Are pine needles okay in the run?

[Jgrice]

I have a 12x12 run and a friend just brought over a whole bag of pine needles from
His backyard. Are those okay to scatter in the run?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Here's some random person on the internet that says these are perfectly okay as long as they are dry: https://www.cappersfarmer.com/farm-and-home/chicken-coop-bedding-ze0z1312zjhar/

I have a shaded area under a pine tree and it's the favorite day-time hangout spot for my ladies. Many people even use dried leaves as bedding. I'm sure pine needles would smell lovely! My only concern would be the chances of them poking the chicken's feet when they are first put in the run and they are super fluffy, just from a bumblefoot perspective. I'm sure it wouldn't be much of an issue though.

 

[drinkoj]

Everything I've read about them says there okay as long as you are not relying on them to be the main source of run covering. Now from personal experience with pine needles in composting years ago with them, they tend to be acidic and seemed to take a little longer to break down but they will; the acidity become null and void during the composting process so there okay.

 

[3KillerBs]

Pine straw is excellent chicken run bedding. It drains freely and dries quickly on top after rain. Additionally, I find that a mix of pine straw with large-flake wood shavings almost never packs or mats.

I wouldn't use the short, sharp needles from spruces or red pines, but the long, soft needles from the Loblolly and Longleaf pines that grow so abundantly in my region are splendid run bedding.

 

[Parront]

I use pine needles from under my trees as soon as they are out of the brooder. They love scratching through and looking for goodies.

 

[RojoMarz]

I also use pine needles in my run.