Composting with Chickens

[Jjfester]

We live in Washington State so we usually get a lot of rain in the winter, although we are in a bit of a dry spell this year. We plan on having a small covered run to keep them busy in the mornings until we can let them out into the yard to free range.

We have 4 and likely we will stay with that many, definitely no more than 6 at one time.

 

[lazy gardener]

Deep litter definitely helps keep their feet clean.

 

[shortgrass]

Thank you for the replies.  These give me some thing to think about.

Sadly our yard is completely dead right now and not just dormant.  I could literally rake up my whole yard and have straw for the run.  So there will be no green grass trimmings and not much weeds so I am not sure how to balance out food scraps.  I am hoping we will get new grass over winter, but at the moment it is deader than dead.

If I put the bedding from their cop in the run with the chicken poo in it, it won't cause diseases?

Do people generally not clean out the run?  Just let it go au natural?  Our chickens will be free range during the day, well they already free range during the day but are still living in my kitchen at night.  Hopefully that will change this weekend.

Instead of planting grass, why not plant something that might not need so much water and is good for the chickens?
http://www.groworganic.com/omega-3-chicken-forage-blend-irrigated.html

If you're going to have to try to reseed grass, this is WAY easier and takes less work, unless you want that "manicured" grass that's impossible with chickens lol...this is more of a "natural" feed choice for free ranging; has clover , rye, flax, trefoil,etc... Good egg making forage

 

[Jjfester]

I am actually not going to plant new grass, just usually grass comes back during the winter rains. Since the chickens free range not sure I can even grow any grass.

I will look into the link you gave me though, but I would have to figure out how to fence small areas off and it seems it doesn't replenish each year so I would have to replant every year.

 

[lazy gardener]

Instead of planting grass, why not plant something that might not need so much water and is good for the chickens?
http://www.groworganic.com/omega-3-chicken-forage-blend-irrigated.html

If you're going to have to try to reseed grass, this is WAY easier and takes less work, unless you want that "manicured" grass that's impossible with chickens lol...this is more of a "natural" feed choice for free ranging; has clover , rye, flax, trefoil,etc... Good egg making forage

A much easier and cheaper way to seed an area for chickens would be to spread some really seedy hay. Of course it wouldn't have the exact formulation of this legume mix, but it would certainly provide foraging variety, and a good bang for your buck!!