What do you put in your nest box?

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! We have had chickens for several years and have tried lots of things in the nest boxes. We started out with wood chips, then tried the plastic "grass" liners for roll-out nest boxes. Currently I am using straw/hay. My issue is that sometimes an egg will get stepped on or a broody hen will poo in the nest boxes. The boxes are not easy to clean as none of the things I have tried are absorbent. We use Sweet PDZ on the roost and I was wondering if anyone uses PDZ in the nest boxes...or have any other ideas that could help me out.
Thank you in advance!

 

[Mosey2003]

Not much you can do for stepped-on eggs other than installing rollaway nests. Personally, I line mine with thin berber carpet (I get 2x2 tiles and cut in four) and then put shavings on top. I keep a cat litter scoop around to toss out incidental poops.

 

[fldiver97]

I tried straw, then pine shavings. Like pine shavings better and find it easier to spot clean if needed. I lined the bottom with craft paper (or cut paper bags to size) then added pine shavings. For the last year I’ve used the precut nest box liners (not the reusable type, I buy the ones that look like skinny wood shavings) Fortunately not a lot of issues with broken eggs in nest so they last for a while. When it’s cold I still use pine shavings on top.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I use straw. I do sprinkle PDZ in the bottom of their nest boxes just to prevent any moisture that may build up in there. But none ever really does. I tried to use wood chips but they let me know real quick they didn’t like it. They had kicked every bit of the wood chips out by the end of the day. So I went back to their strong and they’re happy

 

[ChickNanny13]

I have used Rose Bud shavings in their nest box & floor covering for years. The nest box is a huge plastic dog house, filled half way with shavings. Their Chicken House has about a 4" layer of shavings that I keep adding to as needed. I have only 4BO, have had 5 Wyandottes, haven't had issues with dirty eggs nor broken

 

[MissChick@dee]

I put in a base of straw and a thick layer of pine shavings on top.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Also we have lined the bottom of the nesting box with roofing rubber Before putting the PDZ and straw in there. It makes it much easier to clean out when there’s things like broken eggs. Because I’ve run into that problem too. And we don’t tack the rubber down that way if it’s bad enough I can pull the paper out and hose it down or scrub it

 

[jthornton]

Mine has a piece of carpet runner, but I have a roll out nest box.

JT

 

[rosemarythyme]

Take used feed bags and fold them to fit the bottom of the nest box - free, easy padding that can be tossed if soiled. I top it off with pine shavings but the chickens push a lot of that to the sides.

 

[happy duck]

I you used straw. It is extra absorbent....also beach wood shavings I have heard are good.