Bedding - straw or not?

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Hi everyone,

I havent been keeping chickens very long so I am constantly reading up about things online, however this is perhaps more confusing because everyone suggests something different!

When we bought our girls we were advised to put newspaper down in the coop and straw on top - same for the nesting box, however from reading about this it seems that straw is not advisable due to its spores and the fact that its a breeding haven for mites (among other things). I still line the coop with newspaper but have since bought some Hemp-E bedding which is great but what else can I put in there? The girls sleep in the nesting box and seem to like the fact that the straw was packed high - I think it adds extra warmth? What can I replace the straw with? I know some people use shredded newspaper but again i have read that it can impact crops if eaten and so id like to avoid using that just in case.

What does everyone else use in their coops?

Also, our run is now quite muddy (it is fully covered but I guess when its damp the rain must spatter in from the sides - that and the fact that we frequently hose it down to clear away any poop) - I have seen woodchip for poultry runs on Flyte so Fancy and wondered if anyone had used this or if not, can recommend something else? I read earlier that sand is quite good?

Thanks in advance for any replies! :-)17
 
Hi, I only put sheets of newspaper on the coop floor. The birds roost on a perch above the paper overnight and in the morning I just roll it up complete with poo and put it on the compost heap. I, personally would try and stop your hens sleeping in the nestbox. The run which is 8' square has a 4-6" layer of woodchip on the floor. Would not use bark chippings due to the spores. I have made clip-on pvc panels for the sides to keep out driving rain and snow. Attach pic. Hope this is helpful. ;)
 

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Hi Bantiekeeper :-)99 , your clip on panels look like a really good idea, we need to make a couple of detachable panels like that for our run!

Hi Newchick :-)99 , we are also new to keeping chickens and have recently bought a huge bale of straw and use that in the nest boxes, we then use dust extracted wood shavings for under the perch. The whole lot gets poop scooped each morning and then a complete clear out every weekend. I'm not sure either about using straw as I have heard the same reports as you, so will be following this post to see the more experienced keepers suggestions! Our girls seem undecided about whether to perch or sleep in the nest boxes so will see how that one pans out.

We use hardwood wood chips (not bark or softwood as they rot down too quickly) and sharp sand on the floor of the run (which is bare earth otherwise). The woodchips from Flyte so Fancy are £9 odd for a 70ltr bag but I got ours from a supplier near us (Dandy's Topsoil) for £4 a 50ltr bag (and they may do discounts if you can buy a lot in one go??) One of my main worries is worms, as their run isn't designed to be movable - we dug a skirt of wire into the ground to deter diggers - and it's not that big as we planned to let them free range as much as possible - the pen was only meant for during work hours. I'm looking for suggestions on how to either protect the ground or kill off worm eggs on bare earth!!
 
Hi, we use the Hemp bed too. I usually just pull out the poop once a week and leave the hard wet stuff on the bottom over the month and pull out sections monthly(usually off the sides of the perch area) in a 'deep bedding' technique i learned when working with horses most of my life. It seems to keep a natural warmth and insulation and the coop is well ventilated through the roof. I then bank up the walls and pack down the nesting box and we have no problems with cold chooks. If it gets as bad as it did last winter i think we're going to get some perspex sheets and cut them to fit the sides of our coop run under the coop. We have a Flyte coop(http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Cottage_Hen_House_2.html) and we have an open run area out at the end of our garden. Even in the snow last year the chooks went out into the snow with no problems or worries. They enjoyed a good dig in it actually!
 
Hi,
We use dust extracted shavings in our houses, with a mixture of chopped straw with eucalyptus oil, mixed with shavings for the nest boxes. The thing with straw is, it mustn't get damp or wet, or badly soiled, so has to be cleaned out weekly, and ensure the houses don't leak when it rains. Or the dampness will cause spores to grow on the straw. Baled long straw, isn't good as it harbours fleas, mites and lice. But the finer chopped straw is very absorbent and not dusty. Shavings are good, and reletively cheap to use. We have also tried the rape bedding, but found it a bit sharp under-foot. And it needed activating like the hemp bedding. You have to spray it with water to activate it. We don't bother with newspaper but i know someone who keeps their horse on it due to the horse having an allergy to dust found in straw and shavings, it's very messy, blows all round the yard, and gets very heavy when wet.
We gave up trying to discourage our birds from sleeping in the nest boxes, as we don't allow them to perch, being a heavy breed, perching causes problems such as bumble foot and sprains when they jump down, and more seriously causes twisted keel bones in heavy breeds if they're allowed to perch from youngsters. All we do is clean them more often, but find that as the hens mature, they don't poo in the nest boxes anyway. As for the cockerels, they don't have nest boxes in their winter housing. And are kept on the same mixture of shavings and chopped straw.
As for the paddocks, we brush them once a month to keep stones down to a minimum, it's just soil now as all the grass went! It does get slippy in winter, and we have tried a few ideas to help, along with straw, and the big cheap shavings, (bedmax) Both worked quite well, but the shavings, although slightly more expensive, were easier to clen up after winter, the straw got very heavy and wet, and mouldy, so won't be using it again. I'd be wary of using wood chips, no matter where they came from, as spores and fungus grows on wet wood, although if kept dry should be ok and the chickens will love scratching through them, sand is ok if you buy the childrens play sand, not the builders sand as it's got anti-fungi treatments and colouring added to it and it may be harmful to the birds. Be careful with wood chips too, alot of cheap ones are made from cocoa husk, which is terribly toxic to dogs and birds.
Killing off worm eggs from bare earth, turn the soil over with a fork, and water in well sprinkled lime, bought from the builders, when it's dry, turn the soil again, leave for 2 weeks, then the birds can go back on it.

JubesXX
 
Hi Steph, :-)99 that henhouse is very cute! Our coop and run are probably a similar size to that and to the run pictured on the link, although our run isn't as tall and has a hinged roof. An oversight now in some ways as one of the girls, Mehefin, hops out the minute the roof is lifted (not good at 8.10am when you have to leave for work at 8.15am - as this morning!!) If we were redoing it I'd make it big enough to have a door to walk in, or stoop in at least!

We are in the process of securing the veg plot for them although that is more in terms of keeping them in rather than predators out so not sure I'd be confident to leave them in there all day when no-one is around, especially with the short days!?

The coop we bought has a slide out droppings tray but it's not much good really as when it's covered in wood shavings it just all pushes off and onto the house floor!

Think I need to pack up their house with bedding a bit more, they tend to favour sleeping in the nest boxes which are lined with cardboard, shavings and straw and I think it's because it is warmer than the perch...I need to check for draughts around the perch area! I like the sound of the eucalyptus in the hemp bedding and think I'll try adding some to the shavings I use currently. Does anyone know if Olbas Oil is suitable or is it too strong?

Hi to Jubes too :-)99 The straw we use is the long stuff so when that's gone I won't bother again and will just make sure I clean it all out very regularly in the meantime! Also, not sure I trust the woodchips now either! It's a mine field...knowing what's best to do/not to do!! :-)07

We were really proud yesterday when we managed to catch and turn them all to dust with mite powder!
 
Olbas oil is fine, but just a few drops go along way! Don't over do it or you'll blow their little nostrils off!! :lol:
Maybe add them right in the corners an hour before they go in to be safe, we add them in the summer and winter, but don't get it on the actual bird, just in the bedding away from where they sleep. ;)

JubesXX
 
jubilee said:
Olbas oil is fine, but just a few drops go along way! Don't over do it or you'll blow their little nostrils off!! :lol:
Maybe add them right in the corners an hour before they go in to be safe, we add them in the summer and winter, but don't get it on the actual bird, just in the bedding away from where they sleep. ;)

JubesXX
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks for the advice again Jubes!
 
Hi everyone,

Thanks for the responses! Like Cuwiar, our coop wasnt built with a mobility factor and with the girls now down to bare earth in the run, Im conscious of worms. I guess we could try some sand, which would be good for dust baths too im guessing? The soil isnt dry enough to be dusty so they're not really having proper dust baths - they're just rolling around on the slick mud, the poor things! We could put some wood chips over the top - the ones sold on Flyte so Fancy apparently allow the rain to wash right through and only needs changing once or twice a year. http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Hardwood_Woodchip_for_Runs.html

Cuwiar - you can also get some Hempbed-E bedding on Flyte too which has Eucalyptus mixed in already. I use it and its great. It is very absorbant and the Eucalyptus is meant to be a deterrent for mites too. It also smell nice and fresh! http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Poultry_Bedding_Woodchip.html

I have been told about Auboise too, but as I havent used it im not sure of the difference or which i prefer. When we run out of the hempbed I might try it.

Very cute house Bertie, I love it!!
 
We're lucky that the coop we have is on legs so the area underneath is staying nice and dry and dusty, we built the whole lot against a hedge so the wind and rain can't get in from that direction at least! I've been adding DE powder to the dusty area so they get a bit of a dust of that as an additional. (It's raining here now and I'm dying to dash off home to make sure their in a dry spot and not just standing out in it!)

Using sand is really good for drainage! We tried putting sand in a cat litter tray for dusting but once the sand got wet it stayed too heavy and they didn't use it!

I love the stuff they have on FoF but as there is a Farm and Pet Place just down the road from us I have been going there rather than paying for delivery. When I next go I'll have a look at the other types of bedding I could try but think I'll still add Olbas Oil in myself.

Can anyone advise a bit more on the worms situation? My girls haven't yet been wormed, I was going to do it this week but then as one has been so poorly I wanted her to get better before doing them all at the same time. Assuming I get them completely worm free and clear/clean their run in theory could they stay worm free forever? i.e. If they don't have worms and there are non (and worm eggs) in the environment how would they get re-infested? I'm typing this and kind of answering it for myself...thinking wiold birds could introduce an infected host (beetles/earthworms)??
 
cuwiar said:
We're lucky that the coop we have is on legs so the area underneath is staying nice and dry and dusty, we built the whole lot against a hedge so the wind and rain can't get in from that direction at least! I've been adding DE powder to the dusty area so they get a bit of a dust of that as an additional. (It's raining here now and I'm dying to dash off home to make sure their in a dry spot and not just standing out in it!)

Using sand is really good for drainage! We tried putting sand in a cat litter tray for dusting but once the sand got wet it stayed too heavy and they didn't use it!

I love the stuff they have on FoF but as there is a Farm and Pet Place just down the road from us I have been going there rather than paying for delivery. When I next go I'll have a look at the other types of bedding I could try but think I'll still add Olbas Oil in myself.

Can anyone advise a bit more on the worms situation? My girls haven't yet been wormed, I was going to do it this week but then as one has been so poorly I wanted her to get better before doing them all at the same time. Assuming I get them completely worm free and clear/clean their run in theory could they stay worm free forever? i.e. If they don't have worms and there are non (and worm eggs) in the environment how would they get re-infested? I'm typing this and kind of answering it for myself...thinking wiold birds could introduce an infected host (beetles/earthworms)??
Click to expand...

have a search on the forums there is a recent thread on worms. if you can't find it let me know i can have a look through my previous posts on my profile i'm just in the middle of something at the moment. x
 
Ah, thanks Steph...found it (I think)

http://poultrykeeperforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5141&p=26744&hilit=worms#p26744

That's really useful. So, really I'll never be able to keep them completely worm free. I'm going to worm them when they have finished the coxi+ treatment they are on, treat the ground and stick with the 'every 4 months' plan, with a herbal remedy in between. I plan to let them have the range of the veg plot as a minimum every weekend/evenings when poss. so they are pretty likely to be exposed to worm eggs etc regularly.

Thanks again!
 
Haha dont worry, I've sort of been taking notes on your worm topic too!
 
Hi all,
Been reading with great interest everyone's view on bedding. I have started using chopped hemp - Hemcore I think, and it seems good, absorbent and relatively smell free.
Noticed that several of you favour oils in it, do you think citronella would work as a fly and mite deterrent, most insects hate it? shame if the girls do, but tough, think I will try it.!!.
 
valeriebutterley said:
Hi all,
Been reading with great interest everyone's view on bedding. I have started using chopped hemp - Hemcore I think, and it seems good, absorbent and relatively smell free.
Noticed that several of you favour oils in it, do you think citronella would work as a fly and mite deterrent, most insects hate it? shame if the girls do, but tough, think I will try it.!!.
Click to expand...


I personally wouldn't worry about flies and such as it's extra protein for the birds if they are nesting or broody! The mites are really the only concern but citronella wouldn't phase them and you can't get proper citronella, only essence as it's highly toxic to most animals. Hope this helps. I'm also not 100% on how much eucalyptus oil really works on red mite, but the timber, leaves and bark of the tree seem to keep the mites away on my property as we have a very large tree over our chooks. Jubes has posted that she still has mite problems even with her eucalyptus oil in place.
 
I have a greenhouse with all glass removed and replaced with mesh, except for the roof, which is glass and tarpaulin. I use Aubiose in the run floor, its about 8 quid a bale, and seems to last me a while. I do a big clean out of the run floor every 8 weeks. And it never smells because the Aubiose absorbs all the liquid. I suppose its a bit like.a deep litter system. I use biodri too. I line the nest box and poo tray with paper and Aubiose too.
 
Slugs and snails carry really bad worms and shouldn't be fed to chickens.

Wild birds have worm eggs in their poo which the hens can eat on the grass.

We use wood shavings as bedding or crushed aubiose where its windy. Hay in the nest boxes, but are aware that if it is damp it will cause respiratory problems and it also harbours mites and lice.
 
chrismahon said:
Slugs and snails carry really bad worms and shouldn't be fed to chickens.

Wild birds have worm eggs in their poo which the hens can eat on the grass.

We use wood shavings as bedding or crushed aubiose where its windy. Hay in the nest boxes, but are aware that if it is damp it will cause respiratory problems and it also harbours mites and lice.
Click to expand...

lungworm(aka gapeworm) is carried by slugs and snails and it can be passed on to your cats and dogs as well as your chickens.
which is a major risk, most of the worms in wildbirds are intestinal worms and in small numbers can be fought off by the chooks natural digestion. which is why it's good to worm a couple times a year to keep the numbers down.
 
I've tried most types of bedding over the years and found straw to be the worst solution as it is not that absorbent. So it's shavings for me, on the floor and in the nest boxes. I've never found anything that will cure a muddy pen as antything you put in just gets pulled down into the mud. Paving slabs is the best thing I've tried. Have wondered about the mashed up rubber tyres though. Anyone found them successful ?
 
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