Deep litter in the run (not the coop)

[Henrik Petersson]

Hello!

In my chicken run, the chickens eat up all the greenery and get really bored because there's nothing to eat. They'd benefit from some deep litter filled with bugs to forage.

In my duck run, the ducks get bumblefoot. They'd benefit from some deep litter that is soft to walk on (and they also like bugs).

Can you do the deep litter method outside, with no roof? Could it work if you only use it on part of the run, or does the deep litter have to be "walled in" to function?

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I have been curious about this as well. We have a local mulch company, that can deliver pine mulch or we could pick up bundles of pine straw, and have been debating putting either one or both into our 20'x20' run.

Currently, we have pressed alfalfa we put down a couple times a week, but they go through that quickly.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

It would certainly be free from that problem that's apparently oh so common with deep litter: Too poor ventilation.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Plus, we have weird rain here in my area and the run gets muddy. That would take care of that. I wouldn't worry about the straw or mulch washing away as the run is enclosed with 19 gauge, 1/4 inch hardware cloth.... so not enough would wash through for me to be worried about it. Plus I can always top it off if needed.

 

[WindyTam]

Hi! I am new to chickens and love your questions. We have a lot of rain & wind storms here in PNW, so I had a load of sand put into my run, and have been putting a lot of small branches from my berries and grapes and other garden stuff on top of that, as well as wheelbarrows full of leaves from our maple tree. I keep thinking more is better, and they seem to love scratching through what "mom" brings them everyday. It tends to break down quickly, and always in need of more. There's also a couple of pumpkins in there....apples from my trees...I haven't heard of this is ok, but it seems right to me. I'm still awaiting my first eggs.....the girls are 19 weeks old...

 

[WindyTam]

..and I am wondering about hay, but then I worry I could bring in fleas & such from feed store storage barn, and am not sure which hay would be best. Any advice is welcome

 

[Smuvers Farm]

..and I am wondering about hay, but then I worry I could bring in fleas & such from feed store storage barn, and am not sure which hay would be best. Any advice is welcome

From what I've read, people tend to shy away from apples as the seeds contain toxins, but then I read a post from a woman who does cider pressings and has given the apple pulp (WITH SEEDS) to her girls for 4+ years and they've never gotten sick..... I say apples away!

Also, straw/hay doesn't break down the way other things do, and they would turn mouldy, so I shy away from the idea of hay or straw. Since I buy pine shavings from TSC for their coops, I don't think dry pine bales or pine mulch would be worrisome for their run.

KUTGW with the leaves and such! We don't have enough trees on our property to be able to do that, but they break down well and you should have some wonderful compost at the start of spring! I'm jealous!

 

[Isaac 0]

I toss straw/Leafs in my run.Been doing it for a while now too.No mold.They all like it.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Gotta get @rjohns39 opinion on this

 

[Sara Ranch]

What you want to do should be safe enough.

Have you considered dividing up the pastures to rotate them?

Can you change things up in the pasture? I move barrels around and change where the feed dishes go. I use old sheets and scraps of fabric to provide shelter and make it harder for air predators to get my animals. I move those around too. Chickens like variety and routine, but are not fans of major change.

I have a small orchard. The free ranging guys jump up or climb up or fly up to get the fruit from the trees. They also eat what's on the ground. No problems with the apple, pear, or peach innards. The girls in open fenced pastures get the whole fruit tossed into them. Sometimes up to 3 dozen apples in a day, per flock. No problems.

With my senior flock, I take 40 gallon buckets of dirt (from the garden) and dump it in their run. They are very happy to redistribute the dirt for me. (This area will be my garden next year and the girls will move to a different pasture in a week or so.)

I might add some mulch.

From the time of having baby baby chicks, I have pine shavings/poop. It was bagged and sat in the hot sun/direct sunlight for months. Then I dump it in a 40 gallon bucket, add dirt, and let it sit for a few more months. Then I dump it all in the open fenced pasture for the girls. (And no, the pine shavings don't break down quickly at all.)

I also keep a few 40 gallon buckets here and there. Besides the main garden, there are smaller chicken gardens. The chickens (guys and gals) love to dig around in there and do dust baths. The free rangers have no problem redistributing the careful placed mulch in landscaping beds and under trees. I don't worry about it.

Just my preference - I don't give the chickens access to freshly dumped bagged mulch or dirt. Once the stuff has a chance to gas off, I let them access it. I hope to be able to move to buying mulch & dirt bulk instead of bagged.

I've never done deep liter method in the pastures (open or fenced), but I definitely don't go and pick up chicken, duck, or turkey poop! Dog poop - yes - that does get picked up. Bear poop - depends on where it is. Cow poop - nope, not happening. Deer poop - nope. Rabbit poop - nope. Other bird poop - nope.

I use sand in all of the coops/animal houses. Works great. And the animals do dig around in that.