What is your favorite coop/nesing box/run "bedding"?

[FiftyCentChick]

I am setting up the "big girl" coop for my 6 mystery chickens ( probably BSL) and am debating what to put in the various places a chicken will spend their day.

I am setting up the Sentinel coop from TCS. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-mini-defender-coop-mdc001?cm_vc=-10005

I was thinking of using hemp in the nest boxes with course sand under the roosting bar and on the floor of the coop. I was going to also put pea gravel and sand in the little run area and cover it with hemp or chopped straw in the winter to keep the ladies warmer. The coop will be under a deck that has very good drainage, shade and protection from the elements. They will have access to a fenced area of the nearby woods to free range and scratch around in so unless we are out of town they wont have to live their lives in the coop/run.

Does this sound like a pretty good set up? What do you do for your chickens?

Any advice is welcome!

 

[Cecisflock]

I LOVEEEE Pine pellets, seriously they are the bomb.com

I was going to also put pea gravel and sand in the little run

I would highly advise against gravel as there is on real way to clean it and it gets really gross
Oh and of course
Ask any more question you would like me to answer!

 

[FiftyCentChick]

I LOVEEEE Pine pellets, seriously they are the bomb.com

I would highly advise against gravel as there is on real way to clean it and it gets really gross
Oh and of course
Ask any more question you would like me to answer!

I had read that that anything with pine in it is actually bad for your chickens. Is that just me falling too deep down the rabbit hole? Also what brand or type of pellets do you use? Thank you for your response.

 

[Cecisflock]

s that just me falling too deep down the rabbit hole?

Lol yes it is, cedar and (aspen?) are bad for chickens but pine is not, just try to minimize dust and keep lots of ventilation.

Also what brand or type of pellets do you use? Thank you for your response.

I just use the plain TSC brand, They are marketed as hores bedding if that helps. I like corn cob pellets too here is a pic-

and a bag

 

[Kk Augy]

Um I just use straw or pine cuttings

 

[FiftyCentChick]

Lol yes it is, cedar and (aspen?) are bad for chickens but pine is not, just try to minimize dust and keep lots of ventilation.

I just use the plain TSC brand, They are marketed as hores bedding if that helps. I like corn cob pellets too here is a pic-
View attachment 2607198 and a bag View attachment 2607199

Do you use this in your run as well? Or just in the coop?

 

[mamajos]

I use pine shavings with Timothy hay on top for my nest boxes. My floor is pine shavings. It’s what is easy to get where I live. The chickens do well with it.

 

[aart]

I am setting up the "big girl" coop for my 6 mystery chickens ( probably BSL) and am debating what to put in the various places a chicken will spend their day.

I am setting up the Sentinel coop from TCS. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-mini-defender-coop-mdc001?cm_vc=-10005

I was thinking of using hemp in the nest boxes with course sand under the roosting bar and on the floor of the coop. I was going to also put pea gravel and sand in the little run area and cover it with hemp or chopped straw in the winter to keep the ladies warmer. The coop will be under a deck that has very good drainage, shade and protection from the elements. They will have access to a fenced area of the nearby woods to free range and scratch around in so unless we are out of town they wont have to live their lives in the coop/run.

Does this sound like a pretty good set up? What do you do for your chickens?

Any advice is welcome!

Sorry, but I have to say.......That coop and run is not big enough for 6 birds.

Ditto on gravel being gross.
Pine is not toxic to birds.

As to your real question:
What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture:

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.

 

[FiftyCentChick]

Sorry, but I have to say.......That coop and run is not big enough for 6 birds.

Ditto on gravel being gross.
Pine is not toxic to birds.

As to your real question:
What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture:

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.

Thank you for your response.

I have a friend who may take 1-2 of my chicks when they get a bit older and can join her flock, she wants any of them if they turn out to be cockerels.

Im planning on building the hens will a large "run" built around the coop and a wooded yard to range around in too. I was also thinking of adding an open air style coop "corner" into the run for the hot and humid nights we have here in Sothern Ohio. Im planning on using this coop and small run for raising up my pullets, after that it will be open for them and hopefully used for winter sleeping and laying eggs. Do you think that will work? If you have any suggestions for modifications i am open to them. I know you have way more experience than me and this is my first urban chicken experience.

When I was younger the hens just used the old shed with a few modifications and free ranged where they wanted, but i dont live in the country anymore.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Just so you know, that coop is 6 by 3 feet. Total of 18 feet. The most I would consider putting in there is 2 chickens. As a general rule of thumb, 4' inside the coop house, and 10' in the run, per bird. If you have 6 chickens, the total area would be 84 square feet, being 24' inside the coop, 84' in the run. So I would recommend a bigger coop, even if you are only planning on a few chickens. There are lots of great coops here on BYC with easy DIY instructions.

As for your actual question, I use pine shavings all throughout the coop. They are easy to clean and smell nice. Also not very expensive (at least where I am) Another good option is straw. I hope you enjoy your chickens!