5 Best Bedding For Chicken Coops Old Farmers Swear By

You can tell a lot about a chicken coop the moment you step inside. The smell, the feel of the air, the sound of the birds—it all comes back to what’s on the floor. Choosing the right bedding isn’t just about cleanliness; it’s the foundation of a healthy, low-stress environment for your flock.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!

Choosing the Right Bedding for a Healthy Flock

The perfect bedding doesn’t exist, but the perfect bedding for your coop does. Your climate, the number of birds you keep, and how much time you have for chores all play a role. A damp, humid environment demands high absorbency to fight mold, while a dry, dusty one might call for a heavier material that won’t get kicked into the air.

Think of bedding as a tool for managing moisture, ammonia, and temperature. Good bedding soaks up droppings and spilled water, keeping your chickens’ feet dry and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. It also gives them something to scratch and forage in, which is crucial for their mental well-being.

Before you buy a single bag, consider these factors:

• Absorbency: How well does it lock away moisture?
• Dust Level: Will it create respiratory issues for you or your flock?
• Compostability: What will you do with it after it’s served its purpose?
• Cost & Availability: Can you get it easily and affordably year-round?

The goal is a coop that smells earthy, not like a barnyard. The right bedding makes that happen with far less work on your part.

Pine Shavings: The Gold Standard for Absorbency

When in doubt, start with pine shavings. There’s a reason they are the most popular choice for backyard coops. They are highly absorbent, relatively inexpensive, and readily available at any feed or farm supply store.

The key to pine shavings is their ability to soak up moisture and then dry out, which helps control ammonia buildup. The fine texture makes it easy for chickens to dust bathe and scratch around. Plus, used pine shavings break down beautifully in a compost pile, turning a coop chore into future garden gold.

Just be sure you’re buying pine shavings, not fine sawdust, which can be too dusty. The larger flakes offer the best balance of absorbency and low dust. While they are a fantastic all-around option, they do require regular turning or spot cleaning to prevent wet spots from compacting.

Straw: Ideal for the Deep Litter Method Success

Straw is the old-timer’s choice, and for good reason. Its hollow stalks trap air, providing excellent insulation during cold winters. This makes it a top contender if you live in a place where temperatures plummet.

However, straw isn’t very absorbent on its own. It tends to mat down when wet, creating a perfect environment for mold and pathogens. Its real strength is as the backbone of a deep litter system, where its high carbon content helps balance the nitrogen-rich chicken manure, creating a healthy composting environment right on the coop floor.

If you choose straw, make sure it’s straw (the dry, hollow stalks of cereal grains) and not hay (dried grasses and legumes). Hay holds moisture and can mold quickly, posing a health risk. For best results with straw, you must commit to actively managing it.

Construction Sand: The Low-Dust, Easy-Clean Option

Using sand in a chicken coop might sound strange, but it has some serious advantages. Coarse construction sand or river sand is incredibly easy to clean. You can simply scoop out the droppings with a kitty litter sifter, leaving the clean sand behind. This dramatically reduces waste and can make daily upkeep much faster.

Sand is also a fantastic, low-dust option, which is a blessing for both chickens and keepers with respiratory sensitivities. Chickens love to dust bathe in it, and it dries out exceptionally fast, keeping the coop environment from getting damp. It’s a clean, inorganic solution.

The tradeoffs are significant, though. Sand offers zero insulation, making it a poor choice for cold climates unless you’re prepared to supplement with heat. It also doesn’t compost, so you have to figure out what to do with the soiled sand you scoop out. It’s a system that works brilliantly for some, but it’s not a universal solution.

Hemp Bedding: Superior Odor Control and Low Dust

Hemp bedding is a newer player in the game, but it’s quickly earning a reputation as a premium option. It’s incredibly absorbent—reportedly holding up to four times its weight in moisture. This superior absorbency means it does an amazing job of locking down ammonia odors.

Made from the woody core of the hemp plant, this bedding is also naturally low in dust and has a soft texture that’s easy on chickens’ feet. Because it’s so effective, you often don’t need to use as much or change it as frequently as other types of bedding, which can offset its higher initial cost.

The primary downside is price and availability. You won’t find hemp bedding at every local feed store, and it costs more per bag than pine shavings or straw. But if you’re battling persistent dampness or ammonia, or have a smaller coop where odors concentrate, hemp can be a game-changer.

Chopped Hay: A Frugal, Readily Available Choice

For those with access to it, old or spoiled hay can be a frugal bedding choice, but it comes with caveats. Unlike straw, hay contains leaves and seed heads, which means it holds more moisture and can mold if not kept bone dry. It’s not something you can just throw in and forget about.

The benefit is that it’s often free or cheap if you know a farmer cleaning out their barn. Chickens will also enjoy picking through it for any leftover seeds or tasty bits, giving them a bit of enrichment. If you use hay, it must be chopped into shorter lengths to prevent it from wrapping around a chicken’s leg or causing an impacted crop if they eat too much.

This is an option best suited for experienced keepers who can spot the signs of mold and are diligent about keeping the coop dry. Never use fresh, green hay, as it will quickly rot and create a mess. Use dry, brown, leftover hay only.

Why You Must Avoid Cedar Shavings in Your Coop

This isn’t a matter of preference; it’s a matter of safety. Never use cedar shavings in your chicken coop. While the pleasant aroma might seem like a good way to control coop odors, it comes from volatile oils (phenols) that are toxic to chickens.

These aromatic compounds can cause severe irritation to the sensitive respiratory systems of birds. Prolonged exposure can lead to chronic respiratory disease, liver damage, and a weakened immune system. The dust from cedar is particularly potent and dangerous.

Stick to kiln-dried pine shavings if you want to use wood. Pine has a much lower level of these aromatic oils and is considered safe for poultry. When it comes to your flock’s health, there is no reason to ever risk using cedar.

Managing Bedding with the Deep Litter Technique

The deep litter method is more than just letting bedding pile up—it’s about cultivating a living ecosystem on your coop floor. You start with a 4-6 inch layer of high-carbon bedding like pine shavings or straw. Instead of cleaning it out, you simply turn the soiled spots with a pitchfork and add a fresh layer on top as needed.

Over time, beneficial microbes break down the manure and bedding, creating a rich, compost-like material. A properly managed deep litter bed generates its own heat, helping to keep the coop warmer in the winter. It also produces a healthy environment that can outcompete harmful pathogens.

This method requires active management. You must ensure it stays aerobic (by turning it) and maintains the right moisture balance—not too wet, not too dry. A successful deep litter coop smells earthy and pleasant, and you only need to do a full clean-out once a year, leaving you with incredible compost for your garden.

Ultimately, the best bedding is the one you can manage consistently. Watch your birds, smell the air in your coop, and don’t be afraid to try something new. A dry, comfortable, and interesting floor is one of the greatest gifts you can give your flock.