Do Chickens Really Pick Their Own Chicken Bedding?
If the chickens could only talk…
Would they tell us what sort of chicken bedding they wanted?
I bet they sure would.
And because they can’t tell us only cluck.
We need to choose for them through trial and error.
So let’s have a look at some bedding for chickens, shall we…
Choosing Chicken Bedding
Since the domestication of chickens, man has been trying different sorts of bedding for their domesticated chickens.
Did they find the best bedding for chicken coop answer…
Well, the chickens aren’t telling.
So…
Let’s keep reading.
What Should I Put On The Floor Of My Chicken Coop?
Well, you need to put something…
Especially when it gets cold.
No one likes their feet to get cold in the colder months, we put thick socks on, so the chickens need something thick and cushy to keep their feet warm.
You simply add enough shavings or whatever to keep the floor nicely covered.
Well, it might stay completely covered for 20 minutes if you’re lucky.
Because once you put down that chicken coop bedding, your chickens are going to scratch at it looking for a quick meal, and all your good work at levelling your chicken bedding is gone.
Obliterated in about 10 minutes, if they get their beady little eyes on it as soon as you bring the bedding in.
Yes!
From personal experience.
There is another way though…
Let your chickens do the work for you.
Just dump in the litter and the chickens will do the rest as they scratch through it.
Can I Use Straw For Chicken Bedding?
I have used straw and is one of the best bedding for chickens I feel, and have used it frequently.
See also Chicken House 58 Waterproof Wooden Animal Hutch Review.
It really has the same advantages as that of pine shavings you know…
And as I well know, it also provides something for chickens to scratch at and pecks through with vigour…
Straw material has not that much dust and is more actually absorbent than that of pine shavings.
How Often Should You Change Chicken Bedding?
Some would say about four to six inches of dry wood shavings can easily last about six months or more before you need to change it.
There again, chickens poop wherever they are at the drop of a hat if you have not noticed…
So you need to pick up those droppings all the time, especially at the bottom of their perches where they spend most of their time at night.
Droppings become incorporated into the shavings, as the chickens stir them in while scratching away.
So about every six months, you can scoop all the old litter out of your chicken coop with a shovel and replace it with fresh chips or whatever you use.
But if the rain gets in or in different circumstances, you clean it all out.
And remember not to waste it as chicken poop make the best chicken fertiliser for your garden.
But it does need to age…
Don’t go putting it on your garden straight away as the chicken poop is potent and will burn your plants or grass.
Best Chicken Coop Bedding Delemia
Let’s have a look at some options, the pros and cons of chicken bedding:
The bedding for chicken coop woes and advantages.
These are what some people say.
It does give an insight into their experiences, but it does not mean that you should not use it in my opinion…
See also The 7 Things Your Chicken House Plans Must Provide
Straw
Straw can be hard work.
You’re going to have to replace it frequently…
It’s messy, and it’s not absorbent once it gets wet it can harbour fungi which is not healthy for your chickens.
Reddit Paper
Now, this won’t last long, the comfort level for your chickens is pretty much non-existent.
It doesn’t help with odour control, and it gets messy pretty quickly, so we don’t recommend shredded paper now
Hay
It is most likely to develop mould spores, chicken manure already has high amounts of nitrogen.
So by adding hay once it gets a little wet, your chicken coop is going to smell, so we don’t recommend using hay.
Wood Shavings
The main reason we don’t recommend it is because of the dust.
It can affect your chickens respiratory system, so we don’t recommend using wood shavings
Hemp
That’s the one we recommend, hemp is a brilliant product it won’t cause respiratory issues for your chickens like Sawdust or Wood Shavings.
It’s a natural pest repellent, so it will keep things like mites and flies away from the coop when it gets wet it dries out and is natural and chemical-free and is the one we would recommend.
Chicken bedding, the best chicken bedding…
We all want what’s best for our chickens, but which one should you choose?
That is the question.
But at least there are choices, and through trial and error, you will find the one that is the best for your chicken coop.
So don’t just try one, you know now that there are alternatives to use.
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