Almost there

[Crow-ded house]

Yes another update: while on a drive we noticed the county had mowed the shoulders of the county roads. Guess who already got 6 drums of mower leavings? Yep it was I lol!! We will be going out to try to stockpile all we can so we will have plenty of refill.

 

[aart]

Guess who already got 6 drums of mower leavings? Yep it was I lol!! We will be going out to try to stockpile all we can so we will have plenty of refill.

Beware that 'stockpiling' fresh grass clippings can turn into a moldy mess. BTDT.

...or maybe they had already dried in the sun?
If so, then BINGO!!...store them in a dry place.

 

[Crow-ded house]

Yep it was very dry stuff. Some of it was almost brittle. We were going to grab some more but it rained last night. We still might get some then spread it out around the yard to dry out, keep fluffing with the Mr Douglas special (green acres pitchfork lol) til it dries. This mother load will save months of gathering materials. I wish we had pine trees instead of cedar. The pine needles/cones would be great in there. The cedar we will just burn. Thanks for the advice That will be handy for folks that would not think of a moldy mess (like me). I just found my stockpile at the right time.

 

[Crow-ded house]

Update: ok I bought a round bale of hay so all the runs have a base of 1-2 inches sand, 4-8 in of hay, pine bark nuggets from Lowe’s, sticks, twigs, grass cuttings and if we can get enough leaves this fall that would go in there as well. We have had rain almost every day in NE Oklahoma and last week the heavy winds ripped the roof off the run except for a quarter section in the front area so all has gotten flooded from the heavy rains. I still try to flip as best I can and there is a little smell but not like you would think. This weekend I think it may finally not rain so will put more hay on top. I am so so so super duper really glad we did something or else my chooks would either be water fowl or living in the house as plain ground with no sand or dlm would have been the worst smelling, disease bearing most miserable life for my lil darlings. Thank you to both sand and dlm people for suggestions. I have chosen dlm but in this case anything even pavement would have been a wise choice because of so much rain.

 

[aart]

runs have a base of 1-2 inches sand, 4-8 in of hay, pine bark nuggets from Lowe’s, sticks, twigs, grass cuttings....I still try to flip as best I can and there is a little smell but not like you would think.

There's really no reason to build it up so deep right away,
especially so deep that you have to flip it yourself to keep it from going anaerobic.

 

[Crow-ded house]

True but I find the “flip ‘n fluff” therapeutic. You don’t have to think, you get some light exercise, spend time with my chooks plus the added benefit of watching them burrow into the fresh piles with only their tail feathers showing lol