Chicken run bedding

[dottie15]

Hello, I’m fairly new to raising chickens and I’m still learning a lot along the way. I’m looking for suggestions on what to lay down in the chicken run. The coop was on compacted dirt until the chickens started digging holes. Now there’s loose dirt and to keep the run dry and give them something to scratch around in, I provide a layer of fresh orchard throughout the run almost everyday. I pick up their poop everyday and whatever amount of orchard that gets thrown away with poop, I end up replacing with a new layer of orchard. My concern is that the dirt is too loose and the coop becomes very dusty. I even start to feel it when I’m in there cleaning. I noticed that 2 of my 6 chickens sneeze here and there (no cough, no trouble breathing, they still eat, drink, forage and are active). I don’t ever want to underestimate anything so I went out and purchased vetrx that I’m going to apply to all 6 chickens tomorrow. I also added fresh oregano and thyme to their feed because I’ve been reading it helps with respiratory. Does anyone think that they may be developing a respiratory infection or can it be that the coop area is just too dusty for them? It’s supposed to rain a little in socal this weekend but I still plan on completely cleaning the run, coop, feeder, waterers, their toys and provide a frees layer of run bedding. Any suggestions on bedding? And any idea why my two hens sneeze every once in a while? Thanks in advance. The picture attached is just to show my chickens. I can provide pictures of the coop and run tomorrow. Thanks again!

 

[DobieLover]

fresh orchard

?? What is this?

purchased vetrx that I’m going to apply to all 6 chickens tomorrow

It won't do anything. It's like Vicks Vaporub for humans. It doesn't cure anything.

I also added fresh oregano and thyme to their feed because I’ve been reading it helps with respiratory

This is also unfounded. You will be reading A LOT of things like this. Take it all with a large grain of salt.

It does sound dry and the occasional sneezing may very well be due to the dust. However, dry is good when it comes to chicken keeping. Dusty is a very normal part of chicken keeping too. It gets that way from the constant scratching by the chickens.

I do not clean my run out. Ever. I keep a layer of wood chips in there that the birds like to dig through. When it breaks down too much, I add another load.

My run has a solid roof on it so it too stays pretty dry. If it gets ridiculously dry in the summer, I will mist it with water and also dump the old water in the waterer container around in there.

I also need to state that my birds really only spend a lot of time in the run during the winter when the snow or the cold are too much for them to leave the wind protected run. During the summer, they are out in their pen in the fresh air the vast majority of their waking hours.

 

[dottie15]

?? What is this?

It won't do anything. It's like Vicks Vaporub for humans. It doesn't cure anything.

This is also unfounded. You will be reading A LOT of things like this. Take it all with a large grain of salt.

It does sound dry and the occasional sneezing may very well be due to the dust. However, dry is good when it comes to chicken keeping. Dusty is a very normal part of chicken keeping too. It gets that way from the constant scratching by the chickens.

I do not clean my run out. Ever. I keep a layer of wood chips in there that the birds like to dig through. When it breaks down too much, I add another load.

My run has a solid roof on it so it too stays pretty dry. If it gets ridiculously dry in the summer, I will mist it with water and also dump the old water in the waterer container around in there.

I also need to state that my birds really only spend a lot of time in the run during the winter when the snow or the cold are too much for them to leave the wind protected run. During the summer, they are out in their pen in the fresh air the vast majority of their waking hours.

This is orchard grass

 

[dottie15]

?? What is this?

It won't do anything. It's like Vicks Vaporub for humans. It doesn't cure anything.

This is also unfounded. You will be reading A LOT of things like this. Take it all with a large grain of salt.

It does sound dry and the occasional sneezing may very well be due to the dust. However, dry is good when it comes to chicken keeping. Dusty is a very normal part of chicken keeping too. It gets that way from the constant scratching by the chickens.

I do not clean my run out. Ever. I keep a layer of wood chips in there that the birds like to dig through. When it breaks down too much, I add another load.

My run has a solid roof on it so it too stays pretty dry. If it gets ridiculously dry in the summer, I will mist it with water and also dump the old water in the waterer container around in there.

I also need to state that my birds really only spend a lot of time in the run during the winter when the snow or the cold are too much for them to leave the wind protected run. During the summer, they are out in their pen in the fresh air the vast majority of their waking hours.

Any suggestions what the sneezing can be from? I know you said it could very well be the dust in the coop but I’m afraid it could be something more. Any signs or symptoms to look out for? And if something more than dust related, any medicines/remedies you can recommend?
My run is also double covered with tarps and the side where the wind draft can come through is covered with clear, plastic panels to prevent wind drafts from coming through. They are in there about half of the day until I get home to let them roam freely around the yard.

 

[DobieLover]

Any signs or symptoms to look out for?

Breathing difficulties, coughing, bubbles in the eye(s), swelling in the eyes, rales.

And if something more than dust related, any medicines/remedies you can recommend?

Tylosin is very effective in treating respiratory illness. You can get it in the form of Tylan50 at farm stores. You need to draw it out of the bottle with a needle and syringe and then you can dose it orally. I squirt liquid medications into a piece of bread and feed it to the birds.
Bare in mind that most respiratory illnesses in poultry make them carriers for life.

 

[Soujrnr]

Look into the deep bedding and deep nesting method for your coop and run. We do it, and it is super easy and beneficial. Cleaning is maybe a few times per year; never daily. That's too much work.