# Chicken bedding



## LovesCobs (15 July 2013)

So everything is ready for chickens, coop is up, large run with buried fencing and electric tape in various section (bottom middle and top!) 
Can I use the 5 star wood pellets as bedding and can I use hay if its been steamed? Seems a shame to buy different stuff if what I've got will work?


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## Honey08 (16 July 2013)

I would think that you can use the pellets, I've heard not to use hay, but steamed may be ok.

We use straw, its easier and can line the nesting boxes too.  I started out with shavings, but they scratched it and rolled in it, leaving patches everywhere (and when chicken muck gets on the floor its like glue!) so I changed.

Whatever you use, even if you use something different, you won't use much of.  A bale of straw would probably last me a month easily..


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## s4sugar (17 July 2013)

Unscented Bliss. Safe, easy to clean and composts better than shavings.


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## MotherOfChickens (17 July 2013)

I use easibed for the chooks. If I give hay, its in the run to scratch around in and eat the seeds, I then rake it up and get rid of it.


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## Bestdogdash (17 July 2013)

Another vote for Bliss (although I use the eucalyptus one, to deter flys). I use it on the floor on newspaper and stars on newspaper in the nesting boxes.


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## WelshD (17 July 2013)

Steamed hay would be ok I think

Wood pellets are good, either dry and whole or soaked in to a fluff


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## LovesCobs (17 July 2013)

I'm wondering if activated pellets will be too dusty in this weather? The horses are out at the minute so I may get something else for the summer and use pellets in winter. I was going to pick the chickens up tonight but I think a friend is coming round for a hack so it may be Friday  I went shopping today and didn't buy eggs!


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## Adopter (17 July 2013)

All sounds very exciting!  I use shaving for mine as they work best for me and I use them in stables and for geese.

I do poop out each day so the hen house is always clean and it only takes a few seconds whilst ponies have their feed to do.

I prefer shavings as I like the shavings manure for the garden,  It is easy to handle and goes on well as a top dressing.


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## JillA (17 July 2013)

Well, this might make you smile but it could be relevant  Years ago I was chatting to a tramp in the pub (as you do ) and he advised me if I ever needed to sleep in a barn, always choose straw, never hay because hay harbours fleas. So.........on the same basis, I would think hay in the hen house would harbour mites, and I would avoid it, it's hard enough keeping the mites at bay anyway. We use straw.


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## lachlanandmarcus (17 July 2013)

Hay isn't suitable anyway as it gets damp as chicken poop is v wet and the spores affect their breathing. I use Aubiose which is brilliant and you only need a little sprinkle. Rots down before your eyes too when composted.


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## millsandboon (17 July 2013)

Hay and straw are unsuitable. Straw harbours red mite as they can hide inside the hollow stems and hay has the mould/spore problem.


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## LovesCobs (18 July 2013)

And they're in, all different, speckledy, beechwood blue, white star, redstar, rhode red or rock something! All in and helped into their coop a few minutes ago! So far babes, Maria, Dotty and Gracie. 2 more names to go


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## millsandboon (19 July 2013)

Photos?????


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (19 July 2013)

Someone has already said why not to use hay or straw.

I've always heard that if you bed them on hay then they'll eat it, and the dry stalks will then get inside their crops and they'll get "cropbound".

I put mine on ordinary bog-standard sawdust or chippings, or alfafa. There was one I used to use a while ago (gosh, wish I could remember the name of it) which was an alfafa based material which had been infused with Citronella - was fantastic for the horses and brill for the chooks as I felt it signifantly reduced Red Mite in the henhouse.

Just wish I could remember the name of it......... (scratches head).


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## LovesCobs (19 July 2013)

so today my cat has been sat in there eying them up and then next doors dog found a hole in the fence and caused a riot! feathers everywhere. she was sent home in discust but I'm quite glad she discovered the hole! double checked every where now and all sorted! 
photo below if it works!


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## LovesCobs (19 July 2013)

is the photo there? it was there when I 1st posted it


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## LovesCobs (19 July 2013)

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/asset.php?fid=18902&uid=101430&d=1374245910


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## LovesCobs (19 July 2013)

third time lucky, it said something about it being deleted after an hour if I didn't utilise it


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## WelshD (22 July 2013)

nice  they look good and healthy too!

Be prepared for full on addiction, I went from 3 to over 200 in three years lol


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## LovesCobs (22 July 2013)

Lol! The horses would have to go if I had 200, there would be no space for them all! 1 egg each so far


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