New to back yard chicken raising

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Klimmek6

Klimmek6

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May 6, 2015
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Hi Charmaine here,

A few questions about BY chickens....

In the coop has anyone ever used the bedding that is used in horse stalls? It's very dusty, is it good for the chickens.

What can scratch be put in for chickens to eat and when can I give it to them?

Can I use peetmoss and DE for their dust bath?

I would like to use pine shavings in the coop and run is that okay in the run?
 
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Charmaine!

Glad you joined us!

Are you referring to pine pellets? Dust is certainly not good for your birds, Wood chips, Hay (as long as it's not dusty), Stray and Pine Needles are all great beddings. (You can read about more great bedding here: Bedding part-1: Comparing Materials)
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Though I don't feed commercial feed, I have read scratch feeding should be kept at a minimum and fed as a treat. You can throw some down in their bedding, so that they will fluff it up for you.
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Yes, you can, though you may want to sprinkle some water one top, so that the soil will be moist, and there will be less dust.
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That will be fine.
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I love your avatar by the way!
 
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Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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As long as it is not too dusty and they are not eating it, it should be fine. I use sand on my coop and run floors. It is a bit dusty, but I have never had a problem with the birds.

You can either sprinkle it on the floor or put it in a small tub. I use tubs for treats and such. You can get these at feed stores or even walmart. They are small black rubber type tubs. You can also use heavy dog food bowls as well.

Go easy on the DE. This stuff is really hard on anyones lungs, bird and human alike. Peat moss is fine, you can use a tiny handful of DE in this area. You can also sprinkle DE around the coop and in the nest boxes.

Pine shavings are good to use anywhere...coop floor, run floor or nest boxes.

So glad you could join our community!!
 
Klimmek6 said:
Hi Charmaine here,

A few questions about BY chickens....

In the coop has anyone ever used the bedding that is used in horse stalls? It's very dusty, is it good for the chickens. I've never used it, so unfortunately, I can't answer this question.

What can scratch be put in for chickens to eat and when can I give it to them? You can give chickens scratch by mixing it into their feed, putting it in a dish, or simply scattering it on the ground. Scratch is a treat, so don't overfeed it. You can generally start giving chickens scratch when they're 18+ weeks old, as long as you provide them with some grit (small stones to eat and help digest hard feed).

Can I use peetmoss and DE for their dust bath? DE is kind of dusty and irritating to the lungs, so I myself would never use it in a dust bath. However, I have heard of people doing so. Peatmoss would work fine.

I would like to use pine shavings in the coop and run is that okay in the run? Yes, shavings are great for use in the run and coop. Other run bedding choices include sand, straw, or simply bare dirt.
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