What type of bedding do you use?

[Show Sebright]

Tell us what you use and why.

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

I use pine needles or the long dried grass after I weed eat, because it's free and plentiful at my house. I was using pine chips but was going through it way too fast.

 

[3KillerBs]

For the coop it's COARSE pine shavings, pine straw, and whatever else comes to hand.

For the run it's wood chips, pine straw, straw, fall leaves, dried grass clippings, and whatever else comes to hand.

Additionally, whatever vegetable/fruit peels and trimmings they don't eat become one with the bedding and contribute to the eventual compost.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Coop or run? I chose "other" as what I use (wood chips/deep litter respectively) isn't listed.

There was a recent poll on this, for coops, if you're interested in seeing a lot of responses and reasons: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ype-of-coop-bedding-do-you-like-best.1384788/

 

[Sally PB]

In the coop, I started with pine shavings. A friend recommended hemp (that's my "other"), and I did like that a lot. I wanted to put another bale of hemp on, but forgot to order it, so I got another bale of pine shavings. I forgot how nice those smell when they're new.

In the run, the chickens have a brand new patch of grass, because we just moved everything. I plan to let them munch that down, then add some leaves/straw/pine shavings from the coop.

 

[aart]

Your poll didn't have all that I use.

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.
-Large flake 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.

 

[Erba]

I use straw pellets, like they sell for horse bedding but smaller for chickens. The pellets break down pretty quick and become a soft sort of bedding. Soaks up all the smells and moisture really well. Haven't had to change it, I just add more.