Probably the dumbest questions ever....

[minasmom]

So I consider myself a duck and chicken mom noob. I have had my loves since April. I live in Seattle and winters here...suck. Wet doesn't begin to describe it. I have 2 10 x 10 covered dog kennels. Inside 1 is an Eagle chicken coop where my chickens sleep and inside the other is a 4 x 6 plastic shed where my ducks sleep. I keep pine shavings on the floor of both kennels. Inside the duck shed is hay. Outside both of the kennels is a 10 x 20 fenced in outside area with a duck pool, where they can alll commune(now covered in netting thanks to a hawk eating one of my ducks).

So everything is gross, just constantly wet and gross. I clean out the coop and shed like twice a week and now Im wondering...what do people DO with all of this soiled hay and pine shavings? My pile is growing and growing. Also, does everyone battle this constant grossness? Am I doing something wrong?

 

[STACEYH]

Pictures of your set up would help. How many birds in each pen?
Composting and gardening with mine.

 

[minasmom]

Pictures of your set up would help. How many birds in each pen?
Composting and gardening with mine.

Ill try to add some pictures tomorrow. I have 7 chickens and a rooster in 1, and 6 ducks.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Hi! I fill my winter runs with a thick layer of bark chip/wood mulch. It keeps the mud down and the poop dissolves into it. They scratch it all up and it slowly decomposes over time. I also use it on the coop floor, then cover that with whatever I'm using, shavings, straw, hay.
It is a lot of bark to begin with, I have it about 3 inches deep, you may need it even deeper for your winters.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Look up deep litter. Pine shavings are probably one of the worst things to use as bedding in a wet environment as it just gets soggy and doesn't allow for good drainage or aeration and isn't cost effective either.

 

[Cynthia12]

I used to tarp my run.

 

[Cynthia12]

Tarp, all over the run areas.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Tarp, all over the run areas.

OP said the kennels were "covered," though not sure if that means a solid roof or what?

No roof or tarp will fix drainage/standing water issues, or high saturation of ground water, which can be a problem in this general area.

 

[Cynthia12]

OP said the kennels were "covered," though not sure if that means a solid roof or what?

No roof or tarp will fix drainage/standing water issues, or high saturation of ground water, which can be a problem in this general area.

Yep, Washington ..

 

[Quatie]

I have a large compost pile with used bedding. I also use it a lot for mulch around the yard and in pots. You can actually use it in planter beds or pots on the bottom, so you don't need as much soil to fill them up. It saves on soil costs. I have also used the cleaner used layers of bedding for muddy areas in yard. It helps keep it from slipping and sliding. I find the straw breaks down pretty well in the muddy areas. However, I have a couple acres, so I can also afford to have a large compost pile.