coir fiber in run?

[shodack]

I should start by saying I am using the deep litter method. As it's my first year with chickens and my first year in a new house, the litter isn't all that deep yet, but it's doing nicely. No smell, no cleaning required, and my chickens are loving scratching through it all day.
So far I have used compost, undied mulch, pine shavings, composted evergreen needles from yard clean up.
While going through a locker in the shed recently I found a block of compressed coir fiber that previous owners must have left. It would be one of those things you'd add a ton of water to and it would expand, probably into a large amount of coir (coconut) fiber. I have used it in plant nursery medium, but am unsure if there would be any reason not to add it to the chicken run...
Any thoughts?

 

[Sutremaine]

How big is it? Sometimes when I have a pile's worth of stuff to add I stuff it into a container on its side and let the chickens scrape it out until they get bored. Then it goes down in a pile, or gets scattered where it's needed.

If you can figure out a way of holding the brick down, you could leave it where it'll get rained on and let the chickens pick it apart. Maybe you could leave it in a submerged tub, with some drainage at the bottom of the tub.

 

[islafarm]

How long are the fiber strands? That would be my only concern that they might swallow them and it would get caught in their system, like long blades of grass. If the fibers are short and fairly well composted (I have plenty of experience with coir, but none that's been compressed into a block), then it should be a great addition to your deep litter.

 

[shodack]

Thanks both! The fibers are very fine. Great idea to let them break the block down! Maybe I'll soak it for a while to start the softening process, and let them do the rest!