You have a new chicken coop with nesting boxes. But what are you going to put in that coop to keep it clean, cozy and warm? Chicken litter of course! But what is the best type of chicken grit?
Read on to find out what to look for in chicken bedding, the pros and cons of different types of bedding, and which chicken bedding is best for Australian chicken farms.
What is the purpose of chicken coop litter?
99% of chickens prefer to sleep on a slat at night, so the term "chicken litter" is misleading. Chickens don't sleep in chicken litter, so why would you have litter in the chicken coop?
All chicken coops need some sort of bedding. But a better term for chicken litter is floor litter. Chicken bedding, or floor bedding, covers the floor of the coop and its main purpose is to keep the coop clean and dry. A clean, dry coop is essential for healthy, productive chickens!
In addition to ground litter, chickens also need nesting material in the nest boxes. Some chicken keepers use the same type of chicken litter as floor litter and in the nest boxes. But not all chicken bedding makes good nesting material, so if you're using sand or wood chips as floor bedding, for example, it's a good idea to choose a softer and more comfortable type of chicken bedding, such as straw or shredded paper, for the nest box. .
The 5 things to look for in chicken litter
When choosing chicken coop bedding, you are not looking for something for the chickens to sleep in. So what should you look for with chicken litter?
Here are the top 5 things to consider when choosing material for a chicken coop:
- Purity
You want to keep the coop as clean as possible.A clean coop is a hygienic coop, which is essential for the chicken's healthSo the material of chicken litter must absorb droppings and be easy to clean.
- Absorbent
You'd be surprised how much moisture is in chicken feces!Wet copper is a breeding ground for coccidiosis and other parasites and diseases; they can also cause respiratory illness and lead to unhealthy mold outbreaks. The best materials for chicken litter therefore absorb a lot of moisture and dry out quickly.
- Natural and non-toxic
Choosing a natural, non-toxic bedding material is important to keep your chickens healthy. Finally,chickens forage and dust bath in floor litter and may even eat it. And natural bedding is much easier to throw away because it can be easily thrown awaycomposted or used in the garden.
- Little dust
Chickens have sensitive respiratory systems and dusty litter can cause problems, especially if chickens scratch the litter or dust bathe in it. Choose dust-free bedding and look for bedding products that have had the dust removed!
- Softness
Chickens don't need a soft bed to sleep on. But bedding should be cushioning. Leg and foot injuries, inclhop footare common in chickens that have to jump on hard surfaces such as concrete. Cushioning bedding can help prevent injuries when chicks flutter down from coops and nest boxes.
Choose the right chicken litter for your home
Your individual chicken coop also affects which type of chicken bedding is best for your flock.
- Do you have to clean the house every day or so? Then choose a bottom material that allows you to easily scoop out the feces, such as sand or chopped straw.
- Do your birds roam free most of the time? Do you use a stool board? For starters, you don't want a lot of poop in your coop, so your bedding will last longer and you can get away with using less absorbent materials.
- Is your chicken coop floor raised? Then heavy waste such as sand is not the best solution.
- Do you live in a cold climate? Choose a cozy bedding to keep your chickens warm in winter!
- Should you try the deep soil method? Then you need a highly absorbent soil cover with a high carbon content.
- For the best addition to garden compost, chopped straw, cardboard chips and wood shavings have the best C:N ratio.
Comparison of different chicken litter materials
In this section, we look at the pros and cons of different chicken bedding materials.
Straw, hay and sugar cane
When they think of chicken bedding, most people think of a chicken coop full of fresh, golden straw. And a house full of fresh straw, hay or sugar cane smells wonderful!
There are some very nice oneschopped straw litterfor chickens, such as AniStraw. These materials are super absorbent and low in dust, making them excellent for chicken coops. The smaller pieces are also easier to clean than unchopped straw.
But a traditional bale of straw (or hay or mulch) is actually a very poor choice for chicken coop bedding. Normal straw is not very absorbent and susceptible to mold. It is also dusty and difficult to spot. Not to mention that chickens often develop crop problems from eating long lengths of unchopped straw and hay.
Grass clippings
Grass clippings can be used as bedding for chicken coops and the price can't be beat! However, unless the grass is completely dry, grass clippings have a tendency to become moldy and cause respiratory illnesses. Only short pieces of grass should be used, as long pieces of grass can cause impact on the crop.
Sand
Many chicken keepers, especially in the United States, swear by sand as bedding. It is absorbent and easy to clean. But sand only works for chicken keepers who want to clean their garden daily.
Sand is definitely not the best choice if you don't plan to clean the house daily, because it gets dirty quickly. Removing sand to clean it once you've let it go is hard work. And if you choose to replace the sand instead of cleaning it, it can be expensive. Sand is also not suitable for raised chicken floors.
We believe that sand is better off in the pen when the track is covered (or at least sunny) and you can't keep the grass. It is also great for stool shelves. But in our opinion, there are better ground cover options than sand for the garden itself.
Dried leaves
Leaves can be used as bedding for chicken coops when completely dry. However, they are not particularly absorbent and can be susceptible to mold. Shredding dried leaves in a mulcher or running over them with a lawn mower can improve absorption.
The leaves of some deciduous trees, such as oaks, can be poisonous to chickens, so make sure you know what you are using is safe. Although some chicken keepers swear by strong-smelling leaves like pine needles to keep parasites away, strong odors can irritate chickens' respiratory tract. That's why we recommend avoiding things like eucalyptus, tea tree, camphor laurel and pine.
Wood products - Wood shavings, chips and sawdust
If you use wood-based chicken coop bedding, avoid treated wood and other aromatics, such as cedar shavings.
Wood shavings and chips can make good bedding for the chicken coop. It is best to purchase wood chips sold as pet bedding because they are vacuumed and guaranteed to be non-toxic and untreated. Wood shavings last a long time, but are not as absorbent or cozy as wood shavings. Therefore, they are best in copper, where there is not much moisture and the droppings are cleaned regularly.
Sawdust is too dusty to make good chicken coop bedding. Although it is very absorbent, it tends to remain damp and cause mold to form. It is also said to increase the risk of athlete's foot.
Paper and cardboard
Shredded paper and cardboard shreds both make absorbent, soft bedding for chicken coops. And shredded paper makes an excellent nesting material.
The biggest concern with paper in the coop is the potential toxicity of the ink. Newsprint is non-toxic, as are most modern inks. But glossy paper and metallic ink can pose a risk.
Other bed options
There are many other options for chicken coop bedding, from hemp bedding to rice hulls. Make sure what you choose is dust-free and non-toxic.
The best bedding for Australian chicken coops
There are plenty of good bedding options for Australian chicken farms.
Due to our extreme weather, including heat and heavy rain, the deep spreading method can be very difficult to implement in the chicken coop. For most chicken keepers, a litter box and regular cleaning of the areas is a better option than deep litter.
While free chicken litter like grass and leaves is tempting, in our tropical climate they get wet and moldy too quickly, even with a litter box!
To protect the sensitive lungs of our chooks, we prefer to use an animal-specific product that has been made dust-free. And it is also safer for us if we clean the chicken coop!
Good for storing chicken!
Rachael has dinner at Chook Australia
