Leaves as bedding

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I have a similar question, are leaves (small leaves not like oak, they are from beetlebung but you probably don’t know that tree) good as coop bedding? Not in the run but in the coop. Thank you!

I am not familiar with that three, despite not being far from you down here in RI. Assuming it's not toxic to chickens (Google around, but it's likely not), small leaves in the coop is probably better than big leaves. The key is to make sure they're very dry when they are added to the coop.

 

[Sally PB]

My run was 25x40 - even surrounded by woods w/ lots of broad leaf trees, I didn't find the will to gather enough leaves to try and fill it.

And then what would you do with the ten minutes left in the week?

 

[Ecarroll]

I am not familiar with that three, despite not being far from you down here in RI. Assuming it's not toxic to chickens (Google around, but it's likely not), small leaves in the coop is probably better than big leaves. The key is to make sure they're very dry when they are added to the coop.

I think beetlebung is a colloquial name, you probably know it as something else. I think they might be called Tupelo trees? I don’t think they are poisonous as the wild birds eat the berries all the time but I will Google around. Thanks

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I think beetlebung is a colloquial name, you probably know it as something else. I think they might be called Tupelo trees? I don’t think they are poisonous as the wild birds eat the berries all the time but I will Google around. Thanks

Look up a black gum tree I think that’s what you’re thinking of

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Another fall weekend, another big ol' pile of leaves in the run. This is in our "extra" run area that used to house goats, then geese, and with a little luck and a lot of chicken compost will hopefully grow some nice grass next year and return to lawn.

 

[Jenbirdee]

ok well this will sound stupid i guess because today i took to the leaf blower to move the leaves to one corner of their yard ( 30 x 40 foot chicken yard) just so that i could find their poops and pick them up.
but i hear y’all saying the poops just get absorbed by the leaves and also the birds shred them to dust to i guess its ok to leave “poop dust leaves” in the ground then? lol

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Tomorrow I’ll post how mine looks after I replaced the chicken coop bedding with pine and leaves mixed and dumped some in the run

heres my cat Chloe sitting on my run with my Buff/lav Orpington red and shiner one of my other free range roosters just eating stuff off the ground, because why not

 

[U_Stormcrow]

ok well this will sound stupid i guess because today i took to the leaf blower to move the leaves to one corner of their yard ( 30 x 40 foot chicken yard) just so that i could find their poops and pick them up.
but i hear y’all saying the poops just get absorbed by the leaves and also the birds shred them to dust to i guess its ok to leave “poop dust leaves” in the ground then? lol

Bird poop is "hot" compost. Nitrogen rich, it will burn your plants. Also smells strongly of ammonia, particularly wet. It is the "green" in a standard compost.

Leaves are "brown". On their own, they decay slowly. Relatively low nitrogen, full of lots of other trace minerals.

Leaves plus poop controls that ammonia-rich odor, and decomposes faster than leaves will on their own, turning that "hot", plant-burning poop into a more stable, nore balanced, more nutrient rich (if lower nitrogen) fertilizer/compost for use on your garden, around trees, etc.

You should see my roses.

 

[TooCheep]

ok well this will sound stupid i guess because today i took to the leaf blower to move the leaves to one corner of their yard ( 30 x 40 foot chicken yard) just so that i could find their poops and pick them up.
but i hear y’all saying the poops just get absorbed by the leaves and also the birds shred them to dust to i guess its ok to leave “poop dust leaves” in the ground then? lol

By chicken yard, you mean their daytime run? If so, then yes. Just leave the leaves there. In fact, feel free to throw more in the run.

As for mixing poo + leaves, it is the same idea as composting kitchen waste. Poo is high in nitrogen and tends to stink if you have a bunch. Leaves are high in carbon and will neutralize the poo smell. Between the weather and the chickens scratching around, the leaves and poo will break down and become an excellent organic soil which you can then use as compost in a garden or under bushes/trees.

 

[Chicken Fury]

I currently have Bradford pear, columnar oak, and American elm and I want to put some in my run/coop is it safe

Definitely safe. My chooks are in a pen due to predators (dog's during the day and coyotes raccoons foxes ect at night) but once or twice a week in the fall I give them leaves to scratch through and they get so excited. Especially if you add corn or something chicken safe under it for them to discover.