Chickens eating newspaper

[Curlykale]

Over the last 2/3 days I have been putting sheets of newspaper down on top of the shavings in the hen house, for ease of cleaning. Yesterday and today however, I notic that the chickens had dragged the newspaper out of their pop-hole and into the run. My daughter said that she saw them eating the newspaper. Has anyone else come across this?

[RichmondHens]

No but please don't let them, the ink could be toxic. Why do you need to put paper down on top of the shavings anyway, aren't shavings enough?

[Two_Sheds]

Newspaper ink is vegetable based these days.

I bed my guinea pigs & parrots on newspaper, never had any problems even though they chew it

[jessmorris]

My game birds are always fussing with and re-arranging their bedding! The last two days she has pulled all the lovely meadow hay out of the nestbox and her and the chickies are sitting on boring old woodshavings....I've seen them peck at the shavings, out of curiosity I think!

[Curlykale]

Richmond Hens, I have read on this forum that some people put newspaper down in the coop and just take the top sheet(s) off each day, complete with droppings, making daily poo-picking very quick and easy. Sounded like a good plan!

No but please don't let them, the ink could be toxic. Why do you need to put paper down on top of the shavings anyway, aren't shavings enough?

[Two_Sheds]

I have read on this forum that some people put newspaper down in the coop and just take the top sheet(s) off each day

That's what I do with the parrot, and believe me I wouldn't take any risks with her health: the vet bills would be horrendous (and she's my baby)

[chris]

I do that, but I don't put newspaper on top of shavings.. I just use newspaper now. 2 newspapers a week, and the top soiled sheets get taken off each morning/night depending what time I leave for work. At the end of the week the lot is removed, coop cleaned out and then 2 fresh newspapers added.

I wish that the freebie papers I use didn't staple them though - right pain removing them

[elizajay]

I wish I got freebies - gone are the days we always had newspapers available!

[chris]

Doesn't the metro print near you? In town or what not in the mornings?

[lettucegrow!]

I'm a newspaper user too! They have have come to no harm but have to say my girls don't eat the stuff just poop on it and I remove it in the morning. Tidy!

[chris]

Are you sure they're eating it, and not just trying it to see? Whenever I change my run flooring, or straw in the nestbox mine eat some wood chippings (small bits), or bit of straw.

[elizajay]

Doesn't the metro print near you? In town or what not in the mornings?

Only on train to London.

[chris]

Ah.. I used to pop into the train station in Cardiff and pick up about 20 or so whenever I needed them. I no longer work in Cardiff, so when I run out I'm going to have to find an alternative source!

[Hilary B]

The only reason for anything on the floor of the hen-house is to make cleaning easy. Newspaper is fine, but as RH says, shavings are totally unnecessary, but if you did want shavings as well, put the paper UNDERNEATH them.