Are you tired of your chicken making a mess all over the place? More often than not, it’s because you haven’t used proper bedding.
Poultry farming can be quite messy. And the lack of a proper and comfortable place for your bird to nest can cause quite a lot of trouble for you.
That is why you need to have good bedding so that your chickens are cozy. Besides, it is great for controlling odor and preventing the growth of bacteria or other pathogens that may harm them.
But the question is, with so many options available on the market, what is the best bedding for chickens? If you are having trouble picking the best one, let me help.
Hey everyone, it’s Stacy Smith here. Today, I will be sharing my list of the top 5 bedding for chicken coops. So, without any delays, let’s get started!
5 Best Bedding For Chickens
1. RentACoop Premium Natural Hemp Bedding
RentACoop is a pretty popular brand that manufactures different products for poultry farming. And that is why I have included the brand’s Premium Natural Hemp Bedding on my list. It is a fully organic bedding that your chicken will surely love.
Product Highlights
The RentACoop premium natural hemp bedding is an entirely natural bedding composed of pressed hemp wood shavings. Since hemp wood is sourced from hemp fibers, it is quite sustainable. It comes in a 300-liter bag that weighs 33 pounds and is sufficient for covering approximately 50 square feet.
These hemp fibers are relatively more absorbent than conventional wood shavings. And due to their high absorption rates, they dry pretty quickly, keeping moisture and odor out of your coop.
In addition, this bedding is entirely dust-free, which keeps the air in your coop clean. And it does not have any artificial pesticides or insecticides, making it completely non-toxic.
Apart from that, it is quite versatile, and can be used for other animals, such as hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, cats, or horses. As a bonus, it is fully compostable, which makes it an eco-friendly option to consider.
What’s There To Like About It?
What I liked the most about this bedding is that it uses hemp wood instead of conventional pine wood shavings. So, it is a lot less messy and also lasts longer than many other bedding options. Besides, the smell is better than beddings that use pine shavings, which was an added bonus.
Moreover, I could use the residual product as an excellent compost for my garden. But if you wish, you can dispose of them safely in organic waste containers.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
Without a doubt, the premium natural hemp bedding is a great choice for your chicken coop. It is eco-friendly, dust-free, non-toxic, and lasts for a long time. However, due to these benefits, it comes with a pretty hefty price tag. So, if you are on a tight budget, this won’t be a feasible option for you.
Pros and Cons of RentACoop Premium Natural Hemp Bedding
Pros
Cons
2. Standlee Chopped Straw Bedding
Manufactured by the Standlee Hay Company, the chopped straw bedding is another great choice for your chicken coop. It is a premium quality product known for its versatility and convenience.
Product Highlights
As the name suggests, the Standlee chopped straw bedding is composed of all-natural straw derived from barley and wheat plants. The straws are chopped into fragments no longer than 4 inches, so it’s easy to dispose of once they have become soiled. Each bag contains 25 pounds of bedding, which covers 2 cubic feet when compressed, and almost 10 cubic feet when expanded.
It is a multipurpose animal bedding that can also be used for rabbits, goats, sheep, and other small animals. The straw is fully compostable, and you can, therefore, use it for your garden. Apart from that, you can use it to control soil erosion in your garden.
This product is completely free from noxious weeds, which makes it safe for your animals. Moreover, it is fully biodegradable, which means it can decompose quickly for sustainability. And thanks to its packaging, it is really easy and convenient to store.
What’s There To Like About It?
What I personally liked the most about this bedding is its ease of use and convenience. I found it pretty easy to store and even easier to use. It is very clean and feels softer than other bedding options, which is great for chicken or any other livestock.
In addition, it leaves behind little mess, which makes it easy to clean up. And instead of throwing it away, I conveniently used it as compost for my lawn.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
There is one issue that you may find inconvenient about this bedding. The chopped straw generates a bit of dust, which can be a bit annoying. That’s why I have placed it below the RentACoop premium natural hemp bedding, which does not have any such issues. However, it is only observed when you are laying the bedding, and the dust automatically settles on its own after a while.
Pros and Cons of Standlee Chopped Straw Bedding
Pros
Cons
- Sizing: Our Chopped Straw is chopped into approximately 4” pieces so consumers only discard soiled straw bedding.
- Animals Suggested For: Chickens, goats, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs and other small animals.
- Recommended For: Chicken coops, small animal and livestock bedding, composting
3. Happy Trees Premium Hemp Animal Bedding
The premium hemp animal bedding, produced by Happy Trees, is another high-quality option that you can use for your chicken coop. It is quite warm and comfortable, which makes it an excellent option for your livestock.
Product Highlights
This hemp-based bedding uses premium quality compressed hemp fibers, which makes it quite soft compared to conventional beddings that use wood shavings. In addition, it has a relatively high thermal rating, due to which it can retain heat quite effectively. That provides a warm and cozy environment for chicken or any other animals.
As such, it can be effectively used for other animals, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, reptiles, and so on. It comes in 6.6-pound bags, with a capacity of 28 liters, which is excellent for small coops. And thanks to its high absorption rates, it can quickly remove moisture, providing a clean and dry environment for your livestock.
Furthermore, hemp fibers grow pretty rapidly and can last for a long time, which makes them a cost-effective option for bedding. It also has no artificial fertilizers or pesticides and is fully biodegradable, which makes it highly sustainable.
What’s There To Like About It?
When looking for a bedding option that could last long, I came across this product. And I was not at all disappointed with its lifespan since it lasted several months without any issues. Apart from that, it is fully biodegradable and compostable, so you can use it to fertilize your lawn or garden.
I found it quite convenient to use as well since it is free from dust. It is also great for your chicken since they can breathe fresh, clean air.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
While it is an excellent bedding option for your chicken coop, there is one issue that might be a cause of concern. Despite absorbing moisture effectively, it is not very great at eliminating smells, as my chicken coop had a bit of an unpleasant odor while using it. Therefore, I have placed it below the Standlee chopped straw bedding since it doesn’t have any such issues.
Pros and Cons of Happy Trees Premium Hemp Animal Bedding
Pros
Cons
4. Eaton Naturally Grown Hemp Pet Bedding
The naturally grown hemp pet bedding is produced by Eaton Hemp - a brand that is known for making a wide range of hemp-based products. It is a clean bedding that comes with a long lifespan.
Product Highlights
A unique feature of this bedding is that the hemp fibers used are obtained from hemp plants grown in-house by the brand. They are directly used without any additional processing, due to which they are entirely organic and pure. It also doesn’t contain any artificial fertilizers or pesticides, which makes it safe for your chicken.
Besides, you can use it for other small animals as well, such as hamsters, guinea pigs, or rabbits. It comes in 60-liter bags, which is enough for small coops, cages, or nesting boxes.
Furthermore, the hemp fibers used are relatively softer and cleaner than traditional wood shavings, which makes them comfortable for your chicken or pet. It is also dust-free, which keeps the air clean and prevents respiratory problems. On top of that, it is completely biodegradable, which makes it another eco-friendly choice.
What’s There To Like About It?
True to its name, this bedding only uses naturally grown organic hemp fibers, which I found to be the most noteworthy feature. It is pure and free from harmful artificial chemicals, making it a safe option. And being dust-free, it was pretty easy to clean up.
Moreover, I was glad to notice that there was no unpleasant odor in my chicken coop after using it. With this bedding, the air in my coop always felt clean and fresh. You can also use it as compost, so it serves more than one purpose.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
While it is claimed that this bedding can effectively absorb more moisture from the air, I found that its absorption rate is quite poor. It is significantly more pronounced if you have been using it for a while. And therefore, I have placed it below the Happy Trees premium hemp, given that its absorption rate is considerably better and more consistent.
Pros and Cons of Eaton Naturally Grown Hemp Pet Bedding
Pros
Cons
- CLEAN & PURE. Our hemp is grown without pesticides or herbicides to ensure a completely clean and pure bedding. We ensure the very best for your furry family members.
- EFFECTIVELY ABSORBENT & HYPOALLERGENIC. Hemp absorbs 2x more than traditional bedding and stays dry much longer than other materials. Our bedding has no to low dust which is essential to limiting respiratory and other health risks.
- SUPER SOFT & COZY. Made from 100% naturally grown hemp, our bedding is far superior to wood shavings, paper, straw, corncobs, hay or any other heavily processed materials.
5. Aulock Thickened Coco Coir Liner Chicken Nest Pads
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The thickened coco coir liner chicken nest pads are produced by Aulock and are made from natural coconut fibers. They are available in the form of nesting pads and are highly suitable for poultry farming.
Product Highlights
These chicken nest pads are made from fully natural coconut coir, which is soft yet sturdy. Each unit consists of 10 square nesting pads, which are 11.8 x 11.8 inches in area. So, they can easily fit inside a small or medium-sized chicken coop.
What’s more, the coconut fibers used for making these nesting pads are fully biodegradable and relatively easy to use. They can be put inside chicken coops or removed at any time, like a mat.
In that regard, since they can be easily removed, you don’t need to dispose of them as frequently. Instead, you can keep using the pads after dusting and shaking to remove any dirt.
The pads are designed in a manner that they are slightly rough but fluffy so that the chicken is not uncomfortable. Besides, its surface is well suited for collecting eggs without breaking them.
What’s There To Like About It?
Unlike the other options on my list, this comes in the form of discrete bedding pads, which are more akin to mats. And so, I found them relatively convenient to use; I could just put them in or remove them from the coop as and when required. And you can use them for a long time by periodically dusting them off.
Additionally, they are quite soft and comfortable for the chickens to lay eggs on. The pads are fully biodegradable as well, which made them easy to dispose of once they were too degraded to reuse.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
These bedding pads are not very versatile and are designed chiefly for chickens. Besides, they are not that good at absorbing moisture either. Such significant limitations weren’t there in any of my previous choices. That’s why I have placed it below the Eaton naturally grown hemp pet bedding which is considerably more versatile.
Pros and Cons of Aulock Thickened Coco Coir Liner Chicken Nest Pads
Pros
Cons
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Buyers Guide
And that was my list of the 5 best bedding for chickens. I hope that you have gone through every one of them. So, now I ask you, have you finally decided on which one you want to purchase?
If your answer is yes, then you are already on your way to raising the perfect chickens. But I know that many of you are probably still confused. Choosing the correct bedding for your livestock is not as easy as it sounds. After all, they are living, breathing organisms, and if you are not able to properly care for them, they will not survive.
So, to keep your chickens healthy and comfortable, I have prepared this buyer’s guide for you to consider. It describes some of the most pertinent factors that are a must for any bedding. And I hope that you will be able to decide better after you go through it.
1. Composition
The composition of the bedding primarily signifies the materials that have been used in it. And so, it determines the softness, texture, and comfort levels of the bedding.
Typically, the common substances that are used for making beddings are sand, straw, and wood shavings. In some cases, they may also contain other components, such as coconut coir, plant fibers, shredded leaves, hay, recycled paper, and so on.
Some of these components, such as straw, shavings, or sand, are good at absorbing moisture quickly. They are also pretty soft and comfortable for your chickens. Similarly, coconut coir, plant fibers, shredded leaves, or recycled paper have a longer lifespan and are better at eliminating odors. So, based on these aspects, you can decide accordingly on what composition best suits you.
2. Cleanliness
If you want to keep your chicken healthy, then you need to provide them with a clean environment to stay in. That is why the cleanliness of the bedding is a crucial aspect to consider.
This is determined by how well the bedding can eliminate odors and moisture. Accumulation of moisture in the coop can give rise to unpleasant odors and facilitate the growth of bacteria and other pathogens. This can be a significant inconvenience while also being harmful to your chickens.
Therefore, you should get bedding that dries up fast so that moisture and water content, typically found in feces, are eliminated quickly.
3. Safety
The safety of the bedding is another critical factor you need to consider to keep your chicken healthy. Unsafe bedding may cause several diseases and health problems for your livestock or even end up killing them.
Therefore, you should buy safe bedding so that the above consequences don’t come to pass. You should purchase an option that is free from harmful artificial fertilizers and pesticides, which pose the greatest threat to your chicken. Furthermore, you should ensure that the bedding is free from dust so that it does not cause any respiratory problems for the chickens.
4. Disposal
The usefulness of your chicken bedding is also determined by how easy its disposal is. In this regard, the materials used in it play a part in the ease of disposal.
Most beddings produced today are made from biodegradable substances, such as shavings, plant fibers, shredded leaves, and so on. Since they are organic components, these substances are easy to dispose of, or they can be easily recycled as compost.
On the contrary, materials, such as sand, are not easy to dispose of. But you can recycle them for other purposes. So, it would be best if you kept this in mind before you purchase bedding for your chicken coop.
5. Price
Another crucial factor that you need to consider is the price. The decision to buy bedding needs to be made based on your budget.
So, if you have a limited budget, it would be best if you didn’t buy something expensive, as it won’t be very feasible. However, you should not settle for very cheap options either, as they can be of poor quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ideally, it is best to change the bedding of your chicken coop once every month. But there is no fixed interval for this. Some brands sell bedding that can last quite longer than a month.
Several other factors also determine the frequency of bedding change, such as the number of chickens you have, the materials used in the bedding, and environmental factors like humidity and moisture.
Typically, the bedding in your coop should be at least 2 to 3 inches thick. That will provide sufficient insulation against hot or cold weather. Besides, it will make it comfortable for your chickens to nest in.
My Final Recommendation
And with that, I have arrived at the end of this informative review-based guide. I hope that it was an enriching and entertaining read for you. And I also hope that you have finally made up your mind about which bedding you want to buy.
But before I say goodbye, I would like to mention my favorite picks from the above list. If you want premium quality bedding that will last for a long time, I would suggest the RentACoop premium natural hemp bedding, which is my favorite option overall. But if you want a more affordable and versatile option, then I recommend the Standlee chopped straw bedding.
Now, it’s time for me to say goodbye. Stay safe until next time, everyone!