Pros and cons of chicken coop bedding - backyard poultry (2024)

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With the countless chicken coop options out there, it can be overwhelming. I reached out to Marissa Byrum, director of communications and general store manager of Shell's Feed & Garden Supply, for more information. Byrum has great insight into the financial and sustainability aspects behind chicken coop bedding and which species have the greatest potential for pathogens.

Best chips for chickens

“The best-selling bedding for chickens is pine bedding because it is cheap, relatively absorbent, and doesn't really have many negative effects on chickens,” Byrum explains. “A lot of what is best or safest for chickens depends on how often you clean. Pine bedding can be controversial depending on which research you read. Pine dust can be toxic, and if you leave it unclean for too long it will naturally grow mold and bacteria and leave behind ammonia, just like any razor. Cleaning is often always necessary.”

“Pine and all hardwoods can cause respiratory problems,” says Byrum. “If the chickens are confined in a place where the chip netting has been placed and the door is immediately closed, they inhale it and that can cause respiratory problems.” Just because pine bedding is the best-selling bedding doesn't mean it's the best.

“We know that even in humans, if you inhale cedarwood for a long time, you can get an irritated nose and throat — or at least I do — so it's best to avoid the dust particles.”

Hay vs. straw

According to Byrum, hay and straw are the second most common bedding materials sold to coops. “They are very cheap and soft, so chickens love them. You should not put hay for chicks in incubators because they can eat it. Same with pine shavings; The little babies shouldn't get too much of it because if they eat it, it can be poisonous."

Although hay and straw are good at absorbing moisture, they are both poor at releasing that moisture, which means they need to be cleaned regularly to prevent ammonia buildup.

Byrum says straw is better than hay for several reasons. "They both contain pathogens, but straw has a low dust content and is more absorbent. A lot of dust can be extracted during bale compaction."

Newspaper and cardboard

“You get a lot of product for your money because it's compressed,” Byrum adds. “On the other hand, you have to clean it more often — six of one, half a dozen of the other — I hate to use an egg word!”

For babies, Byrum recommends newspapers. "Most newspapers are printed with vegetable ink. Don't use glossy paper, just plain paper. I would recommend using flat newspaper at the bottom and then adding shredded paper to it so the chickens can get some grip In our digesters we had grilles that allowed the waste to go to the newspaper, but most people use digesters made from boxes or crates. I wouldn't recommend too thick bedding or you'll lose your chicks in them!" she jokes.

“PitMoss Roost is pre-consumer shredded paper that is very easy to clean,” says Byrum. “You just pick up the chunk where the waste is, and then you replace that chunk. It is more expensive than any traditional bedding. Both newsprint and PittMoss compost very easily."

On the PittMoss website they claim it lasts four times longer than pine shavings, significantly reduces odor and promotes healthier birds. The composition of the material is comparable to hamster litter.

Although Byrum hasn't seen it for sale locally, she has seen some recommendations for cardboard bedding. “Cardboard cutouts are basically little squares of cardboard cut from making boxes and things like that. Virtually no dust and the chickens don't eat it. Even though it's not that common, it works quite well!”

Hemp and hull

Hemp is another alternative to chicken litter. But according to Byrum it is not easily available and is more expensive. The good thing is that you don't have to spend that much.

“Hemp has a low mold content and you can use it as deep litter. It doesn't tend to hold the ammonia for too long if you have good circulation. Hemp litter consists of the leftover stems and dried leaves; the manufacturer uses the top part of the plant for clothing or paper products. It looks a bit like straw. It's definitely one of the better options. You can use it in the nest boxes or in the garden."

Rice hulls, peanut shells and corn cobs are not ideal as chicken bedding. They are not as absorbent and because it is an organic material you will need to stay on top of it and make sure the area is clean. “High mold levels and high ammonia retention don't make them the best,” Byrum explains. “Unless you happen to come across a really good deal, I would stick with the other options.”

Sawdust is another cheap and readily available option. “If people have milled treated wood, you definitely don't want that. But if it just comes from processing raw pine, it's almost like pine shavings, but of course smaller and dustier.” Sawdust composts well and is very absorbent and light "It's insulating," says Byrum, "but also the dust and the potential for mold to grow there as well. The biggest causes of death in chickens are generally respiratory problems, whether it's bird flu or a variety of chicken diseases; most respiratory problems occur in the chicks' faces, so you don't want to include the air they breathe. Don't irritate their airways by choosing the wrong type of chicken bedding."

"For the nest boxes, you could really use all the things we mentioned. Chopped straw and hay, paper products including PittMoss, will all insulate the garden," says Byrum.

When to compost?

“In farms and runs, you can use PittMoss for deep ground cover,” notes Byrum. "It composts in place, which is nice, and you don't have to worry about it getting too messy. If you have to take everything out and replace everything - which I recommend doing quarterly - it can go straight to the you don't have to worry about composting it beforehand, because it's just paper.”

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If you're composting regular newspapers, Byrum recommends adding some green material to help it compost faster.

“For typical wood chips, it can take up to a year to fully compost. Some people can do it faster when the compost is warmer, but it still takes a little more effort.”

Old, dirty hay and straw are not good for compost, Byrum says. "There's not much point in composting them because the mold can survive a wide range of temperatures. For me, it's quite difficult to compost unless you need to keep it separate from your other compost; it takes a long time."

Sand in the chicken coop

“Medium-quality sand is probably the best type of bedding for the chicken coop because it does not retain liquid, does not harbor pathogens such as mold, and is very easy to clean,” says Byrum. "Many people try to use play sand, but there is a problem with the smaller grain silicates. Silicate pneumoconiosis is a disease that chickens can get from play sand, because of the small particles that get into the lungs."

Medium quality sand isn't the cheapest, but once you put it down it will stay there for a while. In the long run you will save money because you won't have to replace them as often. Sand also regulates the temperature all year round.

Choosing the right chicken coop and run products depends on where you live, what you can use and how you want to handle it when it gets dirty. Fortunately, there are many options.

KENNY COOGAN is a national food, farm and floral columnist. He is part of it tooMOR EARTH NEWS and Friends podcastteam. He has a master's degree in Global Sustainability and leads workshops on chicken keeping, gardening, animal training and corporate team building. His new book, Florida's Carnivorous Plants, is available atkennycoogan.com.

Originally published in the June/July issue ofBackyard poultrymagazine and regularly checked for accuracy.