post your chicken coop pictures here!

[junebuggena]

It will be about 60 Sq. Ft.in the next week or so. Right now it's just a small 3x7 under the coop. 6 white Leghorns hens.

Why don't pine shavings breakdown?

Shavings do break down, but they do it very slowly. Straw or hay will compost down in about 3 months. Shavings can take 6 months to a year. Wet, warm weather helps speed up the breakdown. You must consider, they are basically little pieces of wood. Wood takes longer to break down than grass.
And right now, your issues basically stem from too small a run. Maintenance will be maybe once a month in the new run. Nothing more you can do at the moment with as small as the run is and with the number of birds living in it.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

And with the wood shavings they probably spray chemicals on them also before packing. So could that also have an impact on why they don't break down as fast.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

4x8 but it's built on a 6x8 base so we can add nest boxes and a little storage area but yeah

O ok well I have a four by 8 but it's to small we're bursting at the seems in it with the 20 chickens and they aren't even fully grown yet so it's getting tighter on the roost every day as they grow. So for all of you out there who don't believe in chicken math it's real I never imagined having that many but now I want more still. And to think I wasn't even going to build a 4x8 I was going to go smaller.

 

[cabinchicky]

It will be about 60 Sq. Ft.in the next week or so. Right now it's just a small 3x7 under the coop. 6 white Leghorns hens.

Why don't pine shavings breakdown?

My runs were taken right out my yard.Close to 1000sq ft combined between the two. After the grass was removed by foraging, I added sand then very small gravel and tilled it into the soil. I add sand once a year to help soften it. I till once a month and sprinkle it very lightly with lime in the spring. Dead leaves, kitchen scraps and some plant matter go in as well.The second run was added last year after having 2 tree stumps ground out and I will probably be tilling tree chips for the next tens years in it. Inside my coops I do deep litter method year round and same idea, toss it in, stir it up. Helps heat it in winter and it makes plants grow like mad come spring.

 

[perchie.girl]

And with the wood shavings they probably spray chemicals on them also before packing. So could that also have an impact on why they don't break down as fast.

Not horse bedding.... same stuff

 

[TJordan]

WALLS!!!! I've finally got WALLS!!!! Granted the last part of the roof isn't on and there is no nest boxes, roost poles or even a door yet but I have walls!!!! Now it's

 

[beautifulpirate]

WALLS!!!! I've finally got WALLS!!!! Granted the last part of the roof isn't on and there is no nest boxes, roost poles or even a door yet but I have walls!!!! Now it's

Every bit of progress is exciting, isn't it?!

 

[TJordan]

Every bit of progress is exciting, isn't it?!

After 2 months .... Yes.

Between cars breaking down, my dad having multiple strokes, kids being kids. I finally have WALLS. This rain has put a damper on finishing today but that's ok.

 

[Sylvester017]

Omgoodness You people have it going on. Awesome! I'm ashamed of myself. Only a month in but now I realize I've got tons to do for my 2 new rouens and new to having ducks. I'm a landscaper and I'm use to very neat and while I have lots of animals. Ducks are Anything but neat. Lol alreadt loVe them so whatever they want. Can't wait to see the metamorphosis from looking female to being male or males. Again Awesome houses for your feathered friends. Totally impressed! CC

Ducks might be messier than chickens but only slightly and in different ways. One thing about ducks is they are great egg layers (if you get the right breeds) and really really cute to watch! And they LUV slugs and snails! My farm Mom's favorite poultry were Toulouse geese -- for their watchdog abilities, big eggs, and leaner meat than Pekin ducks. It was a musical property with honking geese and quacking ducks - the chickens were the quietest in spite of their egg songs. What we did for landscaping was separate the backyard with a fence between the "people" side and the "chicken" side. The people side has the patio, nice raised veggie beds, and container plants, while the chicken side has their roofed patio coop, pop-up canopy, dog houses, lean-to shelters, and all the dirt they want to dig holes!

 

[FarmerPhronc]

It will be about 60 Sq. Ft.in the next week or so. Right now it's just a small 3x7 under the coop. 6 white Leghorns hens.

Why don't pine shavings breakdown?

Since your increasing the size of your run another option to consider is grazing boards. Here are a couple of links: http://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/2012/02/07/grazing-frames-backyard-chickens/ and https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/764247/grazing-frame-box-salad-bar-for-chickens-diy-video

I have a couple in my 6 x 12 run. My ladies seem to enjoy pecking at the grass as it grows up through the wire. Come late October I'll remove the boards (2 ft x 6 ft) and let them have at it. I was going to add more however I put that on hold as I'm working on expanding the run area. If I don't add more this summer I certainly will have them ready come April.

I generally wash the poop of the grazing boards everyday or two while watering the grass under them takes about 5 mins.