Deep litter in the run (not the coop)

[sweetater22]

Try to use old weathered wood chips if you can get them and mix in leaves from the yard work. I have my run about 10 to 12 inches deep works great.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Since this post started, we've bought a dump truck full of sawdust, and started putting it into the run. It works flawlessly. Also, behind out property, the neighbors trees have leafed, so a TON of leaves have fallen into our driveway and back of our house. The kiddo and I raked up about 6 cart fulls and dumped them in the run, and we bought a leaf blower/mulcher and have bagged up about 3 yard bags full of mulched leaves for later in the winter.

We are quite happy with our results. The run isn't slick and muddy after it rains any longer. We toss out treats that slip into the deep litter, so they have to turn the litter to get to them. We plan on having a nice lot of compost once spring has sprung!

 

[pamonarch]

Try to use old weathered wood chips if you can get them and mix in leaves from the yard work. I have my run about 10 to 12 inches deep works great.

yes, i have pine woodchips..leaves from the yard and some hay. i go out every few days and turn it over and over with a rake and shovel plus i throw some scratch in there and the girls get in there and scratch away!! I always feel bad throwing their food in where their poop falls from the roosts, but they dont seem to mind..

 

[pamonarch]

Since this post started, we've bought a dump truck full of sawdust, and started putting it into the run. It works flawlessly. Also, behind out property, the neighbors trees have leafed, so a TON of leaves have fallen into our driveway and back of our house. The kiddo and I raked up about 6 cart fulls and dumped them in the run, and we bought a leaf blower/mulcher and have bagged up about 3 yard bags full of mulched leaves for later in the winter.

We are quite happy with our results. The run isn't slick and muddy after it rains any longer. We toss out treats that slip into the deep litter, so they have to turn the litter to get to them. We plan on having a nice lot of compost once spring has sprung!

that is exactly what i have done..i even went into town and collected already bagged leaves..people were so happy to get rid of them..and they were nice and dry...the girls loooooved them when i put them in their runs

 

[Cryss]

On YouTube I follow L2survive, specifically his videos about Back-to-eden gardening as described by Paul Gautschi. Pauls gardens are very dependent on his chickens, so he includes a bit of his chicken wisdom in videos. One thing is about fresh wood chips as opposed to store bought. You get a tree service to drop off a load of chips usually free cuz they need to empty somewhere! Wood absorbs water so by spreading them in your run it helps keep it dry on the surface yet down deep the soil stays moist. The chopped up leaves, needles, bugs, etc. in that chip mix will get your chickens scratching and eating. The ground will become full of worms to eat, the chips will mix with their poop reducing odor and producing top notch compost for your garden. I recommend wood chips in the run once there is no grass to keep them happy. Start with 4 inches deep. Whenever you notice mud toss in a bit more. Heres a link to one of the MANY videos, he talks chickens about 3 minutes in but the whole thing is very informative.

 

[henless]

I put everything in my runs. Leaves, pine straw, grass clippings, garden leftovers, food scraps, whatever I can get, goes in. They are about 3/4's uncovered. Never have a problem with smell or being too wet. It never gets that slimy, stinky mess that wet dirt runs can turn into. The compost from the runs works great in my garden.

 

[Cryss]

I put everything in my runs. Leaves, pine straw, grass clippings, garden leftovers, food scraps, whatever I can get, goes in. They are about 3/4's uncovered. Never have a problem with smell or being too wet. It never gets that slimy, stinky mess that wet dirt runs can turn into. The compost from the runs works great in my garden.

Yup, thats the BTE method in a nutshell. I'm just begining, c

 

[Cryss]

Oops...lol...was about to say I can't wait to start using all that good compost. Good job on yours

 

[Mr Pink]

On YouTube I follow L2survive, specifically his videos about Back-to-eden gardening as described by Paul Gautschi. Pauls gardens are very dependent on his chickens, so he includes a bit of his chicken wisdom in videos. One thing is about fresh wood chips as opposed to store bought. You get a tree service to drop off a load of chips usually free cuz they need to empty somewhere! Wood absorbs water so by spreading them in your run it helps keep it dry on the surface yet down deep the soil stays moist. The chopped up leaves, needles, bugs, etc. in that chip mix will get your chickens scratching and eating. The ground will become full of worms to eat, the chips will mix with their poop reducing odor and producing top notch compost for your garden. I recommend wood chips in the run once there is no grass to keep them happy. Start with 4 inches deep. Whenever you notice mud toss in a bit more. Heres a link to one of the MANY videos, he talks chickens about 3 minutes in but the whole thing is very informative.

That video is what inspired me to have chickens ... Friends and family started out with typical skepticism but changed their minds when I explained the deep litter method and they saw it at work ! All the free eggs they have been getting also endeared my chickens to them however when they started calling dibs on the chicken manufactured compost I had to pull back on the rains

 

[Mr Pink]

I also like this video as it pertains to the use of chickens in composting

https://permaculturenews.org/2013/12/06/grow-chickens-without-buying-grain-feeding-compost/