Nest Box and Coop Material

T_Steadman · Post by **T_Steadman** » 07 Sep 2007, 14:07

Reading the 'Autumnal Habits' thread and the cleaning posts got me wondering......

At the moment, we are using only straw (or hay. The one you are allowed). We tried lining with newspaper, but that got ripped up in seconds and flew around the garden.
I have been on Freecycle and have been offered some shredded paper and we have found a supplier who sells big bags/bales of untreated wood shavings. I was thinking of using a mixture of all 3 in the nest boxes, with the straw and shavings on the floor of the coop. In the hope that their 'mess' sticks to the shavings, making it easier for daily clearing.

What materials do you all use for the coop and nest boxes?

Post by **Richard** » 07 Sep 2007, 14:31

Shavings are the best or so I've found in our environment.

In a situation of 'no cash', I have used shredded paper, but they kept eating it, probably thought it was white cabbage!! Although it is wood at the end of the day, I stopped that one!

I put old bread baskets under the perches, line them with newspaper then put about 1 - 2" deep of shavings.
Luckily, although I have 8 of these, they all sleep over only two of them!
I then just take the whole basket out, turn it upside down into the compost heap.

Although I love being with my chickens, the least amount of work, the better!

melons · Post by **melons** » 07 Sep 2007, 14:36

hiya,

I've tried the lot, hay, straw, shredded paper, shavings, you name it it's been in there, at the moment, they've got the whole bedroom lined with a huge plastic sheet, then newspaper on top of that, then shavings, their nests have shavings & a token gesture of straw, as it looks comfy, that's for my benefit :-D

Next I'm going to try this hemcore stuff that gets rave reviews, very absorbant, smells nice & a sack lasts for ever.
Their run under cover has straw spread around, outside bit has bark chippings to dig about in.

I've read that shredded paper isn't as attractive to red mite either, I've tried it, but it gets really wet quickly, one guy uses the copier paper box from work for a nest, uses shredded paper in it, then when it's no longer at it's best, bins the lot, genius :-D

mel

Speckledhen · Post by **Speckledhen** » 07 Sep 2007, 14:41

Hi,

I have been using shredded paper (which mine haven't eaten - yet). I just bring home any waste paper from my office and shred it. I also put down sheets of newspaper on the floor of the house, then the shredded paper over that.

Is okay to use the same thing in their nestboxes? And when should I start filling the nestboxes (they are empty at present to discourage my girls from sleeping in there - they won't reach Point-of-Lay until end of this month)?

Citrine · Post by **Citrine** » 07 Sep 2007, 15:18

I've got shredded paper, from work.
Mind you, the ladies seem to like throwing it around in the garden, and, when I was packaging the shreddings up from work, there was a lot of paper dust.
I'd like to try the Hemcore too, there is a suppliers near enough on the doorstep too - no excuse not to try it now!

Post by **wendy** » 07 Sep 2007, 15:58

Hiya,
I like the Richard, paper, straw and wood chippings. I have tried shredded paper but didn't like it as much as the straw for all the forementioned reasons.
What's this hemcore stuff?
Wendy

PK · Post by PK » 07 Sep 2007, 20:12

Woodshavings for me in the coop - compressed bag for Â£4.99) has a surpising amount in it once opened up and spreaad about. Bark chips/shaving in the run.

melons · Post by **melons** » 07 Sep 2007, 20:20

http://www.hemcore.co.uk/

this is the stuff, it's meant to smell of citronella & very absorbant, I'll be the guinea pig if you like, but I've got a whole sack of shavings to use first. It's horse bedding.

mel

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 07 Sep 2007, 20:45

Thanks melons
I've just emailed them to find out if there is a stockist locally to me.
I have just used the last of my litter in the coops today - big cleaning jobs!
In the big coop OH lined it with heavy duty pond liner (we had it over from the pond) and this is easy to pull out and wash.

T_Steadman · Post by **T_Steadman** » 07 Sep 2007, 20:57

Thanks Melons.

You'll have to let us know if it lives up to it's expectations Anna. There is a link on the site for stockists, I think.

I have tried putting plastic sheeting and newspaper down, for ease of cleaning, but they just scratch it up and eat the paper so I stopped as I didn't want them eating the plastic either!! Although pond liner is much thicker.

I think that I might give the wood shavings a go while you, Melons and Anna, try out the hemcore and report back to us all!!

:wink: :-D

Gwenoakes · Post by **Gwenoakes** » 07 Sep 2007, 21:56

I have had straw in for as long as I have had my ladies, which is only a few weeks. Am now trying something called Laysoft, Clare my daughter uses it for the horses stables, it smells quite nice and I reckon it will be easier to clean out than the straw as all the dropping will stick to it!

Verity · Post by **Verity** » 07 Sep 2007, 23:10

We buy straw by the bale (we've found it so much cheaper that way... ) because we've got a bun and GP too... although they also get wood shavings from time to time... I must admit they make less mess with straw! I do line the nest with straw, but as has been mentioned, they are inclined to go to bed in it if it's too comfy!

In the coop is bare earth (it was once grass!), covered with coarse wood chippings. Though I've heard good and bad about chippings, they are cheap, eco friendly and resilient!To be honest, the girls are only in the coop when we're at work- the rest of the time, they wander the garden. Never before has the garden been such a tip. If it's possible to scratch it up, poo on it, or drag in around the garden it's been done!!!

Still, a small price to pay for my lovely girls!

Post by **wendy** » 07 Sep 2007, 23:19

That would be handy Mel.
I also buy straw by the bale, soooo much cheaper. I also buy wood shaving by the bale. I still have the one left, that I bought two years ago when I got the girls. You get soooo much, it was nearly as big as me and stuffed really tight.
The pen is just earth at the moment, but if it gets wet I will add wood chippings. But I do use stalosan every week on it.
Wendy

AnnaB · Post by **AnnaB** » 08 Sep 2007, 12:26

Melons
Have phoned the local stockist this morning and the price is Â£6.80.
I will need litter very shortly and will give it a try and keep everyone posted.

Willow · Post by **Willow** » 09 Sep 2007, 19:30

I use a good layer of wood shavings with a bit of straw on top... I've not yet had any poo stuck to the floor of their coop... I just brush it all out once a week and pop it onto the compost heap.. )t'