Leaves in chicken run turning black, good or bad?

[ValerieJ]

I think the difference you're seeing in the run vs the rest of the yard is just because the chickens are making the leaves into beautiful compost for you! When they scratch they're opening the leaves up to absorb more moisture and when they poo it's adding nitrogen to all of that carbon and it's breaking down faster. That's gardening gold! Mulching, turning, and adding nitrogen (manure) is everything that is recommended to make compost faster.

x2. "gardening gold". Say, thank you ladies.

 

[gtaus]

I was just discussing getting some wood chipping action happening this weekend. Do they need to be aged? Or can I use fresh chips?

I use whatever wood chips I have available. I started out chipping my own wood at home with my small chipper, and that worked, but it would take hours and hours to chip just a few bags. Then I found our local county landfill had piles of wood chips dropped off by arborists after their jobs. So now I hook up my trailer and head to the landfill for those chips. Sometimes there is a guy there with a bucket loader and he will just dump a load in the trailer for me. If he's not there, I just use my silage fork and load up my trailer manually - which takes me about 15 minutes for about 30 bags equivalent. Much better return on my time investment even including drive time.

I prefer using fresher chips as compared to aged/decomposing chips, mainly because fresh chips smell so good. I still use my home chipper but only for making nice looking wood chips for my wife's garden. The chips I get at the landfill are full of chipped up leaves too. But that is great for a compost or even the chicken coop. My chickens love those landfill chips and spend all day scratching through them looking for good things to eat.

 

[gtaus]

Aged is the safest route, there's a small chance of aspergillius with fresh chips. Wood oils are also more pronounced in fresh chips (that "nice woodsy smell") so aging gives time for those oils to escape and dissipate, which is better for the chickens respiratory systems.

I did not know that. I really liked the smell of those fresh wood chips. When I used fresh wood chips in my chicken coop, I did not notice any problems with my birds. How long would you recommend letting wood chips age before you put them in the coop?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I did not know that. I really liked the smell of those fresh wood chips. When I used fresh wood chips in my chicken coop, I did not notice any problems with my birds. How long would you recommend letting wood chips age before you put them in the coop?

I've seen 6 months quoted on here, so probably anything past 6 months should be fine.

While the smell of fresh cut wood is appealing, they can be an irritant to small animals. Cedar is the biggest one people try to avoid, so it's good to know what types of chips you're getting, if possible (not always possible). Wood oils would be less of an issue in a run, where fresh air is in ample supply, but I would use a little more caution inside a coop.

 

[Compost King]

I wouldn't use leaves in a coop, unless you know the coop can handle true deep litter. Instead of breaking down properly they just get gross. Wood shavings, chips, pellets, etc are a better choice

<--- I found this out the hard way although dry leaves mixed with straw provided there is more straw than leaves will be ok. Best to only use leaves outside the coop. They can really stink the place up when they absorb wet Manure.

 

[gtaus]

While the smell of fresh cut wood is appealing, they can be an irritant to small animals. Cedar is the biggest one people try to avoid,

I can understand fresh cedar, even aged cedar, could be overpowering in a coop. Most woods I am familiar with around here are no where near as strong smelling as cedar wood. We have lots of pine, oak, and birch. They smell good when fresh cut, but I don't think they would cause any respiratory problems in a properly ventilated coop. But, if there is a concern, the wood chips would work just as well if left to age 6 months or so.

 

[aart]

Anyway, let me know if the leaves turning black is something to work on, or is this to be expected and just part of the process. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Looks like a major 'wet pack' scenario to me. Not sure if the black is good or bad, 'slimy' might not always smell.
At least it's out in the open with lots of sun and air, that will help.
As long as you make sure it stays stirred up, might make some nice soil.
Hopefully it breaks down before it freezes solid,
or snow melt season may not be pleasant there.

Wood chips might not be a good soil ingredient,
if not fully broken down it will 'steal' nitrogen from plants.

'Aging' wood chippings is a relative thing.
Can depend on if they are chipped in summer(wetter) or winter(drier),
how much and what kind of organisms are present growing on the tree,
the micro-environment they are used and/or stored in,
and what kind of wood it is(some break down faster than others).
Moderation, common sense, and a bit of biology knowledge can go a long way with composting and chickens.

 

[Major_in_MS]

I still use my home chipper but only for making nice looking wood chips for my wife's garden.

What kind of chipper do you have? I've been thinking of getting one. Any advice?

 

[gtaus]

Looks like a major 'wet pack' scenario to me.

That was my concern, initially. However, I can tell you that the leaves are not all packed together. They are more spongelike. Also, I have added a layer or two of wood chips out in the run and those appear to be breaking down just fine. Once we get the freezing weather, I'm sure all this process will be suspended. At any rate, when I take out this composted material for use in the garden, I use a 1/4" hardware cloth sieve on top of one of my garden carts to filter the compost. I would think anything small enough to fit through that sieve should be good compost.

 

[aart]

I use a 1/4" hardware cloth sieve on top of one of my garden carts to filter the compost.

I've been thinking about doing this with a good portion of my run bedding.
Makes my back hurt just thinking about it...
...so I sit down and think about this instead :