What is the best bedding for coops?

[mamatink7]

we will have 20 chicks inside the coop, nesting boxes will be 4 (3 nesting spots per box). currently, i am using the medium pine shavings from RK and TSC. is this what we should use in the coop as well? or is there something better and easier to clean that I should be using? I'm trying to get husband to build roosts so i can put that poop catcher under but I'm not sure if it'll work with his ultimate plan. my idea is to let girls out in the morning, collect what eggs are there then start cleaning up the coop but i don't want to spend 4 hours a day on this. right now I'm vacuuming brooder with shop vac (when waterer doesn't spill of course) or shoveling with spade then dump in compost.
thank you

 

[CluckerCottage]

We use the deep litter method with shavings on a vinyl covered floor. My coop does not smell nasty, nor do my chickens.
Really works well for us and we only do a total clean of the coop every 3 months.
Everything is raked out and placed in the compost, the vinyl is scrubbed down with hot water and disinfectant, we put the fan in the coop to speed dry time, then we put down shavings and start all over.

 

[ChickenGrass]

What I use is straw or hay
I have Lino on the coop floor so the
Bedding slides out easily
Goodluck with it

 

[mamatink7]

thank you for your response it is a complete wood coop so I'm kind of worried. don't the chickens slide on the vinyl floor? or is it completely covered? I've heard of the deep litter method and very curious. Is one area always worse than others?

 

[mamatink7]

thank you. sounds like its easy to do.

 

[csaylorchickens]

FYI I read up that Pine shavings absorb the nitrogen from the chicken coop so it makes the poop less effective for composting i used my chicken this spring and found this to be true

 

[MeepBeep]

The one you find works best for your unique situation...

I prefer the deep liter, over a year now with no clean out and still going strong and composting with no smell, just need to keep adding new carbon materials like straw, wood flakes, leaves, grass clipping etc to keep it running...

 

[mamatink7]

FYI I read up that Pine shavings absorb the nitrogen from the chicken coop so it makes the poop less effective for composting i used my chicken this spring and found this to be true

thx. never heard of this. so what do you use instead?

 

[ChickenGrass]

What is deep liter?

 

[csaylorchickens]

thx. never heard of this. so what do you use instead?

Washed and strained river sand. Its natural gritt too for the chickens. Just use a kitty.litter scoop and scoop it out everyday off poop boards and once a week in the run.