Hi

 

Can you help me please

 

 

i am wondering if i should add sawdust to my nest or if i should leave them bare?

 

Thanks for your help

Edited June 4, 200817 yr by KAZ
typos and title mod

I add sawdust as this absorbs the poop and makes for easy cleaning. It also gives the Hens something to do before laying by removing or as most of my hens do they push it to the corners.

I do the same but use wood shaving

I also use wood shavings. dust, I found was too fine.

I use wood shavings or sand - depending on the hen.

okay so sawdust/woodshavings is a should?

YEs, add it. My hens clean it out, kick it out, scratch it out, but whent he young are born, i add more. Like was said above, it soaks up the poos.

would seed husks do the trick???????????

would seed husks do the trick???????????

They do, but can bring moths and insects into the nestbox.

I found this very interesting.

 

Robert Manvell, one of Australias top breeders of show budgies, puts an icecream container half full of rice husks inside his nest box for his young. He says that it helps to keep the babies dry and clean. Seems even the 'experts' go outside of the norm in some areas.

 

HERE is a link to his website and photos inside his breeding room including one of his nest boxs.

I think all these things are good, the main thing is what’s easy for you to get, I don’t think sawdust is much of a problem, as the dust they make themselves is far finer than that. I have even used crushed up termite nests, when I used to have finches that needed live food & I fed them termites. After they ate the termites I used the rubble in my nests.