Shredded Cardboard as mulch base layer/bedding

Just read an interesting SARE Article about a farmer in Guam using cardboard (both sheet and shredded paper forms) as mulch on his pepper farm. He also experimented with using mulched nitrogen fixing trees on top of the cardboard. His soil didn’t show a noticeable improvement of nitrogen levels, but his pepper harvest had definite increased yields. Here’s the article: https://www.sare.org/publications/case-studies-of-sare-grant-impacts/sheet-mulch-using-cardboard-and-nitrogen-fixing-trees/

We permies have been mulching with cardboard forever. My question is this: Does anyone have experience applying shredded cardboard directly to the soil as mulch and water wrong it to lock it in place? Also, has anyone used shredded cardboard as chicken bedding? I’m thinking the cardboard used as chicken bedding would be loaded with manure and beneficial bacteria and nutrients that would accelerate the decomposition process and could then be applied as mulch or used in compost.

On a small farm, cardboard is an easy waste stream and carbon material to come by.  

Thoughts?

We do both.

During the cooler season, when there is less carbon material, all of the shredded cardboard goes into the chicken coop/run deep bedding.

During the warmer months when I am filling the chicken area up with wood chips and grass clippings, I put the shredded cardboard into some swales. It breaks down very quickly in the coop, a little slower in the swales.

I have read about concerns with ink and such. I do try to be selective about the boxes I shred. We take boxes from 3 surrounding neighbors as well.