What is in your nest boxes?

[TheAmundsons]

We use pine shavings (we just finished our nest boxes 2 weeks ago and we're waiting for the first egg!). My brother-in-law works for a hay company that is 1/4 mile from us, and can get us hay for FREE so I think we will be switching to that. Question though: What do you do with the hay when it needs to be taken out of the nest boxes? I know it can mold, but is it okay to put in the run, or not so much? Our run is not covered, but we've been using the DL method in there with the dirty bedding from the coop. Thoughts/suggestions? Thanks! (I don't mean to hijack this post, just thought that there will be helpful people here!)

 

[Folly's place]

Throw it in the run if it's okay. If it's moldy, or egg covered, throw it out away from the chickens areas.
Mary

 

[TheAmundsons]

Would it get moldy in the run with the rain water?

 

[snow5164]

We use sand after trying straw and shavings . Both ended up on the floor, and we do have a 2 inch edge to keep it in . Tried those Mats too and after one broken egg after another out they went.

My girls dig out the sand into a nice round “ nest” and lay . Eggs are clean and cushioned on the sand .

 

[BantyChooks]

Pine shavings. I used to use hay, but shavings are less likely to get kicked out, cleaner (IMO,) and cheaper.

 

[0die]

grass looking door mat thing cut into squares

 

[sourland]

Grass hay - if you can find any - for my chickens and for my dogs.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Folded feed bags for cushion topped with wood shavings. The shavings are literally the only bedding material I buy, everything else is sourced off my lot, but I want the eggs to stay clean so commercial shavings it is.

 

[imnukensc]

A mixture of pine straw, leaves from last fall, and pine shavings, but it's mostly pine straw.

 

[RodNTN]

I use pine shavings, I've tried hay and straw, but I always go back to using pine shavings