Bedding

Pine shavings. There is a man a few miles down the road that has a mill.JA

 

We use hay but we also have to change it often. However they do like laying eggs in it (nesting box w/hay).

 

I got mine from Tractor Supply.

 

Hay as well, we shred a portion of the property then use it for that plus other uses.

 

Straw, it's cheap & easy to get and it works. My indoor area is very basic. An elevated floor inside a bigger shed with straw. A hole in the side with a chicken ladder to the ground. No nest boxes, no perches. I put an igloo type doghouse in there as a temporary nest box until I could build some, but they didn't use it. They just went in the corner behind the igloo, fixed the straw to their liking & left the eggs. They go to the opposite corner which is closest to the door and line up along the wall to sleep. With no perch, they sit on their feet which keeps them warm. It worked so well I never saw any reason to change it. On extremely cold nights they will go into the igloo to sleep. On really hot nights they will roost outside on an old table or on the chicken ladder, unless we don't lock them in, then they may be out of the pen near the garden. One thing I noticed, without an elevated perch or box to roost on & no food or water inside the straw stays very clean. We occasionally add a few shakes & maybe once a year push it outside & put down fresh. About as simple & low maintenance as it gets.

 

Edited to delete

 

I just use straw from TSC until I find a local seller. I compost my bedding. I use 1 full bale everytime I clean the coop out.

 

our bedding

We use shredded corn cobs. We buy the Becks brand at TSC. It's $3 something for a big bag. I was told it was good to use because if they eat any of it they won't get constipated like they can with shavings and it's cleaner than straw. We really like it and I don't have to change it too often.

 

i use wood shavings my birds love it. ive tried hay but they dont like that. also ive heard hay promotes fleas and bugs?

 

Wood shavings used here too.

 

I use straw it decomposes faster then hay and easier to remove with a pitch fork
when cleaning the coop where shavings imo make a mess.
I never have any issues with flea's mites or any other kind of pests.

 

I use wood shavings. Great for the garden and in the cold months, it goes straight into the woodboiler giving us all heat. (coop is also heated off woodboiler besides the house)

 

I have been using "cross shredded " paper, have not had any problem with it and is free

 

I really don't think people use Hay. " Do You" ???

 

Cedar Chippings

I was wondering, We just cleaned up a bunch of Cedar trees in our forest and Chipped the branches up, would they be ok for a bedding material?
I have bunches of it and it smells so nice, but I am concerned whether it will be safe for the birds?

 

Cedar is suppose to be toxic to chickens.

 

I don't like using straw, because it gets so heavy. I like wood shavings because they wash away faster, where I shovel the poo on the property line.

 

it would seem people do.