what type of bedding

[xeno0323]

Hello, My fiance and I have a 3'x4' coop with a wooden floor and four chickens (they're 3+ weeks old and still in the brooder). We live in New Hampshire. What type of bedding do people suggest we use? We have a 8'x8' attached run (not in picture.)

 

[Saveria]

We use wood shavings since they are easy to get at stores. If you try that make sure they aren't cedar, that can irritate their lungs.

Some folks use sand, sawdust, hay or straw. You can try some of them and see which you prefer for your setup. I like wood shavings because they are light and keep smells down.

 

[xeno0323]

We use wood shavings since they are easy to get at stores. If you try that make sure they aren't cedar, that can irritate their lungs.

Some folks use sand, sawdust, hay or straw. You can try some of them and see which you prefer for your setup. I like wood shavings because they are light and keep smells down.

I wonder if shavings on top of a sand base would be good? I find straw to be really hard to clean (but that's based on my experience with horses and cows.)

 

[Dragonwolfmastr]

I have used pine or aspen shavings for 6-ish years with success. I also recommend against cedar shavings. I've heard sand is a great alternative to wood shavings.

Straw can harbor parasites and get soggy, so I'd recommend against that as well.

Good luck finding bedding for your chickens!

 

[3KillerBs]

Here is my article on Deep Bedding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

I'm sorry to say, but your coop is too small for the number of chickens you have, especially in a severe winter area. Here's a useful article for you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

 

[Saveria]

Here is my article on Deep Bedding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

I'm sorry to say, but your coop is too small for the number of chickens you have, especially in a severe winter area. Here's a useful article for you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

We made our run predator proof and then gave them constant access to it. That helped them to be able to spread out in the winter. We would put down bedding in the run, too (every other day to cover all the droppings).

 

[aart]

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 8 years.

We live in New Hampshire.

Do you plan on weather proofing your run?
That sized coop might get pretty small during nasty storm events.
Post some pics of your coop and run.

Welcome to BYC! @xeno0323
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