Chicken Support Insights - Episode 37: The Bedding Mistake That Quietly Hurts Your Flock

Wondering if the bedding in your chicken coop is actually helping your flock stay healthy? In this episode of Chicken Support Insights, Connie and Matt explain why bedding plays an important role in moisture control, cleanliness, air quality, and overall flock health, and why choosing the right material can make a difference in your coop environment. They also discuss why many poultry keepers avoid cedar shavings, what makes kiln-dried pine shavings a practical choice, and how straw and sand compare when it comes to maintaining a healthy coop.

What bedding are you currently using in your coop, and have you noticed a difference in your flock or cleanup routine after changing bedding materials?

If you want more guidance on choosing the right bedding for your flock, read our blog, “Choosing the Best Bedding for Your Chicks.” It covers different bedding options, what to consider when setting up your brooder, and how the right bedding can help create a cleaner, healthier environment for your chicks.

For more backyard poultry education, breed selection guidance, chick care resources, and seasonal flock management tips, explore Valley Hatchery's educational content. If this episode helped you rethink your coop bedding and flock environment, be sure to subscribe to Chicken Support Insights for more practical poultry education and backyard chicken insights.

Transcript

Connie 0:09

Welcome back to Chicken Insight Podcasts. I'm Connie and I am here with Matt.

Matt 0:15

Today we're talking about one of those flock care topics that doesn't get much attention. It seems like a simple choice, but using the wrong material or setting up your coop incorrectly can quietly affect your birds without you realizing it.

Connie 0:28

So today we're looking at why some bedding material are better than others. Why cedar is still commonly sold for chicken coops, even though many poultry keepers avoid it. And what you can do to create a healthier environment for your flock. Let's get into it.

Matt 0:49

Yeah, bedding is one of those things people often set up once and don't think about again. But it plays a much bigger role in flock health than many people realize.

Connie 0:59

So, Matt, why is bedding such an important part of keeping chickens healthy?

Matt 1:05

Yeah, most people think bedding is just there to catch droppings, but it's actually helping control moisture, cleanliness, and the overall environment your chickens live in every day. Bedding plays an important role in keeping chickens healthy because it helps manage moisture, droppings, and overall coop conditions. When bedding absorbs waste and acts as moisture, it helps keep the coop drier and more comfortable for the flock. A dry coop is important because wet conditions can lead to unpleasant odors, bacteria growth, and an unhealthy environment. So good bedding also supports better air quality by helping reduce ammonia buildup from droppings since chickens have a sensitive respiratory system. Maintaining a clean and well-ventilated space is an important part of their care. You really notice the difference when bedding is doing its job. The coop stays drier, cleaning is easier, and you're creating a healthier place for the flock. The right bedding choice can make routine cleaning much easier and help keep the coop in better condition. Even small bedding decisions can have long-term effects on flock health and coop management. So helping create a safer, cleaner, and more comfortable home for your chickens.

Connie 2:18

Exactly, Matt. It's one of those things that work quietly in the background when it is done right.

Matt 2:25

And Connie, if cedar isn't a great choice, why do you think so many feed stores still sell cedar shavings as coop bedding?

Connie 2:33

So I think a lot of people assume that if it's sitting on the shelf at the feed store, it's automatically a safe choice for chicken. Which people in the stores, I don't think they really know that cedar is very toxic to chickens. Not for chicken. The cedar smells really nice to people that they think it's gonna hide the ammonia smell and stuff in the coop, where it does not, and it's very toxic. That smell actually comes from aromatic oils. Those oils are exactly why many poultry keepers avoid cedar because they can potentially irritate your flock's lung, especially in the enclosed space in the coop. So even though it's easy to find and heavily marketed, that doesn't make it the best choice for your baby chick.

Matt 3:37

Exactly. You know, sometimes the product that's easiest to buy isn't the one that's best for your flock.

Connie 3:43

Okay, before we move on, take a moment to hear this message from Valley Hatchery.

Cortney 3:49

Hey, this is Cortney, customer support manager here at Valley Hatchery. Quick reminder before we get back to the episode: if you've ever wondered why shipping costs are higher for started pullets than for day-old chicks, it helps to understand everything that goes into raising them before they ever leave our farm. Unlike day-old chicks, started pullets have already received four to five months of daily care. From hatch until they're 16 to 20 weeks old, each bird is fed a carefully balanced diet, provided with clean housing, monitored for health, and cared for every single day. On average, it costs approximately $25 per month to raise a chick, $100 to $125 in feed and daily care invested into each pullet before shipping. Because started pullets are much larger than day-old chicks, they also require larger shipping containers, more space, and specialized handling during transportation. These factors naturally increase shipping costs compared to shipping newly hatched chicks. The good news is that your investment comes with significant benefits. Instead of starting with day-old chicks, you'll receive healthy, well-grown pullets that are only weeks away from laying their first eggs. You'll skip the brooder stage, avoid months of raising young chicks, and begin enjoying fresh eggs much sooner. If you have questions about started pullets or whether they're the right fit for your flock, give our customer support team a call at 1-800-6527606. If we're assisting other customers, please leave a voicemail and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. You can also email us from our website. We monitor our inbox every single day, including weekends. To learn more or see current availability, visit Valleyhatchery.com.

Matt 5:43

Let's jump back into today's episode.

Connie 5:46

So, Matt, have you ever had a customer call us because of bedding issues?

Matt 5:50

Actually, yes. I remember speaking with a customer who was frustrated because their coop always seemed dusty and they felt like their birds just weren't as comfortable as they expected. So I started asking about their setup and eventually we got to the bedding. You know, they told me they had switched to shutter shavings because their local feed stores recommended it. They figured that if it was sold as a coop bedding, it had to be the right product. That's probably what most of us would assume. Exactly. So we talked through their setup together. We asked about ventilation, how often they were replacing the bedding, whether moisture was building up, and what type of bedding they were using. So we suggested switching to kiln-dried pine shavings and making sure the bedding stayed dry and was replaced regularly.

Connie 6:38

Absolutely. And sometimes, Matt, that's all it takes.

Matt 6:42

Right, right. People usually aren't making bad decisions. They're making decisions based on what's available and what they've been told. So once they understood why pine was generally the better option, they felt much more confident about their setup.

Connie 6:57

I like that story because it shows that flock care isn't about getting everything perfect the first time. Sometimes it's just learning one better practice at a time.

Matt 7:09

So what should flock owners look for when choosing bedding?

Connie 7:13

So the best bedding isn't necessarily the fanciest. You're looking for something that stays dry, creates very little dust, absorbs moisture well, and it's easy to replace. When people ask us what we recommend, kiln dried pine shavings are usually at the top of the list because they're practical and easy.

Matt 7:36

Yeah, making the right choice from the beginning usually saves both time and money later.

Connie 7:41

So if you would like to learn more about choosing bedding materials and setting up a healthier brooder or coop, we also have educational resources on the Valley Hatchery website that go into more details.

Matt 7:56

Before we wrap up, let's do something a little different.

Connie 7:59

We thought we'd rank some of the most common coop bedding options.

Matt 8:04

But here's the important part: we're not ranking them by price.

Connie 8:07

We're ranking them by what they do for your flock's lungs and the overall coop environment.

Matt 8:14

So here's how we'd rank them.

Connie 8:16

First place goes to the kiln-dried pine shaving. They're absorbent, low dust, easy to maintain, and there are go-to recommendations for brooders.

Matt 8:28

Second would be straw. It can provide nice insulation during colder weather, but you have to stay on top of moisture because damp straw can quickly become a problem.

Connie 8:38

Okay, and the third is sand. It drains well and makes daily cleanup easy, but it doesn't provide much insulation if you're dealing with freezing temperatures.

Matt 8:49

And finishing last is cedar. Even though it's one of the most common products you'll find at feed stores, the aromatic oils that give cedar its fresh melt are also why many poultry keepers choose to avoid it.

Connie 9:01

So the cheapest or easiest option on this shelf doesn't automatically make it the healthiest choice.

Matt 9:08

Exactly. Choose betting based on what creates the healthiest environment for your flock, not simply what's available or smells the nicest. We hope today's conversation helps you take another look at something that's easy to overlook.

Connie 9:21

Sometimes improving flock health isn't about making big changes. It starts with the basics, and the betting is definitely one of those basics.

Matt 9:31

If there's a flock care topic you'd like us to cover in a future episode, we'd love to hear from you.

Connie 9:36

Leave us a question using the fan mail feature on Buzz sprout. We read your questions and they often inspire future episodes.

Matt 9:46

If you found today's episode helpful, be sure to follow the Chicken Insights podcast so you don't miss future conversations.

Connie 9:52

Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time. Happy flock keeping.