Tree service wood chips for deep litter method inside coop?

[becstalls]

While we are rehabbing our old coop in prep for spring, I thought I’d reach out to a local tree service to see if they had any wood chips to use as litter inside the coop. When I told hubby about the idea, he rejected it on the grounds that wood chips from a tree service would still be too wet/fresh and wouldn’t absorb moisture well compared to pine shavings. But I’ve seen a few folks claim tree service chips were ideal, except that it wasn’t clear to me whether they were talking about them for inside the coop or out in the run. I’d love to know if there’s an official consensus on this because I’ll take free tree service chips all day over stuff we need to buy. Thoughts?

 

[aart]

on the grounds that wood chips from a tree service would still be too wet/fresh and wouldn’t absorb moisture well compared to pine shavings.

It's certainly possible.
Freshly chipped tree branches, especially if cut when full of green leaves, can certainly be very 'wet'.
Most of who use wood chippings let them sit to dry out a bit before using(even outside) due to the possibility of mold/fungus blooming to toxic levels.

To use them inside a coop has may variables to consider, other than freshness of chippings, including climate, ventilation of coop, etc.

 

[3KillerBs]

Once your chip pile has had a chance to age and dry you can use them anywhere, but it does take weeks to months to a year or more depending on the climate and the weather.

 

[TwoCrows]

I have used chips/mulch in my coop and run for years now having left sand behind, chips/mulch is the only type of bedding I will ever use now.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use chips inside the coop and out in the run, but my chip pile has been aging a very long time at this point.

That said, I do not do deep litter or deep bedding inside the coop. Chips make up the majority of the coop litter but I use hemp under the roost for easier scooping. The chickens don't poop much in the rest of the coop so the chips are just there for a dry, clean padding. Because it doesn't get soiled I only clean out once a year.

 

[David61]

Tree service chips in the uncovered run, not covered run. you add to it about every 3 or 4 months and dig it out every two or three years.
My grade school buddy owns a tree and landscape business. I go get what i want. I use Day old chips, month old chips , ten year old chips, Hard wood and pine so i don't have to stay at a Holiday inn on this one.
If i use the bobcat skid steer and scrape the run clean to redo it after a few years, I go back 8" deep with 5-10 year old chips and cap it with 5-7" of month old chips. If i need just to add some chips to it, fresh chips are fine. Just don't go deeper than 4" with day old chips . At 4" inches deep they will dry out in a week or so. You can get the tree service to dump his chipper truck next to your uncovered run and add them a few inches deep at the time. Now my covered run i use pine shaving and rotate them once a month from the nest boxes to the floor under the poop baord, under the poop board to the front of the covered run, from the front of the run to the compost pile.

 

[Birds of paradise]

Tree service chips in the uncovered run, not covered run. you add to it about every 3 or 4 months and dig it out every two or three years.
My grade school buddy owns a tree and landscape business. I go get what i want. I use Day old chips, month old chips , ten year old chips, Hard wood and pine so i don't have to stay at a Holiday inn on this one.
If i use the bobcat skid steer and scrape the run clean to redo it after a few years, I go back 8" deep with 5-10 year old chips and cap it with 5-7" of month old chips. If i need just to add some chips to it, fresh chips are fine. Just don't go deeper than 4" with day old chips . At 4" inches deep they will dry out in a week or so. You can get the tree service to dump his chipper truck next to your uncovered run and add them a few inches deep at the time. Now my covered run i use pine shaving and rotate them once a month from the nest boxes to the floor under the poop baord, under the poop board to the front of the covered run, from the front of the run to the compost pile.

I'm jealous. That's going to be such awesome compost