Just got my enclosure, help with the floor and outside bedding

[sayccrn]

Hey guys! Thanks for all your help. This site is invaluable for beginners! I just got my 6x9 enclosure, and the grass is almost gone now. the poop is matting on the ground and I have to rake it up. I have wood chips and grass clippings (that are wet today, cuz it finally rained). Is there a particular order to the flooring. do I put in the clippings or leaves first and then the woodchips last? Do I just throw it all in there willy nilly, or is there a ratio woodchips to clippings? Then, correct me if I am wrong, it all decomposes on it's own? I won't have to rake up flattened poop? and what about under the coop? I cannot really get in there very well, it's all hardware clothed. Unless I take off the cloth on the inside of the coop run part. the part that is in the enclosure (which once I get it all predator proof, I probably will remove it). Thank you guys!

 

[Percheron chick]

Willy nilly works fine. The chickens have their own opinions and will spend hours making it just right. Where you will get into trouble is when it has too much humus and can't dry out to the point it gets stinky or moldy. You will perfect your ratios over time. Leave it all in there. The N of the poop is necessary for decomposition.

 

[drinkoj]

1) Is there a particular order to the flooring. do I put in the clippings or leaves first and then the woodchips last?
2) Do I just throw it all in there willy nilly, or is there a ratio woodchips to clippings?
3) Then, correct me if I am wrong, it all decomposes on it's own? I won't have to rake up flattened poop?
4) and what about under the coop? I cannot really get in there very well, it's all hardware clothed. Unless I take off the cloth on the inside of the coop run part. the part that is in the enclosure (which once I get it all predator proof, I probably will remove it). Thank you guys!

1) I'd throw wood chips down first and then clippings, so that there's a little space between the ground and the pile so water run-off can occur. You and I are getting the same storms at night so I know what you're talking about, since I'm just up the road from ATL.

2) Willy nilly. I just try to keep a good mix going.
3) The chickens will turn the clippings/wood chips as they scratch. In the beginning you probably need to stir the pile some, as the bio-organisms and break down is just starting. Takes a week or two to see it start decomposing.
4) I'm not sure what's going on under your Coop. Do you have a hardware cloth flooring for poop to fall through? THIS IS MY NEWBIE OPINION! that follows: If so, you're going to want some shavings or something under there to absorb the poop moisture or you will have a nasty mess on your hands and you NEED a way to clean under neath it to change things out every once in a while.

 

[drinkoj]

Oh, and get a tarp or something to cover part/if not all the run for some shade. That will help out with the run getting soaking wet too.

 

[sayccrn]

Willy nilly works fine. The chickens have their own opinions and will spend hours making it just right. Where you will get into trouble is when it has too much humus and can't dry out to the point it gets stinky or moldy. You will perfect your ratios over time. Leave it all in there. The N of the poop is necessary for decomposition.

Willy nilly it is. Thanks so much!

 

[sayccrn]

Oh, and get a tarp or something to cover part/if not all the run for some shade. That will help out with the run getting soaking wet too.

There is. I actually have two. A green one that stays over the coop part and a blue one I move with the sun in this heat, on the sides.

 

[sayccrn]

1) I'd throw wood chips down first and then clippings, so that there's a little space between the ground and the pile so water run-off can occur. You and I are getting the same storms at night so I know what you're talking about, since I'm just up the road from ATL.

2) Willy nilly. I just try to keep a good mix going.
3) The chickens will turn the clippings/wood chips as they scratch. In the beginning you probably need to stir the pile some, as the bio-organisms and break down is just starting. Takes a week or two to see it start decomposing.
4) I'm not sure what's going on under your Coop. Do you have a hardware cloth flooring for poop to fall through? THIS IS MY NEWBIE OPINION! that follows: If so, you're going to want some shavings or something under there to absorb the poop moisture or you will have a nasty mess on your hands and you NEED a way to clean under neath it to change things out every once in a while.

You are north I am south of atl. Lol

Thank you. ☺ as I said. Once I get the whole thing better snake protected, I will remove the hardware cloth and the little door to the coop run. It is just dirt now, they use it fir their baths. I powder DE through the hardware cloth on the outside and theirs a little trapdoor in the coop portion that the bedding falls down into the run, not a lot though. I guess I need to hurry up and get the rest of my hardware cloth for the enclosure, to make the spaces smaller, and remove it on the inside, so I can get a rake in there at least.

Thanks so much!

 

[3KillerBs]

If you toss a handful of scratch into the bedding a couple times a week the chickens will do the stirring and mixing for you.

 

[sayccrn]

If you toss a handful of scratch into the bedding a couple times a week the chickens will do the stirring and mixing for you.

Even better! Thanks!

 

[aart]

Do I just throw it all in there willy nilly, or is there a ratio woodchips to clippings?
Then, correct me if I am wrong, it all decomposes on it's own?

More wood chips than clippings.
Gotta balance the ratio of 'browns' carbon(wood) to 'greens' nitrogen(poop, fresh clippings).
How big is your run....pics, please?