OK for coop bedding AND DLM?

[Ted Brown]

We use pea gravel. Buy it by the scoop... But that is freshly grounded stump material. I also see mold, sap and it getting stuck in my fork.

Pea gravel here is very expensive. I can buy clean crushed rock for about $250 a truck load (~20 yards), pea gravel is over $1,000 and hard to get.

Others have mentioned mold but suggest that drying will avoid that. When I looked at the pine/pine bark mix today it felt dry and there did not seem to be much sap, no residue on my hands and that is normal when I handle green pine lumber. I guess that it does not have much sap since it is produced by peeling the outside of a log prior to milling. Obviously there will be some.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have lots of room to store a pile so that is not a problem. Should it be left exposed to the weather or covered or?

I am considering buying a used chipper to produce my own wood chips/shreds as I have lots of tree fall branches; cleaning up the property would be an additional positive end result. I have lots of pine needle debris and deciduous leaves every fall, not much in the way of grass and other green materials.

In my area everyone leaves chip/mulch piles uncovered, as covering it prevents it from drying out. Do you know how other people in your area handle their chip piles?

Not sure how much a chipper would be (maybe renting one would be better) but that would be a fantastic way to recycle branches and provide yourself with a known source of chips. The other bonus with using fallen branches, especially ones that have started drying out, is it lets you skip a little of the aging process as they would already be drying out before you chip them. Definitely save up some of your fallen leaves, I try to store up enough to last all year, both for use in my chicken area and for my compost piles.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

And leaf mold creates wonderful soil! I can only imagine how much better after the chickens have pooped into it for months, and mixed with other things in the litter!

 

[Ted Brown]

Not sure how much a chipper would be (maybe renting one would be better) but that would be a fantastic way to recycle branches and provide yourself with a known source of chips.

Just closed a deal on an "almost new" 7.5hp chipper/shredder for $250. Need to see and confirm but seemed like a good deal.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just closed a deal on an "almost new" 7.5hp chipper/shredder for $250. Need to see and confirm but seemed like a good deal.

That is a pretty good deal. It would probably cost just as much to have someone come and chip up wood for me, and that would only be one time.

 

[aart]

I remember reading that getting active composting underway needs to be done during warmer temperatures. Producing "good garden soil" would be a great addition but not a primary goal.

IMO if you want good garden soil, much wood should be eliminated....unless you are doing a maintained 'hot' compost. Wood takes a long time to break down(which is why it works well in the 'cold composting' of a chicken run) and it can 'steal' nitrogen from garden plants if mixed into the soil.

I got a great deal(kinda-long story haha!) on a chipper long ago....it was laborious(and loud) as all get out to run all those pruned and fallen branches thru it. Wasn't worth my time at the time......kinda wish I had one now tho, except really no good place to store it.

Agrees that chip pile is fine uncovered, covering might encourage growth of anaerobics...and snakes(another long story).

 

[Ted Brown]

@aart Good input as usual, thanks.

I will go have a look at the chipper/shredder when I next go into the city to shop. Storage is less of an issue for me and I constantly have branches etc laying around that I now collect to put in the burn barrel.

To get started I will go get the pine/pine bark mixture as it seems from comments above it will work in both run and coop. Even with a chipper producing the required amount of material would be a big job.

Thanks all!

 

[rosemarythyme]

To get started I will go get the pine/pine bark mixture as it seems from comments above it will work in both run and coop. Even with a chipper producing the required amount of material would be a big job.

Very true, it would take a lot of chipping to get enough material to start with, especially if you're filling a large run or coop.

Since you don't have drainage issues you should see pretty good results with the pine mulch you posted. If worse comes to worse you can always add bigger chunks later if needed, or if you decide that maybe you don't like it in the run you can use it in the coop or vice versa.

 

[Ted Brown]

@rosemarythyme

I will start with using it in both run and coop. Experience will say if/where it works.

I will look at the chipper/shredder when I next go to the city. If it is what I have been told re usage/condition I will buy it and use to make bigger chunks and mix in with the pine mulch. @aart has pointed out the need for air infiltration to aid composting and the birds themselves will get some amusement at finding branch bits and chunks while they dig.

 

[123RedBeard]

I figured I needed about 6-8 cubic yards to fill a 12' by 12' area 6" deep.

I think your math is a tad off ... I know up that far north you use the metric system, but you posted "feet & yards" ...

Here is how I figure ... 12' X 12' = 144 square feet, 6" deep (half a foot) ... so divide your square feet by "2" to get "cubic feet" (12"X12"X12") ... 144÷2=72

A "square yard" is 36"X36" or ... 3' X 3' = 9 sq ft ...

A cubic yard is 36"X36"X36" so ... 9 X 3 = 27 "Cubic Feet" to the "Cubic Yard" ...

For you to cover your 12'X12' run 6" deep, you need 72 "Cubic Feet" of wood chips ...

72 cu ft ÷ 27 cu ft in a cu yd = 2.66 "Cubic Yards"

However ... if you get 6-8 yards ... you will have plenty of "left overs" to age, or ... just get one load now, and make your own to age to add later ...