Dry Leaves As Bedding?

[NorthCoastChick]

I'm completely new at this, and just learning right now. This may be a silly question, but why not collect bags of dry dead leaves in the fall, then use them as bedding in the coop? Very cost-effective (a little time-consuming), and you could clean out and replace the bedding as needed (not deep litter), and this way it would compost better than pine shavings. What would be the problem(s) with this idea? Please help me out.

 

[mendygnl]

In the summer, every time we mow, I take the grass/leaves from the mower bagger and give them to my girls. They love to scratch in it looking for bugs, eating grass, and it does make great bedding. I don't know how it would keep if the temps are above freezing; just thinking that the moisture content would cause it to start to break down like compost. You are on the right track, though.

 

[NorthCoastChick]

I was thinking I could make sure they were as dry as possible (somehow!) and then bag them and store them in the garage. If the coop was cleaned out completely every week, or two weeks, or whatever, they wouldn't start to compost that quickly, would they? Then the bedding could go in the compost pile and eliminate trying to compost pine shavings. Hmmm...

 

[mendygnl]

If they are really dry when bagged, it should work. Give it a go as there really isn't anything to lose. I bet your girls will thank you

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Another thing I use are pine needles. If you have them, you hate them, but they make for awesome run sop when it rains!

 

[crazy_4_chickens]

Quote:
yes they work very well!!!

 

[chicks4kids]

I store bags of leaves for the winter...the birds love when I dump a bag in the coop! They scratch it like crazy looking for goodies! I bet your birds would love it!

 

[greenpeeps]

I thought about the leaves a little to late in the year. They did work great though.

 

[fowltemptress]

I ran out of pine shavings once and had to put leaves in the nest boxes as my only alternative. Worked fairly well, they just weren't very absorbent and had to be cleaned out more often.

 

[bigstack]

Im not sure but I think I read someplace on here that if they (leaves) Begin to mold in the coop they can be poison for chickens. Might wanna check on the emergency thread about it for sure. Im not possitive and I am still new. It sounds like a good idea to me but I would make sure first.

Good luck and God Bless!!!