[FiB]

I've been merrily using straw in the hen shed and nesting box for the last six months (since we arrived and inherited a flock of neglected chickens roosting in the trees and surviving on a few handfulls of pellets thrown by a kind neighbour).   Ive just read an article in one of the smallholder magasines that says this is wrong and bad and that specialist bedding should be used (woodshaving based) together with powder to adsorb liquid prevent ammoinia build up .....  I know we only have 4 in quite a big shed and they free range all day, but I havnt noticed any problems re mites and lice etc. I change the straw every few weeks. Is everybody really buying plastic bags of specialized 'bedding' 

[Womble]

Nope!!  We buy large bales of 'Hemcore' bedding from the local farm supplies shop (it's normally sold as horse bedding), and looks a bit like chopped up straw.  It's really absorbent, so keeps down any smell, and composts really quickly.

With only four chooks, one bale will last you ages, and it's not all that expensive.

HTH!

[Rosemary]

We use Hemcore too. It's environmentally friendly as it's a waste product from hemp grown for the paper industry. Hemp doesn't need expensive sprays, fertiliser or irrigation to grow.

As Womble says, it's absorbent, treated with citronella to deter insects and rots down in the compost heap quickly.

Straw isn't ideal as it can harbour mites and it isn't absorbent - any wet drains through to the floor. Plus it can be dusty, which isn't good for hens.

[FiB]

Many thanks for info - I'll try and get some of that then.  Not holding my breath that my local farmers place will stock (might be a bit new and fangled!! ) I also did wonder about seeing if a local wood yard might have wood shavings - anyone do that or does everything ideally have to be dust extracted? 

[Rosemary]

I wouldn't use non-dust extracted shavings. Hens are awful susceptible to respiratory problems.

The other problem with shavings is that they take ages to rot down in the compost heap.

[tizaala]

We have always used shavings and sawdust (free from local garden furniture maker) we mix some lime with it to keep the red mite out and also dust a layer on the concrete floor to kill the amonia , never had respiratory problems with it. And mixed with  horse, goat and pig muck turns into good compost.
 For the horses we use the wood pellets that have to be wetted first to fluff them up, (for animal bedding 20% VAT, for fuel 5% VAT. same stuff.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I use hemp too, it is ideal for chickens and not clumpy like shaving so very easy and quick to use. Also rots down a lot quicker than shavings. Brand wise I get Aubiose; its paler colour means I can see the poo easier so waste less, and also it seems more absorbant than Hemcore tho TBH both are massively better than straw/shavings!

[doganjo]

What sort of costs?  I use straw too but looking to change.

[Cinderhills]

I use Bedwell Equinola bedding, it's chopped up oilseed rape straw.  The company say that using the horse bedding which has tea-tree oil in is good for keeping away creepy crawlies.

[Womble]

We use Hemcore too.

Yes, I think it was you who suggested it to me in the first place!

What sort of costs?  I use straw too but looking to change.

I think it's about a tenner per bale, but it's quite compressed, so a little goes a long way. WAY better than straw or shavings IMHO. I've bought it from three different places now, so it seems to be widely available, particularly from horsey places. The only thing I'd add is that I don't tend to follow the instructions re damping it down with water, which seemed a bit pointless for chickens. Instead I just use a scattering of it straight out of the bale.

[manian]

where do you get hemp from

[hughesy]

I have tried most kinds of horse bedding. Favourite was nedz bedz which is chopped straw. Shavings are not great especially if you need to compost them. Fraid I've settled back to good old fashioned straw, it's cheap, easy and rots down lovely after the birds have finished with it. If anyone tells you straw is no good for chicken bedding ask them what was used for the last god knows how many hundred years before all this fancy stuff was invented by the retail trade?

[deepinthewoods]

i use straw and so far (6yrs) its fine

[FiB]

Lol  Hughsey - I have had that thought about many things (worming, bedding, a million and one sheep and chicken preventative medicines..)  Its so hard to separate the 'really should do's' (in our enlightened scientific times) from the industry marketing 'could do's'.  Always want to do the best for my animals, but wonder if many of the products have been developed for problems seen in high intensity farming systems, that I might not really be at risk of so much in such a small scale and low intensity operation as ours??  I do like the sound of the hemp bedding so will investigate, but thanks for the reassurance on straw too - don't feel so bad now.  Many thanks all.

[lachlanandmarcus]

where do you get hemp from

You get it in a bale (similar size to small straw bale) from agricultural/equestrian supplies stores. Depending on what region you are in Im sure someone on here can point you to a local one.