Best bedding for field shelters?

[MatHalTed]

As the title says, I'm looking for some bedding for my field shelters. We have rubber matting down currently but my two don't seem to lie down at all in them and instead I find them sleeping in the fields, however they seem to stop this when it gets too wet and muddy so I am worried that they don't get enough REM sleep in the winter months. Preferably something that's absorbent, not too dusty and rots down quickly as our muck heap is quite small and we have to manage it ourselves. I've thought about miscanthus but can't seem to find anywhere that stocks it nearby. Any opinions or recommendations would be much appreciated

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I use deep litter straw unless anything is prone to feather mites.
Otherwise its Aubiose, but my shelters are not matted, one is earth (no bedding, it's a portable shelter) the medium size is on sleepers and has sand (with straw on the top in winter) and the biggest with tarmac scalping base, has Aubiose - unless I pop straw in.

 

[PurBee]

Miscanthus chopped is useful for outside shelters as its more heavy and ‘woody’ and wont fly everywhere with the wind. It also doesnt stick so much to their coats after laying in it, unlike shavings. Mine loved laying in it. A good bulky bed.
Finding a supplier is tricky, but worth the hunt! Uk has a few more suppliers than ireland.
I loved how fast it rotted down on the muck heap too…brilliant stuff….there’s only 1 supplier i could find in ireland, their bags are lightweight 10-12kg costing 8 euro, and quality of it was sometimes mouldy.
The other major grower of it here was a group of nuns!…but they dont process it for bedding

The downside to chopped miscanthus is its not so great at soaking up pee. I prefer using wood pellets for that job underneath the top layer.

 

[cauda equina]

Aubiose or chopped rape straw