I have used them for three years with chickens. I don't know how they would be with ducks.
In my dry coop, they do not decompose. At all. Other than shattering into small dry bits.
Since chickens are descended from birds whose native habitat is forest floor and chickens still prefer forest floors when they have a choice, I don't think decomposing leaves would cause problems in a well ventilated area.
I bag the leaves in paper yard waste bags. I don't wait until they are completely dry; I tried that, they are much too hard to rake up or mow up at that stage and it is unnecessary if you do a few other things instead. The few things are any, some, or all of the following:
I store and use maple leaves. I avoid storing walnut leaves because I'm not sure the juglone decomposes enough in the compost pile after I clean out the chicken coop. Those are the vast majority of the leaves I get; I haven't looked up or tried other species.
The first year, I mixed them into pine shavings, grass clippings, and so on to about half leaves. That worked well.
The next year, I had about 3/4 leaves and 1/4 grass clippings. That also worked well.
The next year, I had about 90% leaves. That also worked well. It isn't as pretty.
I have them very deep - over 12". I suspect less deep would also work but too much less deep would not work well in the coop. In a run, the depth would matter less.
In my dry coop, they do not decompose. At all. Other than shattering into small dry bits.
Since chickens are descended from birds whose native habitat is forest floor and chickens still prefer forest floors when they have a choice, I don't think decomposing leaves would cause problems in a well ventilated area.
I bag the leaves in paper yard waste bags. I don't wait until they are completely dry; I tried that, they are much too hard to rake up or mow up at that stage and it is unnecessary if you do a few other things instead. The few things are any, some, or all of the following:
- Wait until they start to curl a little.
- bag them very loosely. This works best. Downside is it takes a LOT of bags; they can be combined later, after the leaves are completely dry. I can fit about four into one easily and about six into one if I spend some time and effort at it. The emptied bags can be reused the next year - some of mine are in good shape after five years.
- rake them into the garage and let them dry there (I did that once when it started to rain as I raked; it isn't ideal),
- Carry the bags to a large area like a dry basement, spread them on the floor to dry, rebag them. I did that once, the first year, before I discovered better options. I'm never doing that again.
- Rake all the leaves to inside the garden fence (ending about 3' deep), then skim the top ones as they get dry enough to start to blow away. A bit entertaining for a while but not really worth doing.
I store and use maple leaves. I avoid storing walnut leaves because I'm not sure the juglone decomposes enough in the compost pile after I clean out the chicken coop. Those are the vast majority of the leaves I get; I haven't looked up or tried other species.
The first year, I mixed them into pine shavings, grass clippings, and so on to about half leaves. That worked well.
The next year, I had about 3/4 leaves and 1/4 grass clippings. That also worked well.
The next year, I had about 90% leaves. That also worked well. It isn't as pretty.
I have them very deep - over 12". I suspect less deep would also work but too much less deep would not work well in the coop. In a run, the depth would matter less.
