Why different bedding in Nest Boxes?

[lnzyloo]

Hello! I am very new to the chicken community. I am planning on getting my first chickens in early August so I am doing as much reading and preparing as possible until then. I just read a lengthy forum on types of bedding used in coops, and noticed that a lot of people use a different type of bedding in the nest boxes than in the rest of the coop. Why is this?

 

[6LittleHens]

I personally don't, I just put extra bedding down in the nest boxes so that they don't make a nest and have the egg laying on the wood floor of the coop. Hope this helps!!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hi and welcome -- as with anything like this, it's all just a matter of personal preference.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Quote:

noticed that a lot of people use a different type of bedding in the nest boxes than in the rest of the coop. Why is this?

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new. Feed bags are a nylon mesh bag frozen poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off in summer when left out in the sun to bake and dry.



POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

Winter months even easier flex over compost bin DONE!

Easy peasy!.

 

[donrae]

I've noticed the same thing, but I just use the deep litter from the floor for the nest boxes. I would advise to use pretty deep bedding, line with a feed bag, or use Rubbermaid totes for nest boxes (that's what I do). One broken egg in a nest box can make a horrible, icky mess that can be very hard to clean off a wooden bottom nest box.

 

[henless]

I put shavings in mine. When they need cleaning out, I'll just dump them on the floor with the rest of the deep litter. I got my first egg a couple days ago, so I haven't had to clean them out yet.

I use the rubber totes to line my nest so it will hopefully make clean out easier.

 

[aart]

I use shavings on floor and straw in nests....because.....

Straw in nests:
- I figured straw forms a more stable mat so they are less likely to scratch down thru to hard bottom of nest maybe causing broken eggs or kick the nest material out of the nest.
- I had some on hand.
- That's what birds nests are supposed to look like...lol....JK-kinda

Shavings on floor:
- They are very dry and help dry up the poops.
- They are easily 'fluffed', mixed around and scooped up after 6 months.
- Straw can mat, not as absorbent, can carry in mold and pests.

I use some DE sprinkled in the straw in nests when I change it out and heavily under the straw as a preventative.
I use roost boards with sand and PDZ and sift the poops to compost.

Another thought I've had about different materials on floor and nests is that it may delineate between....here's the floor and here's the nest, don't lay eggs on the floor.

But it really does just come down to personal preferences and materials available.

 

[RonP]

Copied from another query:

Nesting boxes - shredded paper - free and easy to replace when soiled. I keep a garbage bag full close by to replenish.

Coop floor - kiln dried large pine shavings - 8 to 12 inches deep - changed out once per year, dumped into run.

Run floor - wood chips, used pine shavings, dried leaves, yard waste, and basically anything biodegradable - free - 8 - 24 inches deep - composted black gardeners gold gets kicked out of 1/2 hardware fencing and disappears. Level seems to remain constant. Chickens love to dig craters and distribute it for me. I just routinely dump a garbage can full of "browns" into the run. Haven't cleaned it, ever. No mud, bugs, or smell.

 

[MrsPeterTHooper]

Do you find that the chickens are more likely to poop in the nest box if you use the same material in the nest box as in the coop? At what age do you fill the nest box with bedding?

 

[aart]

Do you find that the chickens are more likely to poop in the nest box if you use the same material in the nest box as in the coop? At what age do you fill the nest box with bedding?

Don't let them sleep in the nests boxes, make sure roosts are higher than nest boxes and take them out of nests at night if you find them in there and put them on the roosts.....that is the best way to make sure the nests stay poop free, but every once in awhile they still poop in a nest.