The best bedding absorbs moisture, controls smell, and stays put when birds scratch
The material on your coop floor does three jobs at once: it soaks up droppings and spilled water so the air stays breathable, it gives your birds something natural to scratch in, and it breaks down into compost you can use in a garden. Pine shavings are the most common choice because they're cheap, absorbent, and straightforward to find at feed stores. Straw works too but compacts faster and holds moisture longer. Sand drains when ready but doesn't compost well. The worst choice is sawdust—it clumps when wet and can cause respiratory problems in birds.
How much you need depends on your coop size and how often you clean. A 4-by-8-foot coop for four birds needs about 4 to 6 inches of fresh bedding at the start, then a top-up every week or two. You'll do a full cleanout every 4 to 8 weeks depending on how wet your climate is and whether you have a covered run outside the coop.
Key Takeaways
- Pine shavings are the standard choice because they absorb moisture, control ammonia smell, and cost less than alternatives.
- Never use cedar or walnut shavings—the oils in both are toxic to chickens and can damage their respiratory systems.
- Sand drains fast but doesn't break down, so it's best mixed with other materials or used only in the outdoor run, not inside the coop.
- Straw and hay look similar but straw (the hollow stem left after grain harvest) works better than hay (dried grass with seeds) because it doesn't mold as quickly.
- Wet bedding creates ammonia fumes that harm birds even when you can't smell it, so replace material if it feels damp to the touch.
Pine shavings: why they work and how to use them
Pine shavings are wood chips from pine trees, sold in compressed bales at feed stores, farm supply shops, and online. They cost between $5 and $15 per bale depending on where you buy and how much you order. One bale covers a 4-by-8-foot coop about twice, so a small flock needs one bale every 4 to 6 weeks.
Spread them 4 to 6 inches deep on the coop floor. Chickens will scratch and mix them as they move around, which is exactly what you want—it aerates the bedding and slows decomposition. When the top layer looks dark and packed down, add another 2 inches without removing the old material. This is called the "deep litter method" and it works because the bottom layers heat up and break down naturally, creating a compost pile inside your coop. After 8 to 12 weeks, remove everything and start fresh.
Do not buy cedar or walnut shavings, even if they smell nice or cost the same. Both contain oils that irritate chicken lungs and can cause serious respiratory infections. Pine is safe.
Sand: when to use it and when to skip it
Sand drains when ready and never holds moisture, which sounds perfect until you realize it doesn't absorb anything—droppings sit on top and smell fast. It also doesn't break down, so you can't compost it. Sand is best used in the outdoor run on dry ground, where drainage matters more than smell control.
If you do use sand in the coop itself, mix it half-and-half with pine shavings. The sand improves drainage while the shavings absorb moisture and smell. Use play sand or construction sand, not beach sand, which contains salt and shells. Avoid sand entirely if your coop sits in a low spot or gets wet regularly—it will compact into concrete-hard clumps.
Straw and hay: the difference and why it matters
Straw is the hollow stem left over after grain (wheat, oats, barley) is harvested. Hay is dried grass cut before it goes to seed. They look almost identical, but straw works much better in a coop because it's hollow and stays fluffy longer. Hay is denser, holds moisture, and molds quickly in a humid coop.
Straw costs $4 to $8 per bale and lasts about as long as pine shavings. Spread it 4 to 6 inches deep and add more as it compacts. The main drawback is that it breaks down faster than pine, so you'll need to do a full cleanout every 4 to 6 weeks instead of 8 to 12. It's a good choice if you have a compost pile ready to go or a garden that needs mulch.
If you buy straw and it smells musty or looks moldy, don't use it—mold spores will make your birds sick. Fresh straw smells dry and sweet.
Sawdust and wood chips: why they don't work
Sawdust is the fine powder left over from cutting lumber. It seems like it would absorb moisture, but it actually clumps into wet balls that trap ammonia underneath. Ammonia burns chicken eyes and lungs even at levels you can't smell, and sawdust coop bedding often reaches those levels within days of getting wet.
Large wood chips (the kind used for playground mulch) are too coarse to absorb droppings and create gaps where moisture pools underneath. Stick with shavings, which are the middle ground—small enough to absorb but large enough to stay loose.
How to spot bedding that needs changing
Bedding breaks down fastest in warm, humid weather and slowest in cold, dry climates. Check your coop twice a week by pressing your hand into the material. If it feels damp or smells strongly of ammonia, it's time to add fresh material or do a full cleanout.
Signs that a full cleanout is overdue include dark, packed-down material that doesn't fluff up when you stir it; visible mold or mildew; or a sharp ammonia smell that makes your eyes water. A healthy coop smells earthy, not chemical. If you're doing the deep litter method, the bottom layers will be dark and crumbly—that's normal and means decomposition is working. Only remove everything when the pile reaches the top of your coop walls or when you see mold.
Setting up bedding in a new coop or run
Start with a clean, dry floor. If your coop has a wooden floor, lay down hardware cloth or wire mesh first to keep rodents from burrowing underneath, then add bedding on top. If it's a dirt floor, bedding goes straight down—the earth underneath will absorb some moisture and help with drainage.
Spread your chosen material evenly 4 to 6 inches deep. Don't skimp on depth; thin bedding compacts fast and doesn't absorb enough moisture. In a covered run (the outdoor area attached to the coop), you can use 2 to 3 inches because it dries faster and gets less use than the indoor coop.
If you're mixing materials—say, pine shavings with sand—blend them together before spreading so moisture distribution is even. A pitchfork or garden fork works well for this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use leaves or grass clippings as bedding?
Fresh grass clippings will mold within days and create ammonia problems. Dried leaves work better and are free, but they break down very fast—you'll need to add more every week or two. They're best used as a top layer over pine shavings rather than as the main bedding.
What do I do with old bedding after I clean the coop?
Pine shavings and straw compost well in a pile or bin. Mix them with kitchen scraps and grass clippings, keep the pile moist, and turn it every few weeks. Finished compost takes 2 to 4 months and works great for gardens. Sand can't be composted, so save it for outdoor runs or discard it.
Is it okay to use newspaper under the bedding?
Yes. Newspaper under 4 to 6 inches of shavings or straw adds a moisture barrier and makes cleanup easier—you can pull up the whole layer at once. Use black-and-white newspaper only, not glossy inserts. Avoid cardboard; it breaks down too fast and creates gaps where moisture pools.
How do I know if my coop is too wet for the bedding I chose?
If bedding stays damp even after you've added fresh material and the coop has good ventilation, your coop may have a drainage problem. Check that water isn't pooling under the coop after rain, that the roof doesn't leak, and that the run drains away from the coop. You may need to add sand to the run or raise the coop on blocks to improve airflow underneath.
Can I use the same bedding year-round, or should I change it by season?
The material stays the same, but the schedule changes. In summer, bedding gets wet faster and smells quicker, so do full cleanouts every 3 to 4 weeks. In winter, moisture evaporates slower, but the deep litter method actually works better because the decomposing bedding generates heat. You can go 8 to 12 weeks between cleanouts in cold weather.