Plan for Coop Bedding

[kdt_ntexas]

I am very new to chickens, so please forgive ignorance

I have 11 birds, all about 12 weeks old, 10 hens, one rooster. I live in far north central Texas. The soil is sandy and fairly absorbent, pools don't last more than a day or two.

Coop is 6ft x 10ft, wood framed, elevated ~2ft and the birds are now comfortably using the roosting bars at night.
Run is 25 ft x 25 ft, with generally adequate drainage (no giant splashy puddles).

In the coop, there is first a basic tarp on the floor. Over that I scatter about 3-4 squares of hay (about fifth or so of 2-string bale) over the floor, which makes a "pad" about 2" deep. Over that, I throw several handfuls of pine shavings. I leave this in place for about 2 weeks. The spare bales are covered with a tarp to prevent mold, although I saw a tiny bit of mold in this weekend's hay that I spread out.

At the end of 2 weeks, I sweep all of the dirty bedding into a wheelbarrow and dump it into the run and rake it flat (the run already has a covering of hay). My thinking is that, as the birds scratch around, they should mix up and turn over the hay, and therefore the droppings from the coop will bake in the sun, and break down/compost with the hay.

FWIW, there are still places they can scratch the hay aside and dust-bathe. I also plan on putting a tray of diatomaceous earth for them to bathe in.

I am on my first iteration of this process. I've had the birds just over three weeks now.

I have noticed the birds nibbling at, and swallowing, the hay. I assume they know clean hay from dirty. They preen and pick at their feathers but don't do it ALL the time. They seem relaxed and content, they are energetic and chase the green beetles, they have good appetites, and all their feathers are in place and look correct. They will settle down in the hay and even nap.

MY QUESTION:
Am I doing it wrong? If so, what's the better way?

Thanks,
--Kerry

 

[Flockincrazy]

I am very new to chickens, so please forgive ignorance

I have 11 birds, all about 12 weeks old, 10 hens, one rooster. I live in far north central Texas. The soil is sandy and fairly absorbent, pools don't last more than a day or two.

Coop is 6ft x 10ft, wood framed, elevated ~2ft and the birds are now comfortably using the roosting bars at night.
Run is 25 ft x 25 ft, with generally adequate drainage (no giant splashy puddles).

In the coop, there is first a basic tarp on the floor. Over that I scatter about 3-4 squares of hay (about fifth or so of 2-string bale) over the floor, which makes a "pad" about 2" deep. Over that, I throw several handfuls of pine shavings. I leave this in place for about 2 weeks. The spare bales are covered with a tarp to prevent mold, although I saw a tiny bit of mold in this weekend's hay that I spread out.

At the end of 2 weeks, I sweep all of the dirty bedding into a wheelbarrow and dump it into the run and rake it flat (the run already has a covering of hay). My thinking is that, as the birds scratch around, they should mix up and turn over the hay, and therefore the droppings from the coop will bake in the sun, and break down/compost with the hay.

FWIW, there are still places they can scratch the hay aside and dust-bathe. I also plan on putting a tray of diatomaceous earth for them to bathe in.

I am on my first iteration of this process. I've had the birds just over three weeks now.

I have noticed the birds nibbling at, and swallowing, the hay. I assume they know clean hay from dirty. They preen and pick at their feathers but don't do it ALL the time. They seem relaxed and content, they are energetic and chase the green beetles, they have good appetites, and all their feathers are in place and look correct. They will settle down in the hay and even nap.

MY QUESTION:
Am I doing it wrong? If so, what's the better way?

Thanks,
--Kerry

First of all here there is NO ignorant questions if you don't know ask that is what the experienced chicken owners are here for second chickens are nasty and eat there poop they don't care third are you using straw or hay straw is brown hay is green you want to use the brown (straw) if it were me i would shavings on the coop floor and just use straw in the nestboxes and if the ground is already sandy don't waiste your money on the diatomaceous earth they will use sand that is already there and dont put straw in your run it can mold and make your flock sick if they eat it i put my wood chips in the run but never hay or straw oh and welcome to BYC this is a great community you can learn a lot if you just ask so ask away

 

[aart]

Sounds OK to me...yes they will nibble on the hay.
Covering the hay bale might hold in moisture and speed mold growth.


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture
-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).
There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.

 

[Flockincrazy]

I have a watering trough for cattle that I keep my straw in and put it in the greenhouse by my lemon tree where there is no sprinklers

 

[salomie]

Sounds OK to me...yes they will nibble on the hay.
Covering the hay bale might hold in moisture and speed mold growth.


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture
-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).
There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.

what is PDZ?

 

[aart]

what is PDZ?

https://sweetpdz.com/