What to put in coop for bedding/nesting boxes? Specific to my coop! Thanks!

[EsqChick]

My girls (4 pullets) are almost 7 weeks old, fully feathered and are being evicted from the brooder in my garage tomorrow. We just finished up their coop/run. Our run is dirt floor and are planning DLM on top so I put a thick fluffy (for now) layer of pine shavings and yard trimmings in it. Our coop (pre-fab b/c we are just starting out and don't have time/skill to build one ourselves YET), has a pull out tray under the roosting bars and the tray is lined with aluminum for ease of cleaning. We lined our 6(!) nesting boxes with linoleum tile to be able to clean them as well. Two questions: should we put pine shavings or other material on the coop floor (even though they hopefully will sleep on the roosting bars)? should we put any pine shavings in the nesting boxes, even though they are obviously not laying yet? TIA! Picture of my daughter and our girls for attention. Thanks!!!!

 

[Blue Eager]

I used pine shavings when I first started but should have known they would take a long time to break down for composting. I have since changed to newspaper. My wife & I save all of our news papers, minus all the shiny ads. When it’s time to replace the bedding, I get busy with the shredder. It breaks down so much sooner & my plants love chicken droppings & spent coffee grounds from Starbucks. It’s free BTW. Add a few leaves or other carbon materials & in just a few short month’s its black gold.

 

[jthornton]

Photos of the coop and run inside and out will help.

JT