At a loss about run floor material

[Jessie Marie]

Hi! I'm really frustrated at the moment trying to figure out what to do. I switched my run flooring to river sand this spring after reading a number of posts and articles touting it, but two of my hens got sick with coccidiosis since and after reading some critiques of sand I'm thinking I should switch to something else.

My run is covered. I live in the city in Portland Oregon so we get a lot of rain but it never gets very cold.

I have 5 hens (two layers and 3 x 12 weeks old)

I looked and looked for wood chips in my area but LITERALLY ALL OF THEM ARE CEDAR or a mix of cedar.

I don't have space in my little city yard to age chips from a tree company.


what should I do??

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Pictures of run and area would help.

 

[IamRainey]

In all fairness, I have to say I'm in a very dry climate and I've never had to deal with coccidiosis. But I wouldn't go for any variety of wood chips in Portland. They're too likely to get and stay wet. You really don't want that! I think you want something with good drainage. ...which, I assume, was why you chose sand in the first place.

If you think you have infected birds I'd treat for coccidiosis and be diligent about removing the poo until you feel you've got a handle on it. And how about being sure your flock has a spot for dust bathing so they can keep their feathers clean and do their part in eliminating parasites before they get ingested. Maybe locate it in a spot that stays protected from the rain if that's possible.

Hope you'll hear from folks with more experience with coccidiosis and the challenges of your climate.

PS I've lived in Vancouver BC and stayed in Portland many times. I just LOVE the NW.

 

[Tervish]

I just got wood chips from Shorty's Garden Center in Vancouver WA that does not appear to have any cedar, or at least not much. It is their "trail chips" mix, $18/yard. It was pretty dry, not freshly cut damp chips like from an arborist. That is the you-haul price.

I got them to put in my new covered run. Much research on this site has led me to think this is my best bet for winter, we will see! The chickens are enjoying digging around in it at least.

My new run is 8 x 16, one yard is a bit scant for coverage but will do for now.

 

[Sonya9]

I looked and looked for wood chips in my area but LITERALLY ALL OF THEM ARE CEDAR or a mix of cedar.

Feed stores should sell bags of pine shavings cheap.

Cedar is likely used for wood chips so they don't break down to fast when used around ornamental plants, I would be careful about buying other types of wood chips at garden centers because some are made from all sorts of reclaimed chemically treated wood and then dyed..

 

[Tervish]

Just to add, the "trail chips" from Shorty's is described on their site as:

Trail Chips is composed of a variety of coarse ground trees and branches. Great for erosion control, walking paths, running trails, weed suppression and mud control. Availability varies. Please call first.

That is exactly what I got, no dye, clearly identifiable as branch bits. Definitely some pine in there. I think the coarse grind is supposed to keep the chickens above the mud on a good draining layer. Pine shavings alone will just make a wet to soupy mess as they absorb water.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I looked and looked for wood chips in my area but LITERALLY ALL OF THEM ARE CEDAR or a mix of cedar.

I don't have space in my little city yard to age chips from a tree company.

IMO mix of cedar is fine, it's to be expected in Pac NW that there's some cedar (the less aromatic Western type) mixed in with chips. Not having a place to age them would be more problematic for me.

The stuff Tervish posted below looks pretty good as base material. In order to do deep litter you'll want to add additional plant material, so if you don't get a lot from your own yard, maybe ask neighbors for their raked up fall leaves, short dried grass trimmings (from untreated yards), weeds, garden waste, etc.

 

[WNYfarmfresh]

I have a bagger push mower. I keep a mixture of good dry straw and fresh grass from the mower on my run floor. When the straw is fouled, it goes to the compost pile with green material alread added to it. Then repeat. my birds pick through the straw for grain and eat what they want of the grass. The rest becomes fertilizer.