6 Best Recycled Paper Bedding For Eco Friendly Farms That Build Rich Soil
Explore the 6 best recycled paper beddings for farms. This sustainable choice is highly compostable, improving soil health and reducing farm waste.
Every chore on a hobby farm should do double duty if possible. When you’re mucking out a chicken coop or rabbit hutch, you’re not just cleaning; you’re harvesting one of the most valuable soil amendments you can get. The right animal bedding is the key that unlocks this potential, turning waste into black gold for your garden.
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Why Paper Bedding Builds Superior Compost
Paper is almost pure carbon, which is the "brown" material your compost pile craves. It acts as the fuel source for the microorganisms that break everything down. When you combine carbon-rich paper bedding with nitrogen-rich animal manure, you create a nearly perfect recipe for hot, active composting.
Unlike pine shavings, which are acidic and contain resins that slow decomposition, paper breaks down rapidly. Its porous structure absorbs urine (nitrogen!) and holds moisture, helping to regulate the compost environment. This combination of a clean carbon source and excellent moisture management means your pile heats up faster and finishes sooner.
The result is a finer, more consistent compost with a balanced pH. You’re not just getting rid of waste; you’re actively manufacturing high-quality fertilizer. This transforms a daily chore into a critical step in building your farm’s long-term fertility.
Small Pet Select: Unbleached & Compost-Ready
If you’re a compost purist, this is your bedding. Small Pet Select is made from unbleached, virgin paper fibers that have never been printed on. There are no inks, no dyes, no glues—nothing but pure paper.
This matters for your compost because you know exactly what you’re adding to your soil. It’s a clean, predictable carbon source that microorganisms can devour without issue. The soft, crinkly texture is also great for nesting animals, making it a comfortable choice for broody hens or rabbits.
The primary benefit for your soil is its rapid decomposition. Pure paper pulp breaks down incredibly fast. When mixed with manure, it creates a light, airy compost that improves soil structure almost immediately. The only real tradeoff is that it can be pricier than other options, but you’re paying for purity.
Kaytee Clean & Cozy for Maximum Absorbency
Kaytee’s biggest selling point is its incredible absorbency. This stuff acts like a sponge, which is fantastic for keeping coops and cages dry and controlling ammonia odor. A dry environment is a healthy environment for your animals.
This super-absorbency presents a small challenge for your compost pile. If you add large amounts of heavily saturated Kaytee bedding at once, you risk creating a soggy, compacted layer. A wet pile goes anaerobic, gets stinky, and slows decomposition to a crawl.
The solution is simple: balance it. When adding used Kaytee bedding to your pile, be sure to mix in drier "browns" like fall leaves, straw, or shredded cardboard. This ensures you maintain the air pockets necessary for a healthy, aerobic compost pile. Also, note that some varieties are dyed with pet-safe colors; while they won’t harm the compost, some farmers prefer to avoid any dyes at all.
Carefresh Complete: Softness and Odor Control
Carefresh is known for two things: exceptional softness and powerful odor control. The bedding is made from reclaimed paper pulp, making it fluffy and comfortable for animals. It’s an excellent choice for smaller, more sensitive creatures or for use in a nesting box.
The odor control often comes from added minerals, typically baking soda. This is a common concern for composters, but it’s rarely an issue in practice. The amount of baking soda is minuscule relative to the total volume of a compost pile and won’t significantly alter your soil’s pH.
Think of it as a tradeoff. You get superior in-coop odor management, which makes for a more pleasant environment for you and your animals. In return, you’re adding a tiny amount of a simple mineral to your compost. For most hobby farmers, the benefit of a less smelly barn far outweighs the negligible impact on the compost pile.
Fresh News Pellets: A Low-Dust Paper Option
If you’re sensitive to dust, Fresh News is a game-changer. These pellets are made from densely compressed, post-consumer recycled newspaper. The pellet form means there is virtually no airborne dust when you’re pouring it out or cleaning up.
The pellets also have a unique advantage in the compost pile. Initially, they help create air pockets, but as they absorb moisture, they rapidly break down into a soft, soil-like mass. This structure can help prevent compaction while still decomposing quickly.
Because it’s made from newspaper, it does contain inks. However, modern newspapers almost exclusively use soy-based inks, which are non-toxic and break down safely in compost. Fresh News is a fantastic, practical option that balances animal health, your health, and soil health.
So Phresh Crumbles for Superior Odor Control
So Phresh Crumbles offer a middle ground between fluffy bedding and dense pellets. The crumbled texture provides good absorbency and structure without being dusty. Like Carefresh, it often incorporates baking soda for enhanced odor control.
This texture is quite useful in a compost pile. The irregular shapes of the crumbles help maintain loft and prevent the material from becoming a single, dense mat. This built-in aeration can speed up the initial stages of decomposition.
Again, the presence of baking soda is a consideration, not a deal-breaker. The convenience of powerful odor control right in the hutch is a major plus for anyone keeping animals in a barn or shed close to the house. It’s a solid, all-around performer that’s both effective and compost-friendly.
Oxbow Pure Comfort: Safe for Sensitive Animals
Oxbow positions itself as a premium brand focused on animal health, and their bedding is no exception. Pure Comfort is undyed, unscented, and made from pure, never-printed paper. It’s designed to be safe for the most sensitive animals.
From a soil-building perspective, this purity is a huge asset. You are adding nothing but clean carbon and absorbed nitrogen to your compost. There are no variables or unknowns. It breaks down cleanly and quickly, contributing directly to the creation of high-quality humus.
The main consideration here is cost. Oxbow is often one of the most expensive paper beddings on the shelf. You have to decide if the guaranteed purity is worth the extra expense. For many, especially those with small animal operations or a deep commitment to an organic process, the peace of mind is worth the price.
Composting Your Used Paper Bedding Correctly
Simply piling up used bedding won’t give you great compost. The secret is managing the ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C:N) and maintaining proper moisture and aeration. The paper bedding is your carbon, and the animal manure and urine are your nitrogen.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for a mix that feels like a damp, wrung-out sponge—not dripping wet, not dusty dry. Since paper bedding can hold a lot of urine, you’ll often need to mix in extra dry materials. Keep a pile of dry leaves, straw, or shredded cardboard next to your compost bin for this purpose.
Finally, turn the pile. Use a pitchfork to mix everything together every week or two. This introduces oxygen, which feeds the aerobic bacteria that do the work. A well-managed pile with paper bedding will get hot (130-160°F), killing off pathogens and weed seeds and producing beautiful, rich compost in just a few months.
Choosing your animal bedding is an agricultural decision, not just a cleaning one. By selecting a compost-friendly paper bedding, you’re closing a loop on your farm. You’re turning a necessary expense into a powerful, soil-building asset that will pay dividends in your garden for years to come.
