Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: pegasus125 on April 16, 2018, 15:05

Title: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: pegasus125 on April 16, 2018, 15:05
When i purchased my first pair of POL's i was told that sawdust was better for the chickens and for mite control?

can other people offer an opinion as to whether this is sound advice?

i realise this is down to personal perspective

cheers
Title: Re: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: grinling on April 16, 2018, 16:17
Never use hay as they will eat it and have crop issues.
I line my nest box with a copy of a newspaper then loads of straw. Straw bale is in a duvet cover as less messy.
Under the perches, they currently have newspaper, but will be changing to sawdust (suitable for horses)
Title: Re: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: Mr R Design on April 17, 2018, 06:50
Bedmax Dust Free Pine Shavings (horse stuff) in the nest boxes. 20kg for less than a tenner.

Just newspaper under the perches which I change every 7 to 10 days. The perch area is about 2ft x 2ft.

Straw or hay from a horsey place for the run which is about 6ft x 8ft. I get one large bale at a time, it lasts for ever and never had crop issues.
Title: Re: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: Sassy on May 01, 2018, 23:58
When you say sawdust do you mean shavings! Sawdust not suitable for chooks or horses, dust would cause respiratory problems. Softwood shavings, likely to be pine are good, pine anti bacterial etc as well. A large bale from a horsey shop will last for ages.  :)
Title: Re: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: alexroyall85 on January 27, 2019, 10:06
Hi

I use straw. Easily accessible and when put in the compost bin will breakdown nicely and give you good compost
Title: Re: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: snowdrops on January 27, 2019, 10:51
What about hemp? On the no dig site I’m a member of this came up & they said it composts down well & as I’m about to take on my daughter’s chickens I was going to ask here so thanks Pegasus for starting this thread 😀
Title: Re: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: RubyRed on January 29, 2019, 17:58
In the winter i use paper in the bottom of nest boxes , shavings then straw (this is to make it warmer in winter) and paper then hemp or shavings under perches. In summer the same under perches but leave straw out in nest boxes as not really necessary in warmer weather.
Title: Re: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: alexroyall85 on March 24, 2019, 16:47
Hi

I use straw in the coop and run. Find it cheaper than the others and it all goes in the compost bin making lovely stuff for the allotment win win
Title: Re: Straw, hay or sawdust
Post by: cressrt on March 25, 2019, 07:25
We use a mix of Straw and Shavings, we buy a alfalfa verde over here when we can get it as the chooks like chew / eat it.