Wood shavings in nesting boxes

[verthandi]

I am jealous! I put wood shavings in and the hens toss them all out. The only thing they leave alone is hay.

 

[the simple life]

Shavings. Just easier all around.

 

[kinnip]

Quote:
Love it! Great suggestion, and I happen to have a surplus of cardboard.

 

[LVVCHAP]

Thanks for all the input. They are not laying yet but I think it will not be long. I am using 5 gal. buckets and blocked the front with about a third of the lid. I guess now all I can do is wait.

Thanks again

 

[notsooldmcdonald]

As a horse owner, I never thought to use anything other than shavings. Hay (esp. that of good quality) is a premium product and I use it to occupy them in the pen. I can certainly see how it's ability to tangle contributes to it's being ejected more completely from boxes than shavings. Hay really keeps them busy!

I do find that they evict a certain amount of the shavings on a daily basis. This is attributable to the fact that we didn't build the fronts of the boxes high enough to keep the shavings inside.

-Christian

 

[chickensista]

Love it! Great suggestion, and I happen to have a surplus of cardboard.

I found the idea in the last issue of backyard poultry. An article by Gail Damerow - "one dozen tips and tricks to simplify poultry keeping". My first issue, and I love it so far!

This is attributable to the fact that we didn't build the fronts of the boxes high enough to keep the shavings inside.

I don't know if the higher sides would help. Mine shove the shavings out, but also up the sides. They scractch 'till they reach bottom.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

All I use is shavings also, they do not scratch any out now that I changed my nest boxes to dishpans. My eggs are always clean and none have cracked since I changed the design and they actually started using them

 

[ridgefire]

I tried hay once the buggers pulled it all out and ate it.


Went back to shavings.

 

[TubbyChicken]

Quote:
What is that?!

I use a 5 gallon bucket with a hole cut in the middle...I also use shavings with no problem....I love that idea though...It made me think of recycling old litterboxes with lids!

 

[cmom]

I use pine shavings in the bottom with some DE sprinkled in. I put spanish moss in on top of the shavings. I live in Florida and spanish moss is abundant here. I sprinle DE on the spanish moss too, My eggs are nice and clean. Once in awhile I add a little DE to the shavings and mix it in, either change the moss or shake it out and add a little DE to it also. The girls will shape it.