Hemp Bedding For Chickens

The Benefits of Hemp Bedding for Your Chickens

The primary benefits of using hemp for your chicken bedding are reduced odors,  high absorption, extremely low dust content, high thermal rating (very important for little chicks), and being very biodegradable and sustainable.

Other benefits include hemp’s remarkable antibacterial, insecticide, and insulation properties. Plus, it’s a soft landing for your eggs!

Hemp Reduces Odor and Ammonia Levels 

We are all familiar with the unpleasant ammonia smell often present in some chicken coops. High ammonia levels aren’t just a nuisance; levels above 25 ppm will adversely affect the immune system of your birds. 

Chickens may also experience inflammation of their respiratory system due to high ammonia. If you notice your birds are losing weight and have teary eyes, ammonia could be the culprit. 

Because hemp bedding is a lightweight, porous material that is highly absorbent, it also helps to lower the levels of ammonia in the coop. Chicken owners using Dominion Hemp bedding have reported a marked reduction in the smell of ammonia in and around their chicken facilities, making hemp a healthier choice for your chicks.

Hemp Absorbs 4x Weight, So Your Birds Stay Dry

Wetness in chicken coops can be a common issue and is often caused by waste and water spillage. Many bedding materials, such as wood shavings and straw, become saturated and damp. 

This creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mites, and other disease-causing organisms. This dampness can also affect the respiratory health of chickens and even your birds' feet.

The absorption content of hemp is 400% compared to 250% and 125% of wood and straw.  Hemp soaks up moisture like a sponge, making it an ideal bedding for chickens. Hemp has a clumping aspect, so your birds stay clean and dry — and their coops are drier, too. 

Our Hemp is 99% Dust-Free, Which Means Healthier Chickens

Chickens have a very delicate respiratory system. Dust is a trigger for many respiratory illnesses. Many other bedding substrates like straw, sawdust, and sand contain high amounts of particulate matter that get into your birds' airways and lungs and cause them trouble.

Dust also creates a thriving ground for mites that can be a nuisance to poultry animals.

Dominion Hemp takes your animals' health seriously and removes 99% of the dust before packaging, making for a healthier alternative for your flock. 

Hemp Bedding Has High Coverage and is Cost-Effective

Dominion Hemp hemp bedding expands to 121 square feet for maximum effective coverage.

Depending on your litter method, one bag of Dominion Hemp hemp will cover twelve nesting boxes and an 8x6 run.

Multiple bags of pine would be needed for the same coverage. Due to hemp's high absorbency and clumping properties, you can remove only the soiled material, reducing labor and extending the product's lifespan, which saves you money. 

A Soft Landing Saves Your Eggs

A soft landing is critical for egg-laying chickens to prevent cracked eggs and lost omelets. Yet standard beddings like wood shavings and even sand are often too hard on impact.  Eggs laid or dropped onto these stiff surfaces easily fracture.

Luckily, the pillowy loft of hemp hurd absorbs shock and protects eggs from cracks and breaks when laid or dropped. It might seem like common sense, but Dominion Hemp customers confirm that hemp bedding reduces breakage versus their old bedding. 

Switching to our soft, shock-absorbent bedding gives you one less thing to think about around the henhouse. 

A High Thermal Rating will Keep Your Chicks Comfy and Cozy

Chickens like it to stay warm, with 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit being the ideal temperature range for optimal comfort and egg production.

With its low bulk density and high water absorption, hemp bedding contributes to thermoregulation and is an excellent insulator. This helps keep chickens warmer during the winter months​​.  Hemp bedding can also contribute to laying eggs longer and more often by maintaining a more consistent temperature within the coop.

Hemp is Biodegradable and Can Be Composted

Chicken manure is very fertile and recommended for gardening. Still, too many bedding materials either don't break down fast enough or do not provide a healthy addition to your compost mix. 

Hemp bedding degrades relatively quickly and incorporates the chicken waste to form a balanced, nutrient-rich compost. 

Hemp is one of the most sustainable plants, with a short, 125-day growing season, allowing hemp farmers to produce two to three times more material than trees per acre. Our hemp is farmed, processed, and packed in the United States, directly supporting U.S. farmers.

Hemp Has Antibacterial Properties

Hemp contains more than 500 compounds and a complex macromolecular composition, giving it significant antibacterial properties. Dominion Hemp bedding is made from the fiber of the hemp crop and does not contain THC. Still, the remaining cannabinoids have been shown to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella in laboratory experiments. 

The hemp plant is being actively studied as a possible solution to antibiotic-resistant infections such as MRSA.

Hemp is a Natural Insect-Repellent

Parasitic mites and ticks can be a problem for your flock, reducing their production and spreading disease. Studies show that up to 90% of caged hen houses have red poultry mites carrying pathogens. Ticks can also infest chickens, causing discomfort, illness, reduced productivity, and even death.

However, lab tests of two compounds found in industrial hemp, caryophyllene and humulene, have shown that they prevent and kill mites at low doses, demonstrating the natural insecticidal properties of hemp. Hemp even displayed promising effects against tick larvae and eggs. 

Using Dominion Hemp hemp bedding can help create a healthier flock and prevent the spread of diseases that can be harmful to your birds.

Compare our Bedding to other Chicken Bedding Materials

Dominion Hemp outperforms all other types of bedding, making it an easy choice for any size coop or hen house.

Reduces Odors
Compostable
Soft On Eggs
High Thermal Rating
Dust Content
Absorbency
Coverage
Maintenance

	Straw	Shavings	Sawdust	Wood Chips	Sand
HIGH	LOW	LOW	LOW	MEDIUM	LOW
HIGH	MEDIUM	LOW	MEDIUM	LOW	LOW
HIGH	MEDIUM	MEDIUM	MEDIUM	LOW	LOW
HIGH	LOW	LOW	LOW	LOW	LOW
LOW	MEDIUM	HIGH	HIGH	MEDIUM	MEDIUM
HIGH	LOW	MEDIUM	MEDIUM	MEDIUM	HIGH
HIGH	LOW	MEDIUM	MEDIUM	MEDIUM	LOW
LOW	HIGH	HIGH	MEDIUM	MEDIUM	LOW

But Why Is Hemp The Better Bedding Choice?

Sand is an incubator for disease and bacteria, so it's not suitable for your chicks.

How To Use Dominion Hemp Bedding In Your Chicken Coop

Whether you have laying hens, broilers, a commercial chicken factory, or 3 or 4 backyard chickens, you know you will have one less thing to worry about when you choose hemp as a form of bedding and the application is easy.

Example Recommendation For an 8x6 Unit Chicken Coop

An 8×6 coop is a standard size for many chicken owners, so adjust accordingly to suit the size of your coop, as well as your preferred depth and the frequency of your cleaning routine.

Here is a breakdown of different bedding systems: 

Deep Bedding System

• Three bags for the base.
• Add one bag for replenishing every 45- 90 days, turning the material every two weeks.

Running Bedding Chicken Coop System

• One bag for the base in an 8x6 coop, up to 12 nesting boxes.
• Add one bag for replenishing every 60+ days, turning the material every two weeks.

Where Can I Buy Dominion Hemp Bedding?

You can buy our premium hemp chicken bedding directly from us, from Amazon, from Chewy, and at a retailer near you.