Bedding Materials for the Chickens by Virginia Shirt

When considering bedding materials for your chickens it is important to consider cost but there are other factors to consider.

Virginia Shirt is the author of The Right Way to Keep Chickens available from Amazon and all good bookstores. She has lived with chickens for over 15 years so her knowledge is based on practical experience.

The book provides a comprehensive guide to keeping chickens and is an easy read from an obvious enthusiast.

Bedding Materials for the Chickens

When considering bedding materials for your chickens it is important to consider cost of course. But not only is the price important we need to consider the labour involved in managing the materials. Also we need to use material that we are able to dispose of in the correct manner. In this article we are going to look at the common bedding materials used.

Shavings

I have always preferred to bed the chickens on shavings however this is proving to be rather expensive. Shavings have gone up considerably in price during recent months. They are also becoming difficult to obtain. This is said to be due to the decline in the building industry. If you are able to afford and locate the shavings they are very absorbent and pleasing to the eye. After laying fresh shavings the chickens will often enjoy a good old dust bath and the whole chicken house will smell clean and fresh. Also when cleaning out the chicken house you simply need to turn the shavings with a fork exposing the dry bottom layer. You can then leave a full clean out till the next time. This will enable you to get the most out of the shavings.

When rearing young chicks it is advisable not to use shavings. Young chicks may peck at the small shavings mistaking it for crumbs of food. This could make the young stock very poorly.

Shavings are ideal if you prefer to keep the chickens on a deep litter system. This system reduces the cleaning out time and is easily managed. Remove the soiled shavings daily and top up with fresh bedding. Keep topping up daily and do a big clean out monthly and even six monthly to suit yourself. This system provides a lot of warmth in the chicken house so ideal in the colder weather. If your chicken house floor is wooden be careful with deep litter as it could rot your floor. If you are lucky enough to live near a wood yard it may be a good idea to ask if they can supply you with some shavings at low cost.

Wood Chips

As with shavings wood chips are increasing in price and often difficult to locate. Some stockists have even sold them on a ration basis in order to keep everyone supplied. Wood chips are less absorbent and seem to soil a lot more rapidly. However on a good note they are safer for the young stock as they are less like chick crumbs.

Shredded Paper

If you are lucky enough to have access to a lot of paper then this could be an ideal bedding material for your chickens. It is very economical and a good way to recycle. You could also ask friends and neighbours for their spare paper. You would simply need to get hold of a paper shredder; this would soon pay for itself with the money you will save on bedding materials. Paper is a good insulator and again will make a good winter choice. When raising young chicks paper is ideal as it will keep the chicks warm and is cheap enough to keep clean with regular changes.

Paper can be difficult to handle and also soils very quickly. Once wet it can become very solid and heavy. But if you are recycling then it is worth the extra work involved when using it. You can dispose of it by burning in a heap, once burnt the remains will contain potash and can be dug into the garden. Along with the wonderful chicken muck this will really help your garden.

Hay

I would not recommend the use of hay as it can encourage fleas and mites. Hay also has very poor drainage qualities and can become wet and heavy to handle.

Straw

Straw is cheap and easy to obtain and looks very nice when freshly laid down. It is warm and makes good scratching material for the chickens. They particularly like straw as they enjoy foraging for the grains of barley, oats or wheat depending on the straw you purchase. Wheat straw has the better draining qualities of the different varieties available.

When the straw gets a little soiled you can throw corn rations into it. The chickens will then scratch around in the straw and this will turn it over thus freshening it up for another day.

Straw can be rotted down for the garden or spread on the fields. You could also sell some at the garden gate. Not many people realise that chicken waste is absolutely brilliant for the garden. It is really better than horse manure which gardeners are often crying out for this time of year!

Whatever bedding you choose to use make sure you shop around for the best price. Pet shops sell many of the products but can be expensive, or if you choose straw your local farmer will probably provide it at the most competitive rates. Keep the bedding clean and as dry as possible, happy comfortable chickens will give you more eggs.

Articles by Virginia Shirt on Keeping Chickens at Home