Anyone Use Leaves as Bedding for Coop?

[sbarab]

I just spent the last few hours blowing leaves around my back yard. I live in TX and the majority of the leaves wait until December to fall. So here I am making these huge piles of leaves along the chainlink fence for the chicken's run.

I got to wondering if the leaves would be useful and free bedding for the Coop.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Imp]

Yes, you can use them in the coop or run. Pile them in deep. The chickens will reduce 8-10 inches to about 1-2 inches in a day or two.

Imp- If you leave the piles in your yard, the chickens will spread them out again so you can have the pleasure of blowing/raking them again.

 

[Sillystunt]

yes, we do when they fall. I love it when they break it down, my soil looks soooo good!

 

[sbarab]

Wonderful! I know exactly where my leaf drifts will be going.

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

I use leaves, pine needles,
newspaper run though a mulch machine (for really wet rainy days).

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I've got leaves in my chicken coop and quail coops. I figured come spring I'm gonna rake them backup and drop them in my composter. I live in a subdivision that cut down all the trees when they built it so I got my leaves off Freecycle. 2 truck loads!!

 

[bwalden3]

I did that a few years ago and I lost a few chickens to mites before I realized what it was. I would not do it myself.

 

[lauralou]

I've used them before when I ran out of pine shavings. I wasn't too thrilled with them. But they were free, and worked in a pinch.

I wouldn't use them at all if they weren't very, very dry.

 

[gsim]

Dryness is important. I have mixed some with my grass clippings. No problems and they are free to boot. Ditto for grass clippings. I toss a basket of clippings into their run during summertime and they both scatter and root thru them while they devour them. I am sold on grass clippings and they are free so it has been a win-win for me. I have 6" thick litter almost entirely grass clippings.