Best Chicken Bedding UK (2026): Straw vs Hemp vs Shavings
This guide contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Find out more.
Bedding is one of those things new keepers rarely think about until they’re standing in the pet shop staring at five different bags. Yet the right bedding makes a real difference: it keeps the coop dry, cuts down on smells, protects your hens’ feet and makes cleaning out far quicker. The wrong one can be dusty, damp or even harmful.
Here we compare the three main options UK keepers use — chopped straw, hemp and wood shavings — and pick out the best bags of each on Amazon UK.
Straw vs hemp vs shavings: the quick answer
| Bedding | Good for | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Chopped straw | Warm and cosy, cheap, great for nest boxes, composts quickly | Less absorbent than hemp; must be dust-extracted |
| Hemp | Very absorbent, low dust, controls smells well, lasts longer between clean-outs | Costs more per bag |
| Wood shavings / fibre | Absorbent, easy to find, light to handle | Can be dusty if poor quality; slower to compost |
If you want one simple recommendation: hemp for the coop floor, chopped straw for the nest boxes. That combination keeps the house dry and gives your hens a soft, inviting spot to lay.
Our top picks at a glance
| Bedding | Type | Best for | Price (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dengie Fresh Bed for Chickens | Chopped straw | Best overall | £26 |
| AubiChick Hemp Bedding (20kg) | Hemp | Best hemp bedding | £26 |
| Chicksoft Chopped Wheat Straw (16kg) | Chopped straw | Best British-grown straw | £18 |
| Easichick Poultry Bedding (10kg) | Wood fibre | Best budget bedding | £12 |
| Warma Hardwood Chicken Chips (70L) | Wood chips | Best for the run floor | £19 |
The best chicken bedding in the UK
1. Dengie Fresh Bed for Chickens — best overall
Dengie is a well-known British animal bedding and feed company, and this chopped straw bed was developed with the British Hen Welfare Trust. It’s one of the most popular chicken beddings on Amazon UK, with hundreds of reviews.
- Chopped, dust-extracted straw
- Includes pine oil, a natural antibacterial and antifungal
- 100-litre bale — Dengie says it will last five hens about four weeks
- Compostable, and breaks down faster than shavings or pellets
What we like: It gives you the warmth and comfort of straw without the dust and long stalks of a standard bale, and it’s a good choice for ex-commercial hens.
Worth knowing: Like all straw, it holds less moisture than hemp, so spot-clean wet patches regularly, especially in winter.
2. AubiChick Hemp Bedding — best hemp bedding
Hemp is the bedding many experienced keepers swear by, and Aubiose is one of the best-known hemp brands. AubiChick is its version made for poultry.
- 20kg bag
- 100% natural and pesticide-free
- Absorbs moisture and helps control smells
- Fully compostable
What we like: Hemp soaks up droppings and moisture far better than straw, so the coop stays drier and fresher for longer. That means fewer full clean-outs — useful in a wet British winter.
Worth knowing: It costs more per bag than straw, although it lasts longer. It’s less cosy than straw in nest boxes, so many keepers use both.
3. Chicksoft Chopped Wheat Straw — best British-grown straw
A soft, short-chopped wheat straw that’s grown in Essex and packed in the UK.
- 16kg bag of chopped wheat straw
- Dust-extracted
- Treated with a blend of oils including eucalyptus for a fresh smell
- Grown and packed in Britain
What we like: It’s well priced, very well reviewed and soft enough to make lovely nest box bedding.
Worth knowing: Some hens (and keepers) aren’t keen on scented bedding. If you’d prefer unscented straw, check before you buy.
4. Easichick Poultry Bedding — best budget bedding
A low-cost bedding made from natural wood fibres, formulated specifically for domestic poultry.
- 10kg bag
- Made from natural wood fibres
- Dust-free and antibacterial
- Highly absorbent
What we like: It’s cheap, absorbent and easy to handle, which makes it a sensible everyday choice for a small flock.
Worth knowing: Wood-based bedding takes longer to break down on the compost heap than straw or hemp.
5. Warma Hardwood Chicken Chips — best for the run floor
Bedding isn’t just for inside the coop. In a British winter, a run with bare soil turns into mud in no time. A thick layer of hardwood chips keeps it drier underfoot.
- 70-litre bag
- Kiln-dried virgin hardwood
- Pieces roughly 4–39mm in size
- Robust and slow to break down
What we like: A good layer of chips makes a muddy run usable again, and hens love scratching through it.
Worth knowing: This is for the run, not the coop or nest boxes. You’ll need several bags to cover a decent-sized run.
What to avoid
- Hay: it looks similar to straw but holds moisture and can go mouldy, which can cause breathing problems in hens.
- Sawdust: it’s too fine and dusty, and it can stick to damp eggs and feet.
- Newspaper on its own: it’s slippery when wet and doesn’t absorb well.
- Dusty bedding: whatever you choose, look for “dust-extracted” on the bag. Hens have sensitive lungs.
How much bedding do you need?
Aim for a layer of around 5–10cm on the coop floor and enough in each nest box for your hens to make a little hollow. Spot-clean droppings every few days, and do a full clean-out every couple of weeks — more often in wet weather. With hemp you can usually go a bit longer between clean-outs.
Frequently asked questions
Is straw or hemp better for chickens?
Hemp is more absorbent and less dusty, so it keeps the coop drier and cleaner. Straw is warmer, cheaper and nicer in nest boxes. Many keepers use both.
Can I compost used chicken bedding?
Yes. Straw, hemp and wood shavings mixed with chicken droppings make excellent compost. Let it rot down for several months before putting it on your vegetable beds.
What’s the best bedding for winter?
Chopped straw is warmer, but hemp handles the damp better. In very cold, wet weather a deep layer of hemp with straw in the nest boxes works well. Make sure the coop is still well ventilated — damp air causes more problems than cold.
Prices, ratings and specifications were checked on Amazon UK in October 2026 and may have changed since. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
