What kind of alternative materials for nesting box??

[caseyrocksit]

Well I never thought Id have this issue ...but..... THERES NO STRAW for miles and miles in my area! Im fixing up the coop and making new nesting boxes and NO ONE has straw ANY WHERE ... just PINESTRAW and hay!! Please can i get some suggestions on what to put in my nesting boxes that wont cause mold or health problems?? Thankyou guys for advice!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Dry hay, Spanish moss, pine or aspen wood shavings, shredded paper (don't use newspaper because the ink stains), carpet, rags, pine straw. If it is dry it won't mold.

 

[caseyrocksit]

Thankyou so much for the reply! I was thinking of materials that were cheap and easy to get . People do sell pinestraw/needles around here but Ive never heard of anyone or ever seeing it be used , so it seemed weird to me! Guess I was going for the picture perfect story book ideal of straw in the nesting boxes :/
However ... thankyou for the other ideals and suggestions

 

[6of6chicks]

Thankyou so much for the reply! I was thinking of materials that were cheap and easy to get . People do sell pinestraw/needles around here but Ive never heard of anyone or ever seeing it be used , so it seemed weird to me! Guess I was going for the picture perfect story book ideal of straw in the nesting boxes :/
However ... thankyou for the other ideals and suggestions

Oh, I can totally relate to that! For some reason I have it in my head that nest boxes are "supposed" to be done with straw - like that's the only right way to do it. But then, I can't see buying a big bale of the stuff for a handful of nest boxes, lol! Seemed kind of ridiculous - like buying a giant Costco-sized pack of gum when all I wanted was one little piece!

Thanks for asking this - I was wondering the same thing!

 

[Monguire]

Depending on where you live and trees in your yard/property, dry leaves also make for cheap, comfy bedding. I plan to store a couple extra bags this fall for use throughout the winter.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I just gather tall grass where I don't mow or weed-eat, usually in the winter or real early spring and use that. I have a pile in a shed that I use as needed. I guess technically it's hay since it still has the seed heads on it. If you knock the seed heads off it would be straw.

 

[caseyrocksit]

...

Depending on where you live and trees in your yard/property, dry leaves also make for cheap, comfy bedding.  I plan to store a couple extra bags this fall for use throughout the winter.
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I do appreciate your input , thankyou! I do have plenty of leaves around . But along with gathering those also means tons of sand fleas , so was trying to find a way to avoid all that !

 

[MountainOrchard]

I rake up dry grass clippings a day or two after my husband mows. My main source of bedding is pine shavings, but I add the grass for a little something extra. It smells nice and fresh.

 

[B-Goock]

In my area we have honey suckle vines growing in the woods. Just collect up a pile (I use a 5 gallon bucket), let the girls eat the leaves, and just kind of bend the left over vines into a circle similar to a basket. No fancy time wasting weaving or anything. Just a handful twisted around in a bowl shape and tuck some this way and that while you cram it in the nesting box. Since the vines are semi woody the gals don't beat it down to a dust like they do straw.

Take a lidded bucket with you when you drive around doing normal activities and keep yours eyes peeled for tall grass/weeds that are available without trespassing or that you can get with permission. Most people will gladly give you their yard weeds and trimmings.

Another alternative is make a buddy. This past year I have been lucky enough to have a farmer that left me a nice round bail next door on his property that I just use as needed. All I did to receive this "payment" was saw up some limbs that occasionally fell in his field during the year.

 

[Brenda8591]

we have a company where we have to print out a many page work order for each job, so I have loads of paper to recycle. Would this paper shredded be okay for their nesting boxes when it is time. Also, I bought plastic tubs, about 4-6" deep, like a little wash tub, to use for nesting boxes, do you think these will work. I also read on this site, somewhere, that you can use fabric between the boxes....do they need privacy?

Thank you for your time

Brenda