Author: TBN Ranch

Chicken Keeper in Phoenix, Arizona, with special interest in Silkie Bantams. Offering valuable resources to fellow chicken enthusiasts since 2012.

Practical Chicken Coop Bedding Choices

Bedding Choices to Keep your Coop Clean, and your Life Easier

Written by a real person!

When it comes to chicken coop bedding, new options and creative combinations are gaining popularity as chicken keepers look for better choices.
Hemp bedding is becoming especially popular. It’s highly absorbent, some sources say it can hold up to four times its own weight in moisture, and it naturally helps control odors better than shavings. It also breaks down easier when composting. However, consider the fact that Hemp is pricier and may be hard to source.
I don’t have any personal experience with Pelletized Bedding but I have heard of other chicken keepers using it and are happy with its performance. It’s often made from recycled paper or other natural materials. These pellets produce less dust, and can sometimes outperform traditional options when it comes to odor control. But in my opinion it sounds like it’s a product you are going to be replacing often… that means an expense and a chore you may not want.
The Deep Litter Method continues to be a favorite for its practicality and sustainability. Instead of frequent full clean-outs, fresh bedding layers are added over time while the old material decomposes in place. This system helps manage odor, generates warmth, and reduces labor. However, success depends on good ventilation, regular stirring or turning, and careful moisture control, otherwise, issues like ammonia, mold, and pests will most definitely become a problem. This method is most popular in colder climates.
Pine Shavings are probably the most popular product used in coops, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. I won’t deny they’re soft, absorbent, help control odors, and smell wonderful. Not to mention they’re affordable, widely available, compost well, and a good choice for the deep litter method. But there is a downside, pine shavings are super dusty which can be a respiratory irritant to chickens as well as their keepers. They break down quickly, need regular refreshing, and when they get damp, trap bacteria and ammonia. Shavings need to be replaced often, a chore that is time consuming and messy. Which brings me to why I don’t use them, and what I highly recommend instead….

Sand

Sand has become a very popular growing trend. Sand dries quickly, doesn’t decompose or get moldy like other bedding, and provides great drainage. Coarse sand (I use construction grade) is the best choice (fine play sand should be avoided.) The coop is easy to clean using a sifting rake. You can have sand delivered from a local landscape center, take the afternoon and spread it yourself (or hire someone,) and you are good to go for literally years.

If you feel the need to mix or blend bedding materials, this is okay too. This is a great way to take advantage of the different individual strengths of various beddings. It makes good sense to adjust bedding seasonally, especially in winter. 
More info: Sand types / Sifting shovels

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Starting a Backyard Flock: Pros, Cons, and Practical Tips

Backyard chickens bring fresh nutritious eggs and fun, but also work. Explore the pros, cons, and tips for starting your own flock.

Thinking about starting a backyard flock? Chickens aren’t just about eggs, they bring personality, entertainment, and yeah… a little work too, but it’s rewarding work. Within the flock, a pecking order governs who gets first dibs on everything, the food, best perch, even the nest boxes. Watching them sort it out can be entertaining, or maybe better described as… a soap opera. Their verbal chatter is constant, clucks, cackles, and gossip-like conversations that only they understand. Some hens announce their egg-laying achievement with a noisy “cackle song” that lets you know they’ve laid. I have one hen ( Nugget, a 4 y/o Mille Fleur) who never lays an egg but has made it her job to inform me with her repetitive cackle that another hen has.
Depending on the breeds you keep, your nest boxes could be filled with white, chocolate-brown, brown, pale blue, mossy green, and even speckled eggs. Whatever the color of the egg, when you crack one open, you’ll see the difference instantly, bright golden yolks and firm whites, a freshness that store-bought eggs can’t match.

FYI: By the time you buy store eggs, they’re usually 2–3 (or more) weeks old. Farm-fresh eggs are not only more nutritious, but feel like both a gift and a reward for the time and commitment of chicken keeping.

Each chicken comes with a unique personality. Some may follow you around curiously, some are aloof, and the bold leaders just seem interested in being just that. Sometimes there’s that special one who might jump in your lap for extra attention. One thing is for sure, spend some time with your chickens and you’ll see plenty of antics accompanied by endless drama. Over time, your chickens will come to know you, greeting you at the gate, especially if you have treats or kitchen scraps.
Chickens live by a sense of rhythm. As the sun goes down, they all march into the coop and put themselves to bed. In the winter, their egg-laying slows, reminding us to respect the natural cycles of rest and renewal. 
Is keeping chickens cost-effective? Well… no, not really. Fresh eggs come at a price. A spacious, predator-safe coop and run can be expensive to set up, and feeding a small flock of 6–8 birds usually runs about $30+ a month, substantially more if you choose organic feed. That’s enough to buy a lot of store-bought eggs. So what’s the bottom line? It all comes down to whether the expense and commitment are worth it to you.

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Silkie Bantam: A Complete Guide

Written by a real person & chicken keeper!

The Silkie Bantam (my personal favorite breed) is a very unique breed, believed to have originated in Asia — possibly China, India, or Japan. Classified as a bantam breed, they are recognized by the American Poultry Association in both bearded and non-bearded varieties, with several accepted colors including white, black, blue, buff, partridge, splash, and gray.
Physical Traits
Silkies are most famous for their signature soft, fluffy, fur-like appearance. Their skin is a black-blueish color, and their comb and wattles are mulberry-colored. Unlike most chickens, Silkies have five toes instead of four. They are small in size, with hens weighing around 2–3 pounds and roosters 3–4 pounds. They lay cream or tinted eggs, producing about three a week, when not broody.  While not prolific layers, they more than make up for it with their exceptional broody tendencies. (broody describes a hen’s natural instinct to sit on eggs and hatch them.)
Temperament
Silkies are extremely gentle, calm, and friendly, especially if they are handled often as chicks. I don’t have much experience with roosters since they aren’t allowed where I live, but sources claim they are usually less aggressive than those of other breeds.
Heat and Cold Tolerance
Silkies require a bit more care in extreme weather due to their feather structure. Their fluffy feathers don’t insulate as well as standard feathers and are not waterproof. In cold weather, they can easily become chilled if they get wet. They tolerate mild cold fairly well if kept dry and in a draft-free coop, but below freezing they need extra protection such as insulation, deep bedding, and careful monitoring for frostbite.
When it comes to heat, many sources claim Silkies struggle in high temperatures. However, I will argue that since I raise Silkies in the desert. With a misting system, a fan, plenty of shade, and a shallow pool, my Silkies have handled temperatures as high as 119 and do remarkably well. In fact, my heavier breeds show far more signs of distress in extreme heat than the Silkies.
Broody Tendencies
Many hens will go broody multiple times a year, and once they commit, they are determined — even if it means setting on an empty nest. A broody hen will set on eggs for 21 days, raise the chicks for several weeks to a few months, and may start the cycle again shortly afterward. While broody, a hen doesn’t lay eggs, which explains why Silkies produce fewer eggs overall than non-broody breeds. FYI, a broody hen will happily set on and hatch eggs laid by other members of the flock.

Great Adoptive Mothers
(Raising hatch-a-longs)

Silkies will usually accept 2 day old baby chicks that aren’t their own, including incubator-hatched or mail-order chicks, as long as the chicks are slipped under them at night. Of course, it’s important to watch closely to make sure they are accepted. I’ve had great success with my Silkies raising hatch-a-longs. Want to learn more?

How to Introduce Chicks to a Broody Hen.

Not only will the Silkie Bantam make a wonderful addition to your flock, their unique fluffy appearance will also add a little charm and beauty. Bye for now! 🙂

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