What do you use for litter on floor.

[cedar post]

I have been using pine shavings and today I lost my third rooster in the last year. I cut open the crop and the pine shavings in there look like they are from last coop cleaning. All the roosters were between a year and three years old. Why only roosters? So now I am asking what other kinds of litter people use? Thanks

 

[CARS]

Wood shavings and shredded paper.

Roo's eating the bedding.... weird. If they are that dumb......

 

[1acrefarm]

Leaves and the hay the goats drop.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
^^That and pine shavings shredded paper, whatever I have on hand.

 

[gryeyes]

I've used pine shavings thus far, but my feed store manager suggested RICE HULLS. It goes great in the compost pile, unlike the pine shavings which use up a ton o' nitrogen to break down for compost. So that's what I'm gonna be using after I finish the bale of shavings still left.

 

[cedar post]

Thanks, Rice hulls have to check this out. Never seen or heard of them. Wonder how much they cost? Maybe I'll ask at Tractor supply see if they got them. Mike

 

[Keri78]

Good old fashioned hay! I just had Hubby buy me some cheap cheap cheap laminate stick tiles...the cheapest box of them that they sell! I put them where they roost at night and believe it or not they poo in the same spots! So all I have to do is every couple days take the tiles out(I didn't stick them down real good) and rinse them off with the hose and WAHLA ...clean coop! I'm going to put them on the floor of my coop too just so when it comes time to change the hay all I have to do is take a broom and sweep the dirty hay out ! I LOVE using hay...I use it from day one when they are babies and they really seem to enjoy making nests out of it and it keeps them warm. Here's a pic ..you can see the hay and one girl nesting and also the stick tiles. Blessings,Keri

 

[joedie]

Okay this makes me wonder. I've been using pine shavings too and just asked on here the other day about my chickens dying. I lose one every month or two. No apparent reason, no signs of illness and couldn't figure it out. I wonder now if its the shavings?

 

[CARS]

The problem I have with hay and straw is that it gets so heavy after a long winter. I have to use the deep liter method because I just can't get to the compost pile in January.
I can see it working in a small coop that is cleaned often.

 

[Slywoody]

I've used straw my whole life.

Never a problem. Clean it out about once a month. Been using DE since April. Can't really tell if it's working or not, however, i'll keep using it. I also throw a pat of alfalfa in for my 9 girls about once a week. They love to tear that apart. All the old straw goes on the compost pile and then into my flower beds and garden. I put it on thick too. Holds the weeds down and holds moisture in the sandy soil.