What do you put in your nest boxes?

[MrsAuberry00]

I don't like to use hay or straw because I'm afraid the hens will eat it and get an impacted crop. (I'm a worry-wart.) I have always used pine shavings and not only does it make the boxes smell lovely, it works very well as bedding material.

 

[BantyChooks]

Shavings. I used hay for years, but the hens would kick it out. I got tired of replacing it so often.

 

[MIchickenlady]

I use pine shavings and rosemary sprigs for a fresh smell

 

[DuckMama9]

I keep only ducks now but I used to keep chickens. I used straw in their nesting boxes and wood flakes everywhere else in the coop. I used to compost the soiled straw and shavings in-ground simply just by tossing them out into their run area. It provided a good ground cover to reduce the mud mess and it eventually rotted down into the soil. Now that I keep ducks I have more soiled shavings than I know what to do with! I have three compost piles going that before the ducks I had a hard time getting hot enough. The duck shavings have really helped the compost to get cooking! Also duck manure can be applied immediately to garden soil for fertilizer. Chicken poo needs to six months to mature in compost pile before used in the garden.

 

[LizzzyJo]

I went for years trying to create the best nesting box litter solution. It is the culture of my hens to scratch out EVERYTHING from the box. They would then lay on the hard wood and break the eggs. I have run the gamut of every type of bedding you can think of.

Now - I have towels nailed to the bottom and put shavings on top. At least when they scratch the shavings out they don't break the eggs on the towels. I change them out every few months, but noone poops in the nest, so they stay pretty clean.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

View attachment 1894836 I keep only ducks now but I used to keep chickens. I used straw in their nesting boxes and wood flakes everywhere else in the coop. I used to compost the soiled straw and shavings in-ground simply just by tossing them out into their run area. It provided a good ground cover to reduce the mud mess and it eventually rotted down into the soil. Now that I keep ducks I have more soiled shavings than I know what to do with! I have three compost piles going that before the ducks I had a hard time getting hot enough. The duck shavings have really helped the compost to get cooking! Also duck manure can be applied immediately to garden soil for fertilizer. Chicken poo needs to six months to mature in compost pile before used in the garden.

When I had horses I had beautiful compost! Now I have that problem you described, can't get compost hot enough to cook! Gave up on it. But I am not getting ducks. Or horses, alas.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I went for years trying to create the best nesting box litter solution. It is the culture of my hens to scratch out EVERYTHING from the box. They would then lay on the hard wood and break the eggs. I have run the gamut of every type of bedding you can think of.

Now - I have towels nailed to the bottom and put shavings on top. At least when they scratch the shavings out they don't break the eggs on the towels. I change them out every few months, but noone poops in the nest, so they stay pretty clean.

That's a brilliant solution! Have you tried shredded paper? My hens love it and they don't seem to kick it out.

 

[Bound to Sea]

I have used shavings for years. Worked fine until I acquired a hen that rearranges the nest box and kicks everything out. It was suggested to try hemp from local supplier but that is worse. All of them hate it. So I am using hay and making high sides, a deep nest and everyone seems to like it and no kicking out of the nest box occurs now. Not sure if because it's longer and is harder to move, but the hay stays in the nest box!

 

[Bound to Sea]

i put hay on the bottom, then cut a piece of plastic hardware cloth to break the fall of the egg, then on top of that some straw and pine shavings, my girls rearrange the material in the boxes, they all like to use the same one, once i found 3 girls in one box singing the egg song....i used golf balls, i recently got as a gift some of those ceramic eggs, the girls did not like them and kept rolling them out of the nesting box...they were like "THESE EGGS ARE FAKE, THEY ARE NOT ONE OF OUR EGGS!!" SO FUNNY

Why is that? I had the porcelain egg too and they rolled it out of the box too! Looks like an egg much more than a golf ball. Lol!

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

im gonna try shredded paper......