I also use pine shavings like horse shavings.

I don't know how it affects chickens, but I remember when I used to keep pet rats, cedar was a big no-no because the aromatics (I think phenols) were responsible for causing respiratory problems in critters. I can't remember if pine was okay or not. Aspen was fine. Yes, cedar is nice for the fresh scent, but I guess it's that very compound that is toxic to rats. It's also not very good for people, and asthmatics may be particularly sensitive to it. I have my plastic brooder bin lined with newspaper, and a smaller box inside the bin (with the lamp over it) in which I recently decided to switch the bedding material from old rags to shredded newspaper. My little silver sebright chick LOVES the strips of newspaper and pecks at them playfully and scratches it to “fluff up” her nest. If you have a paper shredder (maybe one that doesn’t produce particularly thin strips), shredded newspaper makes for a cheap and easy bedding for chicks. At first, I was worried that she'd get her neck caught in the looped strips - which hasn't happened (yet). It might be a greater concern if you have several chicks. If so, you can always cut the strips so they're not quite as long; but not so small that they might ingest it. Newspaper can be composted, too. BTW, hi everybody! This is my first post here. Been lurking for a few weeks, now. I'm learning so much, and enjoy the warm, friendly feel of this community! I'm sure I'll be posting lots of newbie questions in the coming months. Hope I don't become too annoying...

Oh gosh - I feel like an idiot... I wasn’t paying any attention to the “coop” part of the subject title. I've never heard of anybody using newspaper in their coops, and I'm sure the ink would stain stuff pretty badly. Sorry ’bout that! But if you want to use some sort of wood shaving, Aspen should be good (unless it has something in it that’s bad for chickens). A little on the expensive side, maybe, but safe AFAIK.

Coarse pine shavings are preferred, but I’ve heard of many using hay and stuff like that. It’s pretty cheap to get pine shavings at a feed mill - they usually have compacted bags of it for about $5 that can cover good area. I think I read that cedar has an oil that is toxic or something like that....don’t really recall. It's funny how we all know not to use it, but can't remember why. I'm an airhead sometimes. TGIF

Thanks for the warm welcome! Good to know about the pine. As for the cedar, it *is* because of the oils - aromatic oils - that it’s toxic for rodents. It’s probably the same for chickens, but maybe worse because they’ll actually *eat* the stuff, too. Furry critters will chew it to little bits but mainly, the damage is done to the lungs from breathing in the vapors. So you're not an airhead. Wish I could have a reason to try the pine shavings... Alas, neither my husband nor I can nail two boards together, so I foresee no coop in this lifetime. I’ve already decided to limit myself to 3 hens and bring them into the house at night. I can probably get a cage that can comfortably hold three little bantams. Newspapers should work for that. Or maybe I should look into those “chicken diapers.”

Hey Everyone. I use hay. It doesn’t last long but do they have fun with it. They eat it and move it around and roll in it. I only have it set it in there. They do the rest. They made their own room. lol..

By “set it in there” do you mean a bale, just set it in and cut the strings, or an armfull, or what?

I usually use straw ..... I put half a bale in it and spread it out my chickens aren’t interested in playing in it more interested in making it nice and dirty so I have to clean it again lol

Yep. I put a little in at a time. The hay is in like sections that after the twine is cut can be separated easily. I put three for all the girls I have. They have a ball with it. Sorry it took so long to answer.

At what age do chickens start to lay eggs? Mine are about 8 weeks. Also, when do they stop “peeping” and start “bakacking?”

They generally lay at 18-22 weeks, depending on breed … You have awhile to go before you hear grownup noises from them. My 11 week old ones still sound baby-like, although my baby roo makes these trilling alarm calls and this weird little honking noise when he doesn't want me to pick him up and take him back inside. No cackles until probably 15 weeks or more, I'd say. My 19 week old pullets are just now showing signs that they will lay any time now.

Thanks for the reply! I feel so stupid asking questions like that! My roo is making these sounds- like he's trying to crow- but it sounds like someone is choking him! LOL

We all learn as we go along. I'm fairly new myself. Is your roo 8 weeks, too?? Sounds like those first crow attempts I've heard about. Mine still isn't really trying to crow, except he makes this weird whine in the early morning with no real volume.

Yep, that's what Kip is doing, and my husband came in and asked, “Are they choking?” Poor hubby grew up in a tract house and never had all these animals! hehehe

My girls are only 10 weeks but a few of them cluck sometimes-its like they are going through puberty. All soft little peeps & then out of nowhere I hear a grown up cluck. Its funny as heck. I'm expecting my girls to start laying at about 20 weeks as well.

My little banty roo does the choking thing. He stretches himself up as tall as he can an lets out about half a cockadoodle before it sounds like somebody is choking him and he does it at random not just in the a.m. I think he'll get it figured out though

The hens are starting to get a cluck in there now and again, but they are still doing a lot of peeping. They are getting so big and they are really friendly! And Kip- well, he's still trying to crow, although it sounds like he's trying to hack a hairball. hehe

By now you’ve probably figured out that there are no pat answers to your questions. Most pullets start laying at about 5, maybe 6, months of age. As for when do they start clucking “normally?” I had a cross recently that hardly ever clucked - but boy would she go to BEGAWWWWWKING any time I came in sight. And she would hen-crow every morning like the Dickens. Can I give a little encouragement? One of the greatest lessons we can glean from the keeping of chickens is that of watchful patience. Try not to expect your birds to adhere to a timetable. Rather, let them be and all things will come about in due time.

We have adopted a lot of wild chicks and their mamas. One family we have is mama plus 9 chicks, probably 2 months old, maybe a bit less. Eight of them peck and scratch, run around and jump on things. But one just stands. He/she seems to eat and drink all right, and every now and again joins with the others. It doesn't appear sick or injured. Why does this one act so different than the rest? Also, we had big egg mixup here. Result is a RIR raising one americauna and 4 silkies, two silkies sharing 7 silkies and 7 assorted chicks. At some point the RIR is going to try to get the silkies to roost in the shop, but they won't be able to fly and the silkies assorted babies are already outflying the silkie chicks at 2 weeks old. I tried putting all silkie chicks together, but mamas didn't like that. Any ideas?

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As for when do they start clucking “normally?” I had a cross recently that hardly ever clucked - but boy would she go to BEGAWWWWWKING any time I came in sight. And she would hen-crow every morning like the Dickens.I LOVE the begawking! I can't wait until they start doing that.

Mine now make that “BRAWWWWK!” when I come into sight. It’s funny to listen to. When they go to roost at night they make a quiet peep, peep kind of sound. The “getting ready for bed” sound. It's always something.

LoisCroft, I have one that does that too. I asked in another thread but no one seemed to have an answer. The one I have seems healthy enough but hangs out alone most of the time. Does not join in when I toss in scratch. She does eat and drink fine, but is not like the other chicks at all.

She ate her eggs...why? I don't understand...She did it I guess after I went to bed this afternoon, because at 1pm EST they were all still there.....so between 1 and 4 they disappeared so I guess she ate them.

How many eggs did she have? If it was more than 1, and no other chickens could get to them, I doubt she ate them herself. Besides, hens usually don't eat every bit, you can still tell there were eggs there? Can possums or skunks get into your hen house? They will take eggs whole and carry them off, and there's nothing the hen can do about it. I think you're lucky you still have your hen! Poor baby.

No animal can get into my house unless you count my 3 children, but one wasn't home and the other two the youngest two swear they never touched them....there is no sign of them anywhere....we even searched the house to make sure they weren't lying around somewhere and nothing....if something comes near the cage with the excepting of me, my hen goes ballistic and won't let anything touch those eggs.

Is the hen in your people house? If so, I'd start by questioning the kids again. My daughter has been known to “borrow” eggs for little “experiments” without telling me first. Was there any mess left over, like sticky bedding material? Normally, hens leave some evidence of their misdeeds since they can’t swallow an egg whole.

I haven’t had much experience with egg-eating hens, but if she really is the culprit, one method that does work is to blow out an egg and fill it with pepper or some other disliked substance. They get a nasty surprise and it usually works wonders.

Her chickens are house chickens. I did find an egg that had been eaten and that had a small hole in it, probably about a centimeter or two across. My thought is with the kids.

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