question incoming...

What is DE? lol

I asked the same question when I started and was redirected to Dawn419's member page. She has a GREAT explanation about Diatomaceous Earth (DE). I also know of a member on BYC that sells this if your interested.​

 

[dacjohns]

I use straw, not hay. I periodically throw the messy stuff on the floor of the coop. I don't have a problem with too much moisture in the coop so I don't worry about mold.

I use pine shavings in the brooder. When the brooder gets too stinky the shavings go in the coop and get mixed in with all the other litter.

When the area under the roosts gets too stinky, about once a week, it goes into the run.

My birds free range during the day so they don't spend alot time in the coop or the run mixing up the litter by scratching.

That's what works for me. If your set up is different it may not work for you.

 

[moms_pantry]

I use hay in my nest boxes, but I think that my chickens eat it because it disappears. I just have to add more.

 

[Linda in San Diego]

Eggcellent question and great answers! I love this forum, I learn so much each time I get to be here and read!

 

[talos321]

Pine Straw (needles) or just straw.
If it gets a little dirty I throw it out onto the litter, wipe the box with a handful of clean, throw that out, then use a new handful.

Nice to know a lot use the same as I do...I did something right!

 

[LindaN]

I use leaves. I collected a LOT last fall that I stored under the porch in bags. I'm still working my way through them. I doubt I'll have enough to last the summer and will have to find something else to bridge the month or two until the leaves start falling again.

My hens seem to like the leaves and they're free. Can't go wrong there!

 

[herdofnoni]

i love the leaves idea, what kind do you use? or really anything that falls from the tree! we have two huge maples across the road and get a great amoun tof leaves.. my chickys aren't big enough for outside and we've not built the coop yet.. have to place it in a discreet place not really supposed to have chickens inside the municipality but we havea faily big yard and we are keeping them as pets.. no roosters though.. havent sexed the chicks yet i figure if it crows it goes!

 

[masschix]

I'm really curious about the leaves idea too!!!!! I have a ton of them during the fall. Does it matter that the lawn mower cuts them up first, or do you just put them down how ever they get raked? Great ideas!!!

Also a question about pine needles......can you really use them as well. I would think they get pretty sticky?

 

[dacjohns]

After pine needles fall and turn brown they are hardly sticky at all.

 

[herdofnoni]

what about grass clippings mixed with leaves??? i packed the box with a 2" layer of grass clippigns first , then some crushed dry leaves.. the leaves seemed to slide a bit more and my one chick who has a hard time anyway being surefooted seems to like the grass better. seh is starting to walk more on her feet less on her hocks now