pine shavings

[Stephanie739]

I bought two big bags of shavings tonight for my coop/run. I am planning on putting the babies out there on days its not too cold, starting in about a week. They will then be about 4 weeks old. I will still bring them in at night for a few more weeks. Excited! They are growing fast! My other girls can look at them through the fence and get used to the idea of sharing their space with them.

 

[AlienChick]

Your babies will enjoy being out in the run!

I just moved my babies outside to their little coop, and they're adjusting to all the new sights and sounds.

 

[simplynewt]

Awesome. You are planning on using shavings for the run? I would tend to think that that would make more of a mess to clean up as opposed to sand or dirt.

I guess it is the owners preference.

Congrats on the newly added family.

 

[Stephanie739]

Quote:
I have been bringing them outside every once in awhile since they were only a few days old, so they are getting used to the sunshine and breezes, etc., but making it to the big coop/run means I don't have to sit there with them every second

and I'm looking forward to getting rid of the stink in my house!

 

[Stephanie739]

Quote:
Thanks! Well, my coop/run is really just a big dog kennel. I have half of it more open to the sun and air (the run part) the back portion of the kennel has enclosures (big doghouses for nesting boxes and big sticks for the roosts) The back area of the kennel is also far more enclosed, with a divider to mark the division, so that part I call the the coop

Anyway most all of the kennel is dirt ground, and I had been using hay to keep the area from getting muddy. I've been reading about deep litter method, and moldy hay, so I'm planning on trying it over the whole kennel. Perhaps I understood the method wrong? I don't like it when my run gets all muddy. I usually just throw more hay (and more recently dried leaves) in there. Now I will use shavings instead to avoid moldy hay. I've not really considered sand....pros/cons to sand?

 

[Stephanie739]

I guess I will just use the shavings in the front part (run) as a mud cover, not so much as deep litter

I want it cozy and clean when the babies come to play in it.

 

[Stephanie739]

One more thing, my grown chickens do not stay in the coop much, just to sleep. They range in a larger fenced in grassy area. The younger ones will join them there later

 

[AlienChick]

Quote:
If you mow your lawn (or have neighbors who do), you can use the grass clippings in the run. The chicks will LOVE to scratch thru it.

The fallen leaves from the trees work great, too! That's what I'm currently using in my bantam coop run.

 

[daver]

Your preference but I suggest sand in the run if they are going to spend alot of time there.

Dave