Using Shredded Paper for Coop Litter - As Good As Wood Chips?

[gtaus]

Initial Review of Menards Power Cutter

Well, I did buy one of those power cutters that are currently on sale at Menards through 11/17/2024...

I charged it up and tested it out in comparison to my previous power cutter that I bought from Harbor Freight ($40.00). It's almost the exact same power cutter. Both are 4 volts, the blades are the same size, the $10.00 Menards power cutter works the same as my HF model.

I will end up keeping this Menards power cutter out in my garage. The new power cutter from Menards comes with a newer USB-C electric plug for charging, so I will now have a USB-C charger for my cell phone and newer devices out in the garage as well.

I use my power cutter(s) primarily for cutting up cardboard boxes that I shred up to make coop litter. But they are great for other things. Here is the features list...

Features

• Cut through paper, plastic, cardboard, leather, canvas, carpet, wallpaper, wire netting, flower stems and more
• Cuts a variety of materials up to 1/4" thick
• Self sharpening blade
• Comfortable soft grip handle

My old hands used to cramp up when I cut cardboard with my manual heavy-duty scissors. So, I needed a better option if I wanted to process my cardboard boxes at home instead of hauling them off to the recycle center. It's just so nice for me to process all our shipping boxes, cutting them into strips, shredding them in my paper shredder and using the shreds as coop litter. All that cardboard is now 100% recycled at home, used as coop litter, and then turned into compost for my gardens!

 

[RennaeHanson]

I occasionally use paper shred along with my wood chips but have not tried using cardboard. I have found my hens will sometimes eat the paper shreds, has anyone else had that issue?

 

[Sally PB]

I tried shredded paper in the nest box. One hen in particular ate a LOT of it, so I discontinued.

 

[gtaus]

I occasionally use paper shred along with my wood chips but have not tried using cardboard. I have found my hens will sometimes eat the paper shreds, has anyone else had that issue?

I only have 8 or 10 sheet paper shredders. None of them are a heavy-duty shredder at all. But if I cut the cardboard into about 2-inch strips, they can feed down the center "credit card" area without a problem. That's why I use the power cutter mentioned in a previous post. Makes cutting card very easy.

I have never seen any of my chickens eat shredded paper. But I have food and water available 24/7 in the coop, so they can eat real food whenever they want. I think maybe some chickens might eat a paper shred if it was new to them because they might be curious. Unless they are starving for food, I cannot imagine them eating paper shreds. Well, my chickens know the paper shreds are coop litter and don't eat them.

 

[gtaus]

I tried shredded paper in the nest box. One hen in particular ate a LOT of it, so I discontinued.

Well, thanks for the feedback. All I can say is that I have never seen any of my chickens eat shredded paper. Also, I don't use shredded paper in the nest boxes, I used pine shavings and now shredded cardboard in the nest boxes.

I guess I should also mention that since I have so much shredded paper in the coop, that I would probably never know if any chickens were eating paper shreds. Again, the best I can say is that I have never seen any of my chickens eating paper shreds.

 

[RennaeHanson]

I tried shredded paper in the nest box. One hen in particular ate a LOT of it, so I discontinued.

I only have 8 or 10 sheet paper shredders. None of them are a heavy-duty shredder at all. But if I cut the cardboard into about 2-inch strips, they can feed down the center "credit card" area without a problem. That's why I use the power cutter mentioned in a previous post. Makes cutting card very easy.

I have never seen any of my chickens eat shredded paper. But I have food and water available 24/7 in the coop, so they can eat real food whenever they want. I think maybe some chickens might eat a paper shred if it was new to them because they might be curious. Unless they are starving for food, I cannot imagine them eating paper shreds. Well, my chickens know the paper shreds are coop litter and don't eat them.

My chickens get food and water 24/7 as well, plus they get goodies, my chickens are not "starving".

 

[paintedChix]

I've never seen any of mine eat them either.

I have brooded on shred -





Juveniles in 8x8 tractor turned stionary coop



8x10 breeding pens when rain deluge expected - food scraps in w/ shred -




& layered in 3x14' raised beds (not finished, will do some this spring before planting). Feed often dumped into litter - the RIR juveniles were finished in larger tractors, then freezer. No sign of shred impaction -




Edit - i need to dig in one of those beds now to see what it looks like...

 

[fat brown hen]

I sometimes see hens chowing down on paper shreds. So far, no one in my flock has died from it. I assume shredded paper is a good source of insoluble fiber and continue to use it.

 

[RennaeHanson]

I sometimes see hens chowing down on paper shreds. So far, no one in my flock has died from it. I assume shredded paper is a good source of insoluble fiber and continue to use it.

Fat Brown Hen, I love your name. LOL

 

[BDutch]

I occasionally use paper shred along with my wood chips but have not tried using cardboard. I have found my hens will sometimes eat the paper shreds, has anyone else had that issue?

My chickens used to eat from the cardboard I put on the poop tray for easy cleaning. But they stopped doing so. I don’t know why. Maybe because the chicken feed changed?

I don’t shred the cardboard, but cut it in the right size to fit on the poop tray.