Leaves in chicken run turning black, good or bad?

[NH Chicken Mama]

Looks fine to me. Chickens agitating it is just like turning a compost pile frequently - distributes active microbes which makes it decompose faster than without turning. Give it a few weeks and likely the chickens will be foraging through it to find the worms this will likely promote

I wish my chickens would eat worms! I legit throw them earthworms and they look at them and move on. (We have a super-invasive earthworm type that is very destructive... because lakes and fishing).

 

[Compost King]

Some of my chickens eat worms, some do not. Usually when they first start laying they try different foods and if you can get them loving worms at that point they are likely to keep eating them. I have worm bins for both composting reasons and to feed worms to chickens. This year Maggots/Flies raided my worm compost, worms not so happy about it but chicken love Maggots... so I took the top off and let the chickens scratch up top.

 

[gtaus]

I'm glad that you posted this - I didn't know I could put the girls to work composting my leaves!

This is my first year with laying hens, so I'm still learning a lot. I do not free range my chickens because I have Bald Eagles and hawks where I live on a lake. So my girls are confined to a 13 X 13 chicken run with bird netting on top to protect them. But the advantage is that I have been dumping lots of leaves in the run and as you can see in the pictures they are turning those leaves into black gold. I don't think you could do that with free range chickens.

 

[Compost King]

This is my first year with laying hens, so I'm still learning a lot. I do not free range my chickens because I have Bald Eagles and hawks where I live on a lake. So my girls are confined to a 13 X 13 chicken run with bird netting on top to protect them. But the advantage is that I have been dumping lots of leaves in the run and as you can see in the pictures they are turning those leaves into black gold. I don't think you could do that with free range chickens.

Free Range Chickens will go straight to a leaf pile but it takes them longer to break them down and they spread them out so far that you end up losing some of the pile.

 

[gtaus]

Free Range Chickens will go straight to a leaf pile but it takes them longer to break them down and they spread them out so far that you end up losing some of the pile.

That's what I was thinking. In the chicken run, the leaves are confined by the wire. After the leaves are spread out level, I usually go into the run and re-pile the leaves. I have been doing that every 2-3 days. Chickens love those piles and work all day scratching them down level.

 

[Compost King]

That's what I was thinking. In the chicken run, the leaves are confined by the wire. After the leaves are spread out level, I usually go into the run and re-pile the leaves. I have been doing that every 2-3 days. Chickens love those piles and work all day scratching them down level.

I like to add other things too, small sticks, grass clippings, dead plants, anything that can break down. even large pieces of rotting wood (not treated lumber) stuff I can life up a couple times of weeks so the chickens can find bugs under them.

 

[NH Chicken Mama]

Some of my chickens eat worms, some do not. Usually when they first start laying they try different foods and if you can get them loving worms at that point they are likely to keep eating them. I have worm bins for both composting reasons and to feed worms to chickens. This year Maggots/Flies raided my worm compost, worms not so happy about it but chicken love Maggots... so I took the top off and let the chickens scratch up top.

Ahhhh that is also good to know. When I get some chicks going next year I will have to get them introduced to earthworms!

I had to pick up three worms the other day to stick in my earthworm bin, after the hens just walked on by them.

Too bad about the maggots, yuck! Chickens to the rescue!

 

[MROO]

Very nice. I scored some bags full of leaves from one of my neighbors this year. He was all excited that I took the bags off his hands and saved him a trip to the landfill. I was all excited about having dry, bagged leaves in plastic bags that I can use this winter. Win-win for everybody.

GREAT idea! I hadn't thought of storing bagged leaves, mainly, I guess, because most of my trees are pines (I do put dropped needles in my run.) My neighbor, on the other hand, has massive oaks and maples in his yard, and he bags it all. I'll definitely keep an eye out for his big Fall clean-up. Thanks!

 

[NH Chicken Mama]

This is my first year with laying hens, so I'm still learning a lot. I do not free range my chickens because I have Bald Eagles and hawks where I live on a lake. So my girls are confined to a 13 X 13 chicken run with bird netting on top to protect them. But the advantage is that I have been dumping lots of leaves in the run and as you can see in the pictures they are turning those leaves into black gold. I don't think you could do that with free range chickens.

I also live near a lake and am sure that I have aerial predators. I don't have much for open yard, though, and no squirrels or mice to speak of (except one lone chipmunk that I have seen) so I'm not sure they even bother flying by. The girls may not end up free ranging next year, depending on whether or not we disassemble and then reassemble our shed to make in to a small barn (goats and chickens and my gardening stuff). I need to build a hard core run on to the coop, so I'm designing it my mind as it stands. Also, depending on the day, they do spend a few hours for breakfast in there before they are set free for the day.

I hope that it works enough, then!

 

[Compost King]

if you can't free range them for predator reasons but want to let them forage a bit outside the run, let them out an hour before sun set and stand out there with them. Predators won't want to attack with you standing with them. Its what I did before I was comfortable letting them forage the yard all day long. (they return to the coop before the sun sets)