Where do you find your coop floor materials?

[WadeMD]

Wood shavings, hay, bark, etc... What do you use and where do you get it?

I am trying to find a source for my duck housing of wood shavings, but will consider any material that works. I know there has to be a local source, but not sure where. So, where do you find yours?

Thanks,
Wade

 

[calicokat]

I was getting a bale of pine shavings from Rural King, but the last 2 times I needed some, what they had was much finer than shavings -- leaning towards sawdust. It really didn't work well for the deep litter method and created HUGE amounts of dust. I checked at Tractor Supply in another town, and their shavings were Cedar - which I've read here is a no-no due to respiritory issues. You might check your local stores like this and see if you have better luck.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

We get #40 bags of pine shavings at our local feedstore for $4.50 a bag. 1 bag covers about a 15X15 area.

 

[gryeyes]

Feed stores around here (in Central Valley, California, around Sacramento) all carry pine shavings, some also carry rice hulls (which I'm leaning towards changing to, next time I buy bedding litter), and some pet stores - like PetSmart and PetCo have it. However, it's pretty expensive there, compared to feed stores.

 

[DonnaBelle]

A lot of feed stores, especially locally owned ones, sell pine shavings by the big bag. We use the deep litter method in the floor of our coop, really chicken house as it is 12' x 24 ft., divided down the middle with chicken wire and a door. so 12' x 12 on both sides. I have about 6" to 12" deep litter (pine shavings) on the floor. I rake it occasionally and keep Stall Dry down to hold down smell/moisture. I also have 2 heat lamps on for heat/moisture control. Seems to get me plenty of eggs too.

I am in East Central Oklahoma, not too far from Ft. Smith, Arkansas. We have had awful weather this year. Right now it is snowing like mad. I check on the chickens twice a day, early morning, around 7 and late afternoon, around 4-5.

I like the pine shavings for the floor, better than hay I think, repels moisture and the stall dry keeps the ammonia smell down too.

DonnaBelle

 

[WadeMD]

Thanks all, the only thing I've found so far is a bag of "wood shavings" from Tractor Supply Co. Its $5.50 for ~5.5 cubic feet, so not horrible (cost wise)... they just don't define what wood it is. I am guessing its just trimmings from a furniture, etc place that are left after trimming/lathing since it says "kiln dried" on it and its not labeled as to what it is composed of. I am guessing it'll work fine, just wanted to avoid cedar and/or find other sources.

Anyone in the greater DC/N VA/MD/southern PA area have any favorites?