Wood Chipper for Coop Bedding
About This Resource
A high-quality woodchipper is required to make wood chip bedding for chickens. Many people who purchase a woodchipper aren’t looking to sell woodchips but to clean up their property. While many use woodchips for mulch, using them first as chicken bedding and then as mulch will reduce bedding costs and increase the nutrient value of the mulch. Keeping the fallen and cut branches on-site has positive environmental effects, such as reducing waste, improving the soil quality, and reducing methane emissions caused by landfills. To fill a chicken coop with surplus tree material from your property, you’ll need a woodchipper with shredding capabilities. To learn more, we spoke to Jon Richardson, business development manager for Crary Industries. The company manufactures the Bear Cat woodchipper, one of many products you could use for this sustainable-themed task.
Key takeaways
What to know before you act on this, from the SteadScape editors.
- Invest in a woodchipper with shredding capabilities, like the SC5540, which can chip wood up to 5 inches in diameter.
- For optimal chicken bedding, use dry or dead wood to minimize moisture content; avoid fresh green wood to prevent damp bedding.
- Aim for wood chip sizes of 3/8 inch to 1-1/2 inches for effective bedding; adjust the screen size on your chipper accordingly.
- Avoid using sawdust for bedding as it can cause respiratory issues in chickens; ensure your woodchipper produces minimal sawdust.
- Best for
- Homesteaders with backyard chickens; plan to chip wood in late summer for fall bedding.
- Pairs with
- Chicken Planner for your zone and frost dates.
Source Information
Summary and key takeaways written by SteadScape. How we choose resources
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