The Scoop from the Coop

October 8, 2020April 17, 2020

Bedding in the Coop

When it comes to bedding in the chicken coop, there are lots of options for backyard flock owners to choose from. Nutrena poultry expert Twain Lockhart shares his thoughts on the most common types, and the pros and cons of each.

Helpful tips:

Shavings and straw are the two most commonly used types of bedding
Do not use sawdust as it can cause respiratory issues
Avoid redwood and cedar as some woods carry toxins that can cause respiratory and eye issues
Use natural dirt or sand to lay down underneath the bedding
Your nose will tell you how often to change the bedding

October 9, 2013December 6, 2019

How to Winterize Your Coop

If you live in the north like me, the nights are getting chilly, the leaves are changing and there has even been some frost on the pumpkins in the mornings. All this means…winter is coming! Whether we want it to or not, it will soon be upon us. So instead of scrambling with frozen fingers when it’s really cold and snowy, prepare your coop now for a healthy flock through winter.

Check the health of your birds. Any health issues will be exacerbated by the cold weather. Treat any ailments, keep waterers and feeders topped off so their immune systems are at their peak.

Things to do:

Clean and disinfect feeders, waterers and perches

Healthy birds require a clean environment. Wash away any microorganisms that have grown happy in the warm weather.
Perches and laying boxes are often forgotten during cleaning. Birds spend a lot of time in these places and bacteria are plentiful! Don’t forget these spots.

Muck out and deep-bed your coop

Remove the bedding you use in your coop and replace with a thick layer of pine shavings, sawdust or straw.
Pile the bedding up against the walls or leave a few bales of straw in your coop so if you need to remove some bedding during the winter during cleaning, you don’t have to haul fresh bedding in.
Piles of straw provide a warm place for chickens to cuddle through the coldest weather.
Don’t forget to place straw or other bedding in the nesting boxes. Soft, dried grass makes a great (free!) nest that protects eggs from cracking.

Feed and supplement your birds correctly

Chickens need a source of calcium all year, so don’t neglect providing oyster shells in winter.
To stimulate the scratching instinct and keep birds entertained, provide scratch grains periodically.
To beat boredom, consider adding a Scratch Block to the coop for a healthy distraction!

Check for drafts

Drafts can cause respiratory problems and sickness in your flock.
Check for drafts where your chickens roost and spend most of their time when in the coop.
Make any repairs to your chickens’ house while the weather is still fair.

Set up any heat lamps and water heaters

Develop a plan so your chickens have access to fresh, unfrozen water 24 hours a day.
Frozen water isn’t any fun. Set up your heating devices early so you’re prepared and safe.
If you use a heat lamp, make sure you have a spare bulb on hand.

Hopefully this got you thinking and adding to your winter-prep to-do list. I know I have a big list for my husband and I to work on in the coming weeks!

February 25, 2013July 27, 2023

Proper Bedding for Chickens

The most common myth about chickens is that they stink. They certainly do when they are crammed into buildings lacking fresh air or when their bedding gets wet – but for a backyard flock just a few simple tips can help minimize odors in your chicken coop.

A key to keeping chickens healthy and odor free is the proper use of coop bedding, or litter as it’s usually called. There are many types of litter but to function well all must be able to absorb some moisture, insulate the floor from cold, and give chickens a chance to dust.

Unlike mammals, chickens don’t produce urine. All excrement leaves their bodies as solid feces, which helps keep litter dry.

By far the most commonly used litter is wood shavings, sold in feed stores, or scrounged from woodworkers. Wood shavings have a pleasant smell, are amazingly absorbent, and don’t pack down. Sawdust also works well but is dusty. Chickens stir it up and dust settles on anything in the coop. Straw is another common bedding. It’s inexpensive but not nearly as absorbent as wood chips. Straw mats down and is harder to shovel out than chips. Dry leaves can be used to make effective litter. They’re free but only available in the fall and tend to break down into dust rather quickly.

Litter must stay dry to remain odor free. Four to six inches of dry wood shavings easily last six months or more before it needs to be changed. Droppings become incorporated into the shavings, as the chickens stir it. About every six months you can scoop the old litter out of the coop with a shovel (a snow shovel works well) and replace it with fresh chips. Used bedding can be either composted or a thin layer can be worked into garden soil to provide nutrients and water absorbency.

When litter gets wet, usually when a waterer leaks or tips over, it’s essential to immediately remove the soggy shavings and replace them with fresh dry ones. Otherwise, they will soon smell.

Chickens love to dust themselves and will readily fluff litter into their feathers. Following a brief dust bath the birds are as fresh as a human emerging from a shower, and as the dust works between their feathers it discourages parasites.