Pine Shavings in covered run

[karinm072]

Hi, I have a fully covered run that is wrapped in plastic sheeting for the winter. I use construction sand and for the past 2 years I’ve added a good layer of chopped straw for winter warmth. My vet wants me to ditch the straw as this is the 2nd year in a row that my oldest hen has developed an impacted crop. Last Christmas Eve she had surgery to empty out her crop which was mostly straw and mealworms. She will probably need surgery again within a couple weeks if I can’t get her to pass it. Since they already knock pine shavings out of the coop and into the run, I was thinking of switching out straw for shavings fully in the run. Does anyone use shavings as run bedding? I would appreciate experiences with this method. Thank you!!

 

[chickens really]

Hello....I stick to sand all year in my Run...The Chickens dust bath on warmer winter days..My run is also covered...Straw goes bad way to fast....

 

[jballone]

Yes, works great. I take old pine flake out from coop and put it into the run and put fresh pine in the coop.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you provide a source of poultry grit (crushed granite) for your girls? Having the right grit may help with crop issues.

Shavings would be o.k. to add to the run instead of straw. You can also use leaves/pine needles. My girls do eat a few of the pine needles here and there, but so far I've never had any problems.

How many chickens do you have and how much run space do they have?

 

[Smuvers Farm]

And I am hoping you didn't wrap the entire run in plastic sheeting? They still need plenty of air, so I'd unwrap at least one side, or the upper 1/3rd of the run.

 

[karinm072]

Do you provide a source of poultry grit (crushed granite) for your girls? Having the right grit may help with crop issues.

Shavings would be o.k. to add to the run instead of straw. You can also use leaves/pine needles. My girls do eat a few of the pine needles here and there, but so far I've never had any problems.

How many chickens do you have and how much run space do they have?

I always have grit available, construction sand that contains grit-size rocks and yard time daily.

 

[karinm072]

And I am hoping you didn't wrap the entire run in plastic sheeting? They still need plenty of air, so I'd unwrap at least one side, or the upper 1/3rd of the run.

I leave plenty of ventilation space around the top and lower ventilation on side where coop and run connect.

 

[karinm072]

Do you provide a source of poultry grit (crushed granite) for your girls? Having the right grit may help with crop issues.

Shavings would be o.k. to add to the run instead of straw. You can also use leaves/pine needles. My girls do eat a few of the pine needles here and there, but so far I've never had any problems.

How many chickens do you have and how much run space do they have?

I have 4 big girls and 2 Silkies in a 10x16 run. Only my oldest girl seems to eat straw & pine needles.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I always have grit available, construction sand that contains grit-size rocks and yard time daily.

I realize they have construction sand available as mentioned in your first post, depending on what is consists of, the particles they find just may not be hard enough for them to be able to process the straw properly. A bag of grit will last a very long time and it won't hurt to see if having the granite will help resolve your crop issues. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-science-of-feeding-grit-to-poultry.891051/

Seems it's the other way round with mine, my pullets eat some of the pine needles and my older girls leave it be

 

[aart]

Grit works mostly in the gizzard not the crop......don't think that would help an impacted crop caused from gorging on straw.