TIL that pine shavings vs straw is a bigger deal than people think

I spent my first year using straw in the nesting boxes cause that's what my neighbor did. Then last spring I noticed one of my hens kept sneezing and had crusty eyes, turns out straw holds moisture and grows mold way easier. Switched to kiln-dried pine shavings (like $6 a bale at Tractor Supply) and the difference in smell and cleanliness was night and day. Has anyone else had respiratory issues with their flock from bedding choices?

2 comments

2 Comments

nina_hall1mo ago

Huh, I actually have to disagree here. I've been using straw in my coop for years and never once had a respiratory issue with my birds. The key is making sure your ventilation is good and you're not just piling damp straw in there. Pine shavings can actually be dusty if they're not the really high quality kiln-dried stuff, and some birds are sensitive to that dust. I've seen shavings get moldy too if the coop isn't dry enough. Straw lets air move through the nesting boxes way better in my experience, and it's so much cheaper I can change it out more often.

finley_flores281mo ago

Totally with you on this one @nina_hall. I've seen way too many people blame straw without looking at their actual setup first. Ventilation is everything, you can use almost any bedding if you mess that up. I think the straw hate is overblown personally.