Hemp bedding for chickens - frequently asked questions
We've been carrying hemp bedding in our online store since early 2018. We've received a lot of great questions about this amazing bedding. Here's a list of questions that we frequently receive about hemp bedding.
What is hemp bedding?
Hemp bedding is a soft, fibrous bedding made from the stalk of the hemp plant. The stalk of the hemp plant, aka the hurd, is dried out and mulched down into a straw like structure to create the bedding. Hemp comes from a variety of the cannabis plant and is extremely versatile. Hemp is used for making popular household items like shoes, canvas, bags, sheets, and rope. Hemp fiber is known for its strength and natural resistance to mold and the damaging UV rays of the sun.
(Hemp bedding inside one of our chicken coops)
Wait, if hemp is a variety of the Cannabis plant, does that mean hemp bedding is illegal?
Hemp bedding is completely legal in the United States. Hemp is NOT marijuana. Hemp doesn't contain THC, the psychoactive component found in marijuana. Hemp bedding is made from the husk of the plant.
What happens if my animal eats the hemp bedding?
Since hemp bedding contains no THC, your animal will be fine if they consumed any by mistake. At CityChick, we've been using hemp bedding for almost four years and I have never seen a chicken eat any hemp bedding.
You'll be surprised at how little dust there is when you spread out the bedding for the first time. Chickens have a simple respiratory system. Dust can become airborne and lead to serious health issues with your flock. Hemp is twice as absorbent than pine shavings. Chicken poop has a tendency to sit on top of pine shavings. Fibers from the hemp bedding help to "wick" out the moisture from the chicken poop. Your chickens will greatly appreciate the softer bedding. And if you're someone who composts, you'll appreciate that hemp bedding breaks down faster in the compost pile than pine shavings.
(Click here for our YouTube video showing a hemp bedding vs pine shavings side by side comparison!)
What other animals can I use hemp bedding for besides chickens?
We have customers that use hemp bedding for horses, goats, bunnies, guinea pigs, and even pet rats.
Can I use hemp bedding with my baby chicks?
How much hemp bedding is in the bag that you sell?
The bags of hemp bedding that we carry are 33 lbs each.
How much hemp bedding will I need for my chicken coop?
It really depends on the size of your coop. In general, one 27 lb bag of hemp bedding will cover the floor of a chicken coop that measures a 8 x 6 foot area.
How often will I need to clean out the hemp bedding?
That really depends on the number of chickens that you have and the size of your coop. I like to keep a kitty litter scoop in my coop. I use the kitty litter scoop to scoop out any poop on a weekly basis. We replace the hemp bedding in the chicken coop at least once a month.
Can I use the hemp bedding in my compost?
Yes! Hemp bedding works great in any compost.
Can I use the deep litter method with hemp bedding?
Yes. But please be advised that you still need to turn the hemp bedding with the deep litter method.
Hemp bedding is more expensive than pine shavings. How will using hemp bedding save me money?
We were changing out the pine shavings in our chicken coop at least once a week. Now we spot clean our coop with hemp bedding on a weekly basis and replace the hemp once every month. If you do the deep litter method, you'll change it even less.
I live in the city of Atlanta, do you deliver hemp bedding?
Yes. We deliver to the city of Atlanta for free on any orders over $50.
I live in Georgia but outside of Atlanta, do you have any other options?
We have a pickup option that might work for you. Email us at email@citychickatl.com for details.
I live in a different state. I tried adding hemp bedding to my shopping cart. Why is shipping hemp bedding so expensive?
Hemp bedding is a large item. Prices are charged are from third party carriers not from us. In many cases, we are still cheaper than hemp bedding on Amazon that includes "free shipping". If you would like to purchase 10 or more bales of hemp bedding, we can ship out freight. Contact us at email@citychickatl.com for information on freight shipments.
