Harvesting my Chicken Run Compost - Black Gold!

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I'm keeping them bagged for now...all the loose leaves I have now seems like a lot, but I know come spring I'll be feeling low on carbon again.

Yeah, the year I got bagged leaves, I used them to mix in with my coop litter throughout the winter. In the spring, I would cut the grass and toss in a bag of remaining leaves to mix it up.

I'm strongly considering buying one of those pull-behind systems with storage space and an additional blower. The one I'm looking at holds about 400 gallons, but also isn't cheap.

:drool On my dream list.... Still healthy enough to mow up a load of leaves, dump them in the chicken run, repeat a few more times, then call it a day. Doing that a few times a week allows me to keep up with the leaves falling from the trees without much problem.

I made one of those big leaf bag collection things out of a big tarp. It attaches to my mower and tows behind. Holds massive amounts of leaves, but I discovered it was way too heavy to empty where I wanted to when full. Since I dump the leaves in the chicken run, it took me more time and effort to get the leaves out of the big leaf bag, load them into wagons or wheelbarrows to move them into the chicken run, and I soon abandoned that idea. It was easier, for me, to just use the 3-bin collection system on my mower and dump more often.

I estimated that I got maybe 5X the amount of leaves in the big leaf bag compared to a full load in my 3-bin system. But, it was too much work to move the leaves into the chicken run. Smaller was better, in that case.

It's tempting, though, as emptying is the worst part of the leaf pickup at this point....that and the dust, which I get comically coated in.

I always keep some dust masks ready for those projects. I hate breathing in all that leaf dust. Also, I get covered in the dust from head to foot. I have to strip off my clothes at the washer and jump into the shower before Dear Wife lets me sit out in the living room. OK by me. I can't stand being covered in all that dust either.

My leaf and grass clippings pile was steaming hot the other day, and as I add food waste to the system (and the chickens own manure), we're getting some incredibly nutrient-rich compost.

Yeah, that's why I call it black gold. The chickens make better compost in the chicken run than I was ever able to make in my compost bins. And, they do it a lot faster. Chickens and composting just go together naturally.
 
I have a question. I’ve been dumping a bag of leaves here & there, & any soiled shavings jnto my chicken run. I didn’t think about it before, but if there is no “dirt” area, where do your chickens dust bathe? Thanks!

I’ve taken out a few piles that were partially broken down to mulch my garlic, but I’ll probably leave the rest til spring, adding more leaves and soiled shavings as needed.
 
I have a question. I’ve been dumping a bag of leaves here & there, & any soiled shavings jnto my chicken run. I didn’t think about it before, but if there is no “dirt” area, where do your chickens dust bathe? Thanks!
How thick is the leaf layer? Some of mine just kick enough aside to reach "dirt" level and roll around in that, though I offer a covered, dry dust bath as well.
 
I have a similar two-bag system (holds about 40 gallons), so I do a lot of back-and-forth trips even though the neighbors yards are all nearby. I'm strongly considering buying one of those pull-behind systems with storage space and an additional blower. The one I'm looking at holds about 400 gallons, but also isn't cheap.

Just was thinking about this issue, again. One thing I have considered was getting a Worx Leaf Mulcher for ~$150.00. There are similar mulchers from other brands as well. Anyway, you can get a 11:1 shredding ratio, or even better, on these models.

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In other words, you could probably shred 400 gallons of whole leaves down to about 36 gallons of shredded leaf bits. Shredded leaves would compost faster, too. In my case, I really don't care if the leaves are shredder, or not, because the chickens will do it over time.

Basically, those leaf mulchers are grass trimmers running upside down in a bucket.

If you really wanted to save money, then you could dump leaves in a big garbage can and stick a grass/weed trimmer down into the can, shredding all the leaves. I tried it. Works pretty good. Put some kind of a cover on top so you reduce the dust flying around.


Anyway, it's an option to consider while you save up money for the tow behind leaf vac system...
 
I didn’t think about it before, but if there is no “dirt” area, where do your chickens dust bathe?

I have one section of my chicken run that still has dirt. But, my chickens prefer to dig holes into the chicken run compost and dust bath in those holes. Depending on the age of the compost, you only need to dig down a few inches and the compost looks pretty much like soil. I think the chickens prefer to dust bathe in the compost because it is easier to dig in.
 
How thick is the leaf layer? Some of mine just kick enough aside to reach "dirt" level and roll around in that, though I offer a covered, dry dust bath as well.

I have one section of my chicken run that still has dirt. But, my chickens prefer to dig holes into the chicken run compost and dust bath in those holes. Depending on the age of the compost, you only need to dig down a few inches and the compost looks pretty much like soil. I think the chickens prefer to dust bathe in the compost because it is easier to dig in.

Thank you both! It’s been super cold, and I haven’t seen them dust bathing much (but obviously I’m not watching them 24-7). The leaves/shavings are only a few inches, so it sounds like it won’t be an issue!
 

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