[Tattyanne456]

Please can anyone clarify for me, because I've heard and read lots of conflicting advice on wether I should use straw or hay as nesting material. I use wood shavings on the floor of the box, and I have been using hay as bedding, but my chooks have picked up lice, which I am treating with Diatoms.  Or does it not really matter? 

[raeburg]

use straw not hay as they may eat hay and get an impacted crop.

[joyfull]

Agree with raeburg straw for certain.

[GrannieAnnie]

Shavings!  As straw is hollow, if it gets damp, mould spores can grow and give the chooks respiratory diseases.  We only use shavings everywhere now.

[Brambles]

Deffo dust extracted shavings... Not tried straw for years, but found that my bantams got it tangled round their legs...  the shavings always smells clean (if you take out droppings daily)...  and keep the house etc.. regularly dusted for mites...

[raeburg]

i don't use anything other than horse bedding called Jopack, the silkies don't like straw and the ex-bats just used to chuck it out into the run!

[Sparr0wman]

Straw - i tried using wood shavings and found it everywhere , in there water, there food, run my shoes , chickens eyes i now put paper under there perch each night. easy to clean and very tidy now.
Oh, it looks like there is lots more conflicting advise for you 

[joyfull]

The straw I use is barley straw which is chopped so no leg tangles there - although after having reading other peoples comments re feather legged bantams I may have to change my opinion when my little ones get their boots 

[Sassy]

Defo not use hay as contain spores that are not good for their respiratory tract

[Catsmuvva]

Glad I checked this one out, friends have just offered me hay from their barn and sawdust from when they do their wood cutting. Up til now I've used dust-extracted shavings on the floor and in the base of the nest boxes which I've then topped up with straw which mine seem to like.