[beth123]

I'm new to keeping chickens and so have been using straw but what's the best bedding to use if I want it to rot down quick on the compost heap?

[RichardA]

we have ducks bedded on straw but they make it wetter than chickens would, Straw is in my opinion quickest to rot if kept moist enough and mixes well with grass cuttings and household scraps etc but straw is not necessarily best bedding for other reasons.
We use straw as we can get it cheap (we use 20 bales a year)and it does handle and clean up quite readily and it does go on the compost
R

[grumpydad]

straw and hay can harbour spores in the hollow stems which can cause respiratory problems, and should be avoided if possible.

we use hemcore in the coop, made from a hemp plant, very absorbant, and rots quickly, aubiose is very similar, easibed is another, made from small wood chippings

[evie2]

I'm using something called Bliss at the moment however I believe from comments on here Aubiose and Hempcore rot down well

[beth123]

Thanks for the advice, there's so much information to take in.