Whats the best bedding

[chaneg78]

I use deep litter method in my coop with straw. But the straw gets really clumpy when they poop on it and it is hard to mix up. I use straw because I want to be able to till it into my garden for fertilizer and didn't think pine shavings would be very good for that. Anyone have a good solution or do the wood shavings work ok when tilled into the garden?

 

[cw]

pine shavings are great in the garden, some will say it ies up the availible nitrogen but leave it in the coop long enough and it will get hot like anything else.

 

[Capone]

pine shaveings all the way

 

[Sissy]

Ditto.shavings is the way to go.

 

[goldielocks]

Shavings...hands down.

I just went thur this. I ran out of shavings and had straw on hand and used straw. I couldnt believe the difference in odor. Their coop was so stinky in a week that i couldnt believe it. The coop is 8 x 10 with 13 hens that are only in it to go roost. I ran to the store to get the shavings. Its been 3 weeks and the shavings still smell fresh.

 

[konjo]

Shavings for me, then after that I mix it in my compost bin.

 

[Chicken Fried]

Pine shavings for me also. I mix them up with a rake every few days and it is very absorbent.

 

[consdrs]

Sand, inside and out. I then I don't have to worry about the shavings. I did shavings last year in coop one. shavings are a pain and expensive. My chooks spend very little time in their coop so there is little poo other than on the dropping board. I just scoop the sand with a small shrub rake. having heavy soil the sand mixed into the soil is great. I can still see the shavings I tilled in last October! I have shavings in the nest boxes and a barrier to keep them in the nest boxes. I cant sing the benefits of sand enough.


Connie

 

[Amethyste]

Sand is awesome if you can do it !! But if you have a raised coop like I do, the shaving are the better way to go... less weigjht on the supports you know. Sand is heavy!!

But if you have a ground floor coop? Sand defintely.

I have been using sand in my run and I love it

Pine shavings inside the coop with a poop board under the roosts =pretty clean coop !!

 

[Peeplperson]

Pine shavings with a little DE. The girls mix it up every day, and I haven't noticed any smell. My coop has a vinyl floor that we just pick up & dump into the compost pile every 2 months or so.