ground maintenance in a chicken run?

[missy1462]

To each his own, I assume.... Our screenings are more grit and small pebble sized rock and not sand though.

 

[RonP]

To each his own, I assume.... Our screenings are more grit and small pebble sized rock and not sand though.

Please let us know how this works out for you long term.

Good info.

 

[Mama Hen 1]

My deep litter smells no worse than a forest floor after a rainfall.

No mud, flies, or bad odors ever, if done correctly.

Do a search on compost.

This is in reality what deep litter is all about.

Hey! So I have been doing the DLM (I think) I may have too much nitrogen (grass clippings). It's typically very dry in Colorado but we've had an unusually wet spring and now I'm dealing with flies and all the deep litter is wet. I turned it the other day because the chickens haven't done much of that and it was disgusting! I want mine to smell like forest floor!
What have I don't wrong. The run is not covered. Am I supposed to do anything to maintain the DLM? Maybe so much grass clippings was not a good idea.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Sounds like with all the spring rains and having an uncovered run, moisture is the problem.
The grass clippings aren't getting a chance to dry out. My (covered) run is is mostly grass clippings with straw mixed in. No moisture or odor porblems.

If we have a particularly heavy, blowing rain, I fluff it with a stall rake.

 

[rubbleanddebris]

I go into my run after a good rain and give it a turn and rake. It doesn't take more than 10 -15 minutes. They love it, they get in with me and help. After a rain is the best way to find all the good worms after all.

 

[RonP]

Green grass is very high in nitrogen, just like chicken manure.

When composting fresh grass clippings, you will need to offset the nitrogen with carbons, 2 to 1...

In other words, 2 bags of shredded leaves (carbons) to 1 bag of grass clippings (nitrogen).

Dried grass acts much more like a carbon FYI.

Fixing most odor issues usually just involves correcting the ratios, and carbon does not produce odors...so...

Add more carbons such as dried leaves or wood chips.

 

[Mama Hen 1]

Thanks guys! Should I shovel it all out and start over since there's flies? Or just fluff and add more carbon?

 

[TalkALittle]

I'd be inclined to muck it all out and start over. In addition to flies you probably have the beginnings of mold too. That, more than the flies, would make me want to get it out of there. At this time of year grass clippings are easy enough for me to come by.

 

[Lesismor54]

I'm curious. What kind of wood chips do you use?

 

[TalkALittle]

I got some chips from a tree trimming company. Just the chipped branches from when they clear trees.