Pine shavings vs hemp bedding

[aart]

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
- Large flake pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 10+ years.

 

[FluffAndFeather]

Have you looked into pine pellet bedding? I haven't used them yet (I plan to) but I hear the pellets are very absorbent and only need to be cleaned out once or twice a year (of course, that depends on how many birds you have and the size of the coop, etc.).

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/horse-bedding-pellets.1652397/

I have not heard that yet! I will definitely look into it!

 

[FluffAndFeather]

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
- Large flake pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 10+ years.

Interesting! Thanks

 

[FluffAndFeather]

Thanks for the reply! I just checked amazon....quite pricey compared to the TSC pine shavings. I think I'll just stick with the shavings. But I can see why hemp would be useful if you are sifting the poo, which I don't

Thank you both for your guy’s input!

 

[Blingchix6]

I converted to hemp after 6 or 7 years with TSC wood shavings. Yes, the hemp costs more……..but I don’t need to clean the coop as often because hemp controls the odor and handles the moisture much better than wood shavings. I can also use the hemp I cleaned out of the coop in my garden as compost after I let it sit a few months.

 

[FluffAndFeather]

I converted to hemp after 6 or 7 years with TSC wood shavings. Yes, the hemp costs more……..but I don’t need to clean the coop as often because hemp controls the odor and handles the moisture much better than wood shavings. I can also use the hemp I cleaned out of the coop in my garden as compost after I let it sit a few months.

Good to know!

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Hemp in back under the roosts, wood chips in the rest of the coop because they're free, and no need to fill up my coop with expensive hemp

I was thinking of adding a poop board but I don't think it will work with my roosts & door locations. This sounds like a good alternative plan but how do you keep the chickens from scratching & mixing it all together?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I was thinking of adding a poop board but I don't think it will work with my roosts & door locations. This sounds like a good alternative plan but how do you keep the chickens from scratching & mixing it all together?

If you look at the photo, there's an 8" tall board dividing the 2 sides. A little gets scratched over but it's very minimal.