Converting sand run to deep litter

[Devorah]

Hi everyone.

My chicks currently have a covered and winterized run with sand. I was thinking of covering the sand with wood chips and straw for the winter. Is this possible? Does it make sense?

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[aart]

I'd go with straight wood chips, or mostly chips and a bit of straw.
Straw can pack down and become nasty.
What kind of chips do you have available?

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I'd go with straight wood chips, or mostly chips and a bit of straw.
Straw can pack down and become nasty.
What kind of chips do you have available?

Will the wood chips, etc. still break down in (on top of) the sand? How would poop be managed in this situation? I also have a sand run (about 8-10" deep in 260 sq ft) that I poop-scoop many times/day, and I've wondered if I could put wood chips and/or other organic material on top (because there's no way to get the sand out), and if so, how it would be managed (for poop /cleaning)...

 

[aart]

Will the wood chips, etc. still break down in (on top of) the sand? How would poop be managed in this situation? I also have a sand run (about 8-10" deep in 260 sq ft) that I poop-scoop many times/day, and I've wondered if I could put wood chips and/or other organic material on top (because there's no way to get the sand out), and if so, how it would be managed (for poop /cleaning)...

I use coarse wood chippings in my run, occasionally adding small amounts of other dry plant matter(leaves, dry grass clippings, straw, hay etc).
I never clean out any poop, the whole point of using wood chippings and other stuff(carbon 'browns') is that they help the poops(nitrogen 'greens') break down.
Often called cold composting.

 

[Devorah]

I'd go with straight wood chips, or mostly chips and a bit of straw.
Straw can pack down and become nasty.
What kind of chips do you have available?

Thanks. We have pine chips I believe. So I can dump them on top of the sand?

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I use coarse wood chippings in my run, occasionally adding small amounts of other dry plant matter(leaves, dry grass clippings, straw, hay etc).
I never clean out any poop, the whole point of using wood chippings and other stuff(carbon 'browns') is that they help the poops(nitrogen 'greens') break down.
Often called cold composting.

Thank you!

So putting the wood chips on top of a thick layer of sand would not affect the 'cold composting' capabilities of the wood chips?

 

[aart]

Thanks. We have pine chips I believe. So I can dump them on top of the sand?

Pine chips from a tree trimmer or pine shavings from the farm store?
The thicker and coarser the wood is the better it will stand up.

Thank you!

So putting the wood chips on top of a thick layer of sand would not affect the 'cold composting' capabilities of the wood chips?

Not as long as the poops touch the wood and their is more wood than sand mixed up.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

Not as long as the poops touch the wood and their is more wood than sand mixed up.

Got it, thanks again! Very helpful info - I may be trying this in the near future. Now that Michigan has decided that it's winter, scooping 260 sq ft like a litter box several times/day is getting to be A LOT (and I only have 8 pullets (9.5 weeks))!

 

[3KillerBs]

How would poop be managed in this situation?

My soil is pure sand several hundred feet deep. My Deep Litter composts just fine when moist.

In a dry, covered run you don't have deep litter, you have deep bedding and this is how I manage it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

 

[Devorah]

Pine chips from a tree trimmer or pine shavings from the farm store?
The thicker and coarser the wood is the better it will stand up.


Not as long as the poops touch the wood and their is more wood than sand mixed up.

Pine chips from tree trimmer.