[neil9797]

In another thread, IMOmimey said: "Lastly, I put in the bedding, straw in the nestboxes, hemcore or dusted woodshavings in the main area."

Now I thought hens roosted on perches, so where does the 'bedding' go?

I take it this is not the same as the stuff you put in the nestboxes?

I presume the 'main area' is the coop roosting area and the hemcore (whatever that is!) and woodshavings are for pooping on. Wouldn't newspaper do?

Cheers, N

[Bonniebean]

Hi Neil, I'm smiling because you remind me of me not too long ago! I started with newspapers under wood shavings in the main part of the house (under the perches) but it became a pain and filled up my composter, also the little darlings thought it was good fun to pull it up and rip it to bits - not easy for poo picking when you are half asleep! I have changed to hemcore and it is brilliant! Most folks use straw in the nest boxes for warmth, and comfort when laying eggs, also they can make it 'nesty'. I have four and they all sleep in different places, a couple on perches, one on the floor of the house and one in a nest box, but they do move around and change places in the night 'cos every morning all nest boxes are flattened! Sue

[beulah59]

I use newspaper under the perches ... although I've put some straw on top recently as a hen was dropping her egg from the perch and it kept cracking! Now that I've started, I'll carry on with the straw during the cold spell. I use shredded paper and straw on top in the next box ... they sleep in there, too! So there's a huge amount of 'compost' each day ... I'm coping so far!

[scrappydoo]

  Hi again Neil
                       I have two perches running length ways down the coop about 4 foot long, I brought some  roasting trays £1 each from A**A and just trowel the poo out every day. Saves the floor and are easy to clean after.

Best Regards

Steve

[themagicaltoad1]

Mine have wood shavings and straw, they mostly sleep in the nest boxes, (never did cure them of that). I just shake the straw each morning, the poo drops through onto the shavings and I can then trowel it out, piece of cake. :happy:

[compostqueen]

I use Hemcore or Aubiose as it keeps dryer and absorbs smells and urine. Still, it is a luxury and newspaper or straw will be fine.  The hemcore and aubiose can be used on the ground as well and I put it just by the door of the coop as it helps dry their feet before they go to bed    At the moment I'm using straw as it's cheaper to keep replacing as it gets dirty very quickly now that they're not free ranging as they won't set foot in the snow 

[IMOmimey]

hemcore is like chopped straw, but is chopped hemp straw. It is the same price as woodshavings, but is very absorbent, usefull when the choox are so damp and muddy, and it smells really nice. Believe me, in the summer, the henhouse can pong  . i use a broomhandle thingy to *turn* the hemcore, and it stays cleaner and fresher than anything else I have used. I tried it in the nestboxes too, but the girls prefer to lay in straw.

 I used to put newspaper underneath, but it is bulky for the compost bin, and the shavings/hemcore scrape out so much more easily. Its all just been trial and error, and we all have our preferences, as do the choox. some sleep in the straw nestboxes, some perch, some just snuggle up on the floor. We are ALL individuals 

[neil9797]

Lovely, some great advice there, thanks. Talking of hay/straw, there is another question I'd like to put to bed 

 I've seen many people say, quite categorically, NEVER use straw as mites love it. On the other hand I've seen an equal number say, equally categorically, NEVER use hay (but have never given a reason). So, apart from offering them pistols at dawn, who do I believe?

[grumpydad]

i started with newspaper under the perch, like everyone else, i thought it would be easy to collect it up and compost it, but it is very bulky, especially when done on a regular basis.

i now use easibed, which is a horse bedding, shredded wood, i find it better than woodshavings, as it does not create any dust, and i use hemcore, which is shredded hemp plant in the nest boxes, both the easibed and hemcore are easy to keep clean and poop free, i also add some stanoslan f, into the easibed under the perch, this is a dry disinfectant which will also absorb moisture and get rid of pongs, as well as killing any bacteria

[IMOmimey]

I've seen many people say, quite categorically, NEVER use straw as mites love it. On the other hand I've seen an equal number say, equally categorically, NEVER use hay (but have never given a reason). So, apart from offering them pistols at dawn, who do I believe?

Hay gets caught in their feathers, if they eat it, the long pieces can block the crop, and could lead to sour crop.
 
Straw, because it is hollow, it can be quite snuggley warm when fresh, but its not so good when wet, needs to be turned over/cleaned frequently. It is no greater habourer of mites than the wood of the coop itself.

woodshavings..MUST BE PRE DUSTED, ie dust removed, as the dust can cause respiratory problems, likewise sawdust. Shavings must be good quality, as sold for horse/rabbit/poultry bedding. DIY type woodshavings may contain hardwood(not good) green wood(not good) or even traces of plants/fungi unknown. It is reasonably chip, VERY easy to pick,compost, absorbent.

hemcore- I think it is chopped hemp straw, Is a personal favourite as it is super absorbent and smells nice. costs more than straw, but slightly less than shavings.  it works well half and half with shavings too.

straw is preferred by the hens for nesting, as they pick it up in their beaks and move it around(usually ineffectively)to make a nest to lay in...if you dont have a seperate nest box, if you put straw in one corner of coop, shavings/hemcore everywhere else, they choose the straw corner to lay.

does that help?

[Foxy]

hay is fodder, straw is bedding...simples!!!

[IMOmimey]

  yup

[Sassy]

Another reason not to use hay is that it contains spores that could be harmful to the chucks respiratory systems.

[dicky614]

Is hemcore widely available ? I've never heard of it before now.
I'm using straw on woodshavings both in coop and nest box, but fancy hemcore might make a nice alternative.

[doodoo]

Hiya i use straw in the nest box and the rest of the coop is woodshavings as one member said earlier and my girls do the same, they sleep on the perch and in the nest box at times, as long as the nest box is snuggly to lay, i think the rest of the coop is personal preference, some use shavings some use newspaper, see what works best for you, our girls are like us humans theyre all different and so are their owners xx