There is such a wide variety of distinct kinds of wood shavings available nowadays. Why does pine receive such a significant amount of attention? The following are some of the reasons why pine wood shavings are often chosen over those made from other types of wood:
- Cheaper
- More conveniently accessible
- Less dusty
Aspen shavings are one of the many different kinds of wood shavings that are suitable for use in your coop. On the other hand, the cost of these shavings is often quite a bit more.
Whether you are purchasing shavings made from pine or something else, you should make sure that the wood shavings have not been subjected to any form of chemical treatment before you purchase them. There is a possibility that hens might be poisoned by some treated trees.
The many reasons why pine wood shavings are an excellent choice for chicken coop bedding
The following is a summary of the several reasons why pine shavings have the potential to be useful as bedding for the coop.
- Are non-sticky and absorbent
- Are warm and inviting for the chickens to roost in
- Can be utilized in the process known as deep litter.
- Compose well and are useful in garden plantings
- Has the ability to insulate against heat.
- Have a cheap price tag
- Are accessible in plentiful supply
- Are simple to put away
- Are not heavy in weight
Pine wood shavings provide a comfortable and breathable sleeping material.
Pine shavings are quite dry and absorbent when compared to the majority of other forms of bedding, both of which are extremely significant characteristics for coop bedding.
You should look for chicken coop bedding that has a high level of absorbency as one of its most crucial qualities. Because chicken feces is so wet, if the bedding you use for your chickens does not absorb a lot of liquid, it can quickly become a putrid, slimy mass that smells bad.
The less odorous your coop will be, and the longer you can go without changing the bedding, the more absorbent the bedding material is.
Pine shavings, on the other hand, are not even close to being the most absorbent bedding option.
Pine shavings have an absorbency that falls somewhere in the middle of the other two leading contenders for “best chicken coop bedding,” which are straw and sand. They have a tendency to remain drier than straw, although they contain a far greater amount of moisture than sand does.
There will be a lot of moist feces in the coop if you choose organic bedding like pine shavings, which is simply something to keep in mind as you make your bedding choices. To reiterate, pine shavings are a more absorbent sort of bedding than the vast majority of other organic materials.
Chickens have been shown to sleep well and contentedly when their bedding was made of pine shavings.
If you like your chicken coop with freshly cut pine shavings, it will have a great smell and feel to it. The pine shavings are clean, dry, and have a supple texture.
When you initially put the shavings in, your hens are going to go absolutely crazy with excitement. They will like scratching in the shavings, strolling about on the shavings, and even resting down in the shavings.
Hens will continue to lay eggs in the wood shavings. Even if you don’t want the hens to lay eggs on the floor, this problem will only last for a few days at most. It’s a visual representation of how much hens like having clean, comfortable bedding.
Pine shavings lose their freshness quite rapidly, generally within a few days, unless you have a very big coop and very few hens who foul the bedding. In this case, the shavings will retain their freshness for longer. To keep the pine shavings bedding as fresh as possible, some folks with smaller coops opt to replace it once or twice each week rather than more frequently.
Wood shavings made from pine trees are a good choice for the deep litter approach.
The deep litter approach is one that will likely appeal to a large number of people who raise chickens, particularly those who live on homesteads or in rural locations.
According to this strategy, the bedding in your coop will normally only need to be changed once or twice a year at the most. Instead of replacing the existing bedding with new bedding, you just add extra bedding to the existing bedding and mix it in when the existing bedding begins to get wet or smelly.
People choose to employ this strategy because it allows them to maintain a more comfortable temperature in their coops throughout the colder months and because the bedding can afterward be recycled into nutrient-dense compost for their gardens.
Pine shavings are very light
Pine shavings, in contrast to sand, are quite lightweight, and it is very easy to fill your coop with them because of this.
Straw is another lightweight material, but after being in the coop for some time, it becomes extremely compact and heavy due to the accumulation of dung and moisture. Because of this, dirty straw might be difficult to transport out of the coop because of its weight. On the other hand, pine shavings continue to be rather lightweight even after being soiled, which makes it much simpler to clean up your coop.
How many pine shavings do you need?
The depth of your bedding ought to be between three and four inches at the very least, but your hens will be grateful to you if you offer them anything closer to six inches.
How frequently do you need to change up the bedding in your coop if you use pine shavings?
When used as bedding, pine shavings have the potential to last for quite some time. The frequency with which you switch them out is essentially a matter of personal preference. You may be able to spend a couple of months without needing to change the shavings as long as they are dry and have a depth of between three and six inches.
However, you are responsible for using your best judgment. Ammonia should never be detectable in your chicken coop. If there is even the slightest trace of odor, you should consider changing your bedding.