I am seriously considering purchasing a wood chipper to start making my own bedding. I realize that the payback on a chipper would take a long time considering that the bags of pine shavings at the feed mill are only $5.50 each, but I am planning on having chickens a long time and it is a pain in the rear to have to buy 5 or 10 bags at a time. The chipper I am looking at is at Home Depot for $849c. its a bushmaster with 11hp motor. Now the problem that I have is that I own 7 1/2 acres of wooded land that is mostly oak with some pine. I think I read somewhere that your not supposed to use hardwood bedding but I cant remember. Does anyone else make there own bedding and if so, what words of wisdom could you pass my way?
Quote:I use the riding mower bagger to collect lawn & weed clippings for my deep litter bedding, also I rake up pine needles/cones etc. I do have a wood chipper and end up not using it much unless I have a lot of corn stalks or weed stalks I want to chop up for the compost pile or litter. Turns out, you don't really need to chop up anything if you're patient------the compost pile will take care of it in time.
