What do you line your nest boxes with?

[Lil Chickie Mama]

I'm planning to put down rice hulls and DE. I keep trying to figure out how to get rid of more rice hulls! If they don't seem to like it too much though or they confuse it with the floor which will be the same, then I'll add a layer of rice hay over the top.

 

[CARS]

I used wheat straw for years then changed 1/2 my boxes to shredded paper from the local bank. The chickens prefer the straw. In fact, almost 90% of the time there isn't even an egg in the paper

I may use a shorter shred paper for bedding, but I am going to go back to 100% straw for the nesting boxes. Cheap and available!

 

[cmom]

I use spanish moss with a little DE sprinkled in the nests because spanish moss is so abundant here. It grows on my trees and works well.

 

[chicksgalore]

I had a big idea to recycle and use shredded paper but the girls didn't like it much--they kicked most of it out in a short time so I'm back to hay. Plus, I couldn't shred newspapers like I planned so I don't have a huge supply of shredded paper. I do add it as I have it but include hay as well. They really seem to like the hay.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

We used to use hay, but it has gotten so expensive around here we have switched to pine shavings. It seems like the hens like it better for whatever reason.

 

[CARS]

I would use shavings but I have wire nesting boxes! I guess it depends on what your "boxes" are. Straw works great in wire boxes but I can see where shavings would work great in solid boxes.

 

[Kim_NC]

We use wood shavings for nest boxes and hay on the coop floors, shavings on floors around waterers.

 

[genabeana]

I've found (so far!) that the pine shavings are really absorbant. I have little to no smell and am cleaning out and replacing the shavings once a week. They love to sleep in the shavings. I also add a little DE into the bottom layer of shavings - just a little sprinkled. So far it's made a noticeable difference in bugs.