hello all. my question is, can i use chip board for nesting material?

cheers stacey

hello all. my question is, can i use chip board for nesting material?

cheers stacey

Chipboard is solid wood...do you mean using the sawdust from it as a nesting material?

Chipboard and MDF is processed using toxic ingredients. Although many of us have nesting boxes made from chipboard, it is best not to, and you wouldnt want to use the sawdust from it as a nesting material. I use pine shavings in my nestboxes. Some people use bran, others use just the concave in the nestbox.

Edited June 16, 200717 yr by **KAZ**

This is what I use..:grbud:

This is what I use..

 

Yes that is what I use,that very brand,because my nest boxs, have a icecream container wih the shaveings in to keep the nest boxs clean.I use some cat litter mixed in with the shaveings,its the litter with Dr Harrey on the box.Its made with extruded rice huls.It keeps down exesse moisture.& no grubby chicks.

i would not suggest to use chipboard as nesting material as it do have many harmful chemicals.

i am using oat as nesting material myself which is a seed product and readily available.

I started this year using "Max's Cat & Pet Litter" (made from rice mill by-products) in my nesting boxes. It's supposedly "garden safe" and made from "all vegetable matter" (CopRice). I'm thinking after reading some posts that I may have used too thin a layer as I only spread enough on the bottom of the box to comfortably cover it and the hens in most cases have scratched it all away to the corners.

 

What depth do people use for their wood shavings?

 

Also I had wondered whether the absorbency of the cat litter may have an adverse effect on the eggs making conditions potentially too dry for them. Any thoughts on this?

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

I started this year using "Max's Cat & Pet Litter" (made from rice mill by-products) in my nesting boxes. It's supposedly "garden safe" and made from "all vegetable matter" (CopRice). I'm thinking after reading some posts that I may have used too thin a layer as I only spread enough on the bottom of the box to comfortably cover it and the hens in most cases have scratched it all away to the corners.

 

What depth do people use for their wood shavings?

 

Also I had wondered whether the absorbency of the cat litter may have an adverse effect on the eggs making conditions potentially too dry for them. Any thoughts on this?

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

 

My wood shavings are about an inch deep...one good large handful per nest. Some show breeders have expressed a concern over the cat litter being able to dry out eggs, if used in the nest, but some mix it with the wood shavings. A lot of show breeders here are using ZEOLITE.

I started this year using "Max's Cat & Pet Litter" (made from rice mill by-products) in my nesting boxes. It's supposedly "garden safe" and made from "all vegetable matter" (CopRice). I'm thinking after reading some posts that I may have used too thin a layer as I only spread enough on the bottom of the box to comfortably cover it and the hens in most cases have scratched it all away to the corners.

 

What depth do people use for their wood shavings?

 

Also I had wondered whether the absorbency of the cat litter may have an adverse effect on the eggs making conditions potentially too dry for them. Any thoughts on this?

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

 

KathyW,I use Max`s Cat & Pet litter.I mix it with pine shaveings.I have icecream containers,in my nest boxs.

I would use a good 30mm of shaveings in each container,if the hen scraps it out, I leave it till she lays a couple of eggs & then I put some back.The pop hole is 175mm from the bottem of the nest not many hens scrape it all out. I have`nt had a problem with humidity & I have been useing it for the past 3 seasons.The other thing, it would depend on the ventalation of the nest box.

I use the pine wood shavings also, and I put in one good size handful.

hello and thank you to every one that replyed. sorry i took so long i had computer trouble. i will give them ago and see which ones my girls will like.

cheers stacey :rip: