whats the best bedding for you and why.

[RoosterRanch]

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tractor-supply-company-reg-flake-premium-pine-shavings-covers-8-cu-ft--5027706

I have used lots of stuff over the years, even Cedar shavings and can say I have had no ill effects of it. I use the product in the link now purely because it seems to compost much better than straw or mulch hay and the price is pretty reasonable.

Ok the link does not seem to work, but its TSC premium pine shavings, 8 cubic feet for 4.99.

 

[Jay262]

I work at a lumber yard so i get quite a few variations of sawdust the chickens seem to love it either way. I tried using straw but i dont find it to absorbant espcially for my ducks i find it almost useless. Plus you can see how excited the chickens get when you switch out the straw and put sawdust in again they start rolling around in it everywhere like dogs its quite funny to watch actually.

 

[gryeyes]

Pine shavings in the nest boxes and coop. The coop is a former garage, 17 x 20 feet, with a dirt floor. The shavings in the nest boxes, if they happen to get soiled, are tossed onto the coop floor and replaced. I add a bale of pine shavings every now and then. I don't even have to spread it out - the chickens will do that themselves.

 

[trooper]

I use the pine shavings.Not the fine,The coarse.I use it in both coop and in nest boxes.I do the deep liter method and it works great for me.I occasionally rake it down to get it mixed up and I have no oder.This is what I like and works for me.I scrape the nest boxes out occasionally and place new in so that it stays fresh.You use what you feel comfortable with.Good luck and welcome to BYC:cd:yiipchick

 

[austintgraf]

I use pine shavings as well not fine ones. Deep bedding works great. Nest boxes I use straw. Not hay, they try to eat to seeds in the hay haha.

 

[BellyShell]

We have alot of featherfooted breeds and have a few coops (more being built) off the ground and with solid floors to protect those beautiful feathery feet. Anywhoo I got this idea from a breeder and modified it to match my building skills and $$. I used painted plywood for the floor and bought those sticky tiles (.38cents each) stuck and calked them down and then I use play sand. I do have to clean the coop...kinda like a litter box...but thier feathery feet are wonderful and they don't seem to mind the sand. I had tried shavings and they got dirty so fast and would get wet and cake. I'm still learning and enjoying picking everyones brains but this is what I found works for me.

Once we get all the coops built and critter proof we'll start on a chicken "playpen" if you will...that will be movable like a chicken tractor, but big enough to give my boys and girls some time to pick at the ground, eat bugs, and just be chickens. Sadly with our dogs and cats we could never let them free range.

 

[BellyShell]

oh and in the nest boxes I use pine shavings and hay.

 

[DDRanch]

I use about 3 inches of pine shavings in the coop layered with several flakes of straw. Keeps them warmer in winter and I use a pitch fork to change the straw when it becomes soiled. Every couple of months, I will completely clean out and replace all the pine shavings.

I use pine shavings in the nesting boxes too. Easier to gather the eggs and my girls sleep in the nesting boxes in the winter so it's pretty easy to clean up.

 

[Johnn]

I prefer saw dust on the floor, straw annoys me for some reason and i like straw or hay in the nesting box's because it looks compfy

 

[chickeemama]

I used leaves raked up from my yard this fall....as a deep litter method. It is working great and the investment was right! We have 5 acres with lots of trees, so the supply was great. They pick around and kick them everywhere. They grind up very small, but they do not seem to mat down. I have 50 hens in a 30 x 30 barn. They can free range in the day, but in the cold weather they seem to spend most of their time in the barn. I like the fact of using what is the most natural and it is just a great way of recycling, I plan to use the litter in my gardens when I clean this spring.