The bedding you choose for your chickens is very important and it can make you life as a chicken keeper easier. While the instinct might be to run with the cheapest and simple to tidy up choices, there is something else entirely to consider than those things alone when picking bedding. For instance, you need something that will take care of business and be wonderful for your chickens without creating any damage to their well being.
1. Straw
Straw is generally as prominent if not more so than shavings. Truth be told, it appears that straw and shavings are regularly dueling for the title of favored sheet material. While shavings are to some degree less demanding to tidy up than ruined straw, the two expense about the same in correlation. Straw additionally notices clean and goes about as an extraordinary protector when the time comes to keep chilly temperatures under control. Straw rushes to deteriorate once utilized and treated the soil and does not deliver the possibly risky dust that shavings do.
2. Wood Shavings
Shavings are a generally utilized sort of sheet material as a part of coops yet they can be somewhat of a blended sack. While shavings do make cleanup simple and give delicate quality underneath, it is conceivable that they can adversely affect the respiratory arrangement of chickens.
The littler the bits of shavings, the dustier they can be. Little sections are additionally less demanding to mix up, for example, when chickens begin scratching, and once they get to be airborne are a great deal more inclined to be breathed in.
On the off chance that you wish to utilize shavings, adhere to those with substantial pieces and stay away from cedar which has demonstrated to contain poisons that can hurt chickens.
Additionally make certain not to utilize sawdust, which can appear to be comparative in appearance to shavings.
3. Pine Straw
The upsides of pine straw are much the same as with consistent straw regarding protection and in spite of the fact that pine needles don’t deteriorate very as fast as straw.
There is additionally the likelihood of the pointy finishes of pine needles bothering the feet of chickens or being somewhat uncomfortable to make camp on in the event that they are not situated simply right.
4. Sand
Picking up in ubiquity is sand because of its simplicity of tidy up. Envision having an immense litter box that was utilized by chickens rather than felines and having the capacity to scoop it clean similarly you would a feline box.
While this is advantageous, recollect that sand can harbor hurtful pathogens that may turn into an issue for you and your chickens.
Sand may likewise prompt the nearness of silicosis and affected product if an excessive amount of is expended.
5. What Bedding Should You Choose?
Coops ought to be lined with bedding that is compelling at doing its occupation.
The price is essential, however numerous sheet material choices fall in the same value extend so picking the best one ought to outweigh everything else.
At last it might mean relinquishing your own particular comfort to discover the bedding that best works for your chickens yet doing what is best for them from the start is the thing that will be best for everybody over the long haul.
What kind of bedding do you prefer to use? Share your experiences with us in the comment section below
Shannon Stansberry has been engaged in the business of raising chickens for more than 12 years. In 2016, she accomplished the Agriculture & Natural Resources program at Mt. San Antonio College. At present, she tends to more than 80 chickens on her 4-hectare farm. Shannon regularly shares her insights and experience on how to raise healthy and contented chickens on the platform Typesofchickens.com
I use cut grass starting in the spring. It cleans up well.
Living in a rural area in high desert, doesn’t always allow me a choice. True straw is very hard to find. Clean straw even harder. 1 bale of straw once cost me a $140 vet bill, to treat a dog with an abscess caused by weed stickers in straw. I try to find nice meadow grass hay for hen house bedding and dog houses. It usually smells the best, for the longest, but also hard to find locally. What I usually wind up using, is alfalfa/grass mix hay for the floor, and shavings in the nests. I also top dress the floor with shavings to freshen things up as needed.