Woodshavings, use of

[Jimmy]

Still planning ...
There seems to be lots of confusing info on woodshavings but from what I have seen
1) Don't use straw or similar due to bugs etc.
2) Wood shavings in the nest box to prevent cracked eggs.
3) The main floor doesn't need anything providing you can clean it, I plan to use a hardboard sheet. Either clean it or replace as required.
4) In the nest box would carpet or crumpled news paper be OK.

Comments please ?

Thanks Jim

[MaureenHall]

I wouldn't think carpet in the next box is a very good idea - they do poo in there sometimes, and the odd thin shell/no shell egg can get quite messy. I use shredded newspaper and shredded junk mail / bank statements / confidential rubbish in the nest box, it's lovely and warm and comfy on the chooks bums If anyone wants to find out information about me from papers I've shredded and thrown away, they have to scrape the poo off first!!

[Jimmy]

Thanks for the reply and confirmation that using newspaper works for you.
Being a scrooge I did want to pay for woodshavings. Plus not sure where to source them.
Does the quality of news print affect them. Do you get more eggs with the "Times" ?
Thanks again
Jim

[MaureenHall]

I get my wood shavings (dust-extracted) from a horse-bedding place near my local farm shop. I got a big bale in February, think it was about £5 - £6 and still got about a quarter of it left. The newsprint doesn't seem to affect the chooks, they don't eat it anyway. Never tried The Times to improve the egg quality, though I know I'm definitely NOT going to use The Independent , would rather they stay the same as they are and not get ideas above their station

[fairy]

hey ya - I have read and been told by a poultry breeder that we should be using 'Chopped straw' which is straw, chopped and flattened as the normal straw is a great place for the mites and bugs to crawl into and hide, but the bugs don't like the chopped straw.

I am using it for mine, in the laying boxes and a little bit on the floor of the coup too. they seem pretty happy with it. Mine cost 8 pound a huge bale that I have been told will last a year.

Any help?

[Sunbeam]

I wouldn't think carpet in the next box is a very good idea - they do poo in there sometimes,

They poo in there A LOT!!

[MaureenHall]

They poo in there A LOT!!

Was trying to be "delicate" I do the s*** shovelling first thing in the morning so they've got somewhere clean to lay their eggs