Best Chicken Litter/Bedding for coop house?

[EIEIO Funny Farm]

I currently have pine shavings on the floor of my coop house. They go everywhere outside of the house and get soggy on the ground. I’ve seen all mixed recommendations for what the best litter/bedding is (sand, wood chips, straw, etc.) Which is the best?

I don't care for the shavings, I prefer the pine pellets - I like how they break down. I use the pellets in the coop and wood chips (pine nuggets) in the run.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Hemp...did I say hemp? Sticker shock at first but once you see how long it lasts and stands up to all types of weather. I do add pine shavings but after months the hemp is still there.

 

[SloughiGirl]

I use sand in the coop…easy to keep clean, dries out the poop…little if any smell.

 

[TaraFromSacramento]

I love the pelleted horse bedding. After you spread it you mist it with water & it expands to twice its size & becomes this fluffy absorbent layer. It’s like $6.00 for 40 lbs. Easy to kitty litter scoop out poo or to rake thru. Totally biodegradable.

How interesting. I'd like to try this method. I use pine shavings and a variety of dried herbs from my yard. One thing I don't like about the pine shavings is the dust.

 

[The head hen]

Hemp bedding 100%

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Hemp bedding 100%

Where do you get the hemp? Does it clump?

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Poop Boards is a GAME CHANGER! After 20years at this I installed them last week and it's embarrassing how happy I am!! No more poop on the floor, my floor is painted wood with a tile walkway to nest boxes for easy sweeping out any poo that happens which is so minimal. No more smell! With a kitty litter rake, I just sift poo of sand and into a bucket every morning, takes 4 minutes. WHY didn't I do this sooner. If you can, do poop boards with sand.

Dear Santa: …….

 

[The head hen]

Where do you get the hemp? Does it clump?

Hemp doesn't clump much, just absorbs and may even break down the chicken poop. I get is locally at a chicken store, but also buy it from Carolina Coops. Even with shipping it is cheaper that the local store.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Hemp doesn't clump much, just absorbs and may even break down the chicken poop. I get is locally at a chicken store, but also buy it from Carolina Coops. Even with shipping it is cheaper that the local store.

I clean the coop weekly. Our 6 chickens use the coop only to lay eggs & roost for the night. I currently use wood shavings (white bag at TSC) about 2” deep, which I can’t tell if they are soiled or not, so I am going through a lot of shavings in a 10x4 coop plus 2 big nesting boxes. I’d like to use something more practical and doesn’t make me sneeze…

 

[rosemarythyme]

I clean the coop weekly. Our 6 chickens use the coop only to lay eggs & roost for the night. I currently use wood shavings (white bag at TSC) about 2” deep, which I can’t tell if they are soiled or not, so I am going through a lot of shavings in a 10x4 coop plus 2 big nesting boxes. I’d like to use something more practical and doesn’t make me sneeze…

Hemp is more expensive than shavings, however it sifts more easily as well. I use a cat litter scoop taped to a broomstick to sift poops out of the hemp. I do a full clean out once a year, otherwise I just add hemp as needed under the roost and sift daily to keep it clean.