Use of Sawdust in a Chicken's House

Bedding or litter is used to cover the floor of chicken coops and to provide nest material in the nesting boxes. Chickens come in contact with the bedding material every day, so the bedding must be safe. A wide variety of materials are available for poultry bedding, including sawdust. However, not all sawdust is the same, and some may not be appropriate for use with chickens.

  1. Sawdust as Litter

    • Sawdust is an attractive litter material for the coop because it is usually inexpensive. This by-product of the lumber industry is too fine to use as a mulch, but it is absorbent enough to keep the coop and manure dry. Because it is lightweight, chickens can easily scratch through sawdust looking for insects or bits of food and getting some exercise. However, because sawdust is so light and fine it can cause respiratory problems when the chickens' scratching sends it airborne. The small pieces also become a digestive problem, especially for baby chicks, if accidentally eaten. Use sawdust as litter in well-ventilated coops and with adult chickens only.

    Sawdust as Nesting Material

    • Chickens peck at their nesting material, picking it up and dropping it right where they want it to make the perfect nest. Sawdust's small bits encourage accidental ingestion during nesting. Additionally, nesting boxes are small, confined spaces ideal for the hen to hide and lay an egg but lacking in ventilation. As the hen settles on the nest, she kicks up that fine sawdust which could cause respiratory problems. Therefore, do not use sawdust in the nesting box.

    Cautions

    • Sawdust comes from different types of wood, depending on what lumber is being processed. Sawdust derived from hardwoods contains molds and fungi that can cause health problems for your chickens. Additionally, cedar is well-known for its insect-repelling properties and is commonly used as pet bedding. Unfortunately, it is toxic to chickens.

    Alternatives

    • Even though sawdust is inexpensive and readily available, it is not the best material to use in your chicken coop. Pine shavings, straw, chopped cardboard, ground corn cobs and coffee bean chaff, a waste product from roasting coffee beans, are much safer alternatives that are coarse but absorbent. Coffee bean chaff is often very cheap and readily available from coffee houses and restaurants that roast their own beans.