what bedding to use?

[madmum]

The new coop MIL has ordered for my bantams has one of those pull out poop trays,i use straw in my big coop cos i use it for the ducks ,rabbits ,guinea pigs etc,but want to use something less bulky for the poop tray area in the new coop so it doesnt ge bunged up .What do peeps who have these use,I can get bedmax auboise.............?

[Steve the Gas]

Dust extracted saw shavings??

Big bales are fairly cheap.

Sharp sand might be worth a go??

[madmum]

Ohhhh yeah i had forgotten them,chooks dont eat them then?

[Steve the Gas]

Not once they've tried 'em.

[lozzz31]

We've got a pull out poop tray too. If it's the same as yours it's only under the bit where the chooks roost and so they're never really in there during the day time. I find that in the morning, when there are three piles of poop on it, you can't pull it out without making a yucky mess!
I tried sawdust on it initially but that was a right mess and, as the chooks are never really standing on it, only pooping on it from above, I decided to try using just sheets of newspaper. Two sheets of our local freebie paper does the trick and works a treat as it makes it really easy to clean in the morning before work. I just gather up the newspaper with the poop in the middle and pop the whole lot straight into the compost.
We've never pulled out the pull out poop tray since!

[Grannyof4]

I use dust extracted wood shavings...the sort you use for horses. A big bale is around £8 and lasts for ages.

[madmum]

Why didn't i think about newspaper free , if they don't mind reading mums daily snail

[lozzz31]

ha ha - just make sure there are no coque au vin recipes or special offers on chicken legs available on the bit that's face up! It might get them worried . . .

[Spreckly]

My girls roost on a shelf, which I cover with about four thicknesses of newspaper, supplied by my neighbour.