Alternative Chicken Bedding?

[Aquatic_blue]

For a while we were using rice hulls and they seemed to work great, but I ended up changing out all of the bedding in their coop so that I could power wash it all down since the weather has gotten a lot warmer. For the lighter coop cleans, I seemed to be fine. At first, it was okay, but then I ended up with itchy hives on my arms, back, neck, and chest. My face was red and a little swollen, and I kept getting super fatigued on and off for a few days after that. I can't do the rice hulls anymore. Any awesome bedding ideas out there?

I've heard cedar and pine weren't good for chickens around here before and my husband doesn't do too well with them so we're avoiding those, too.

 

[Skyle]

I used hemp bedding for a period last year (I used it for my hamster, bought 150liter bags, when he passed I reused it for the hens). It's great because isn't dusty and adsorbs very well.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I've heard cedar and pine weren't good for chickens around here before and my husband doesn't do too well with them so we're avoiding those, too.

Pine Shavings are fine for chickens. Cedar not. Chickens lungs are tiny and can be irritated from the cedar shavings fumes.
I've use pine shavings exclusively for about 4 years in coop and nests.
I've used wheat straw in my coops years ago. It's cheap and non-dusty, and I would use again.
Hay is another option, but can be dusty. I've never used for bedding.
I've also used Alfalfa hay bale on floor and nests, it's very dusty and not easy to clean if it gets wet. I do buy a bale late fall to feed to chickens as a source of greens during winter.
These are options here in the Northeast. There are probably other options in the Southwest. GC

 

[Thunder344]

I use wood chips for the main part, and then a mix of straw and pine shavings for the nesting boxes.
Once the chickens break down they can start dust bathing in it and then i move it into the compost. I get it for free, though it might be a bit costly.

 

[3KillerBs]

Except in highly unusual circumstances there should be no need to wet clean a chicken coop.

Dry chickens are healthy chickens.

Pine shavings are fine. People have been using them for decades -- including commercially. Those who claim pine is toxic usually have a vested interest in selling you something else for a lot more money.

Straw is also an option, people have been using that for animal bedding for as long as people have raised both grain and livestock.

 

[springvalley123]

I used the shrink-wrapped straw bales in the feed section at TSC and at a local feed store. The birds love to pick through it! I use it as an "enrichment activity" and in the nest boxes on top of best cob, a corn cob horse bedding. You can get that at TSC also, and probably at any feed store in the horse section. The corn cob doesn't have a smell, it's in pellets, I don't find that the birds eat it. It absorbs moisture quite well also.

 

[Aquatic_blue]

I used hemp bedding for a period last year (I used it for my hamster, bought 150liter bags, when he passed I reused it for the hens). It's great because isn't dusty and adsorbs very well.

Never heard of hemp bedding. I will look into that and see if we can get some here. Everyone here could probably tolerate that Thanks!

 

[Aquatic_blue]

Pine Shavings are fine for chickens. Cedar not. Chickens lungs are tiny and can be irritated from the cedar shavings fumes.
I've use pine shavings exclusively for about 4 years in coop and nests.
I've used wheat straw in my coops years ago. It's cheap and non-dusty, and I would use again.
Hay is another option, but can be dusty. I've never used for bedding.
I've also used Alfalfa hay bale on floor and nests, it's very dusty and not easy to clean if it gets wet. I do buy a bale late fall to feed to chickens as a source of greens during winter.
These are options here in the Northeast. There are probably other options in the Southwest. GC

Glad to know about pine, but probably wouldn't be able to use it. Husband has allergies every time our huge pine tree sets off yellow clouds of pollen each spring. Otherwise, I think we'd get pine shavings since they are pretty good at odor control, too.

I have heard of wheat straw, but often times I hear people complain about vulnerability to mites when there is straw. Is this a true or false thing?

 

[Aquatic_blue]

Except in highly unusual circumstances there should be no need to wet clean a chicken coop.

Dry chickens are healthy chickens.

Pine shavings are fine. People have been using them for decades -- including commercially. Those who claim pine is toxic usually have a vested interest in selling you something else for a lot more money.

Straw is also an option, people have been using that for animal bedding for as long as people have raised both grain and livestock.

Trust me, the coop got gross. We had parts on the sides that poop was just sticking and not coming off with our old broom we use for only the coop. It totally needed the rinse. It was also a warm day with plenty of wind so I knew it would dry quickly and it did. Not to mention our humidity here is like 0% most of the time so no worries there lol.

Our chickens love to dip their feet when we water the pine tree and have never had any problems because they dry so quickly

I so wish we could use the pine husband can't stand pine.

Considering straw if we can find some good stuff around.

 

[Aquatic_blue]

I used the shrink-wrapped straw bales in the feed section at TSC and at a local feed store. The birds love to pick through it! I use it as an "enrichment activity" and in the nest boxes on top of best cob, a corn cob horse bedding. You can get that at TSC also, and probably at any feed store in the horse section. The corn cob doesn't have a smell, it's in pellets, I don't find that the birds eat it. It absorbs moisture quite well also.

I'll try TSC then since we have one and see if they have straw. I've never seen it, but then again, I've never looked for it, either

The chickens loved the rice hulls. They would kick it out of the coop picking through it lol. We'd call it their "chicken party" every time we would change out the bedding or add some more because they acted like it was the greatest thing ever to pick through it. Sad I won't be able to use it anymore

We did actually look one time for corn cob horse bedding here. It says at TSC it's online, but they do not carry it at our store here. I'm sure they could probably order it for us, but I don't know if I want to bother with that. Our other ranch store didn't have it, either. That's the day we got the rice hulls instead and loved it. Otherwise I'd love to try the corn cob bedding.