Question about run bedding

[CheepPeepers]

Ive never used aspen shavings, we've always just had dirt floors, but these hens really like to dig lol
Theyve got holes all over the place and while raking it out, ive realized im removing a lot of dirt and putting a lot less back.

I'm gonna add more dirt and old grass from the mower, as well as fresh grass, but i was hoping to add some more bedding with them.

The coop/run is smaller, but covered and once the weather is nice, they'll be getting a massive outdoor run as well (i just have to put it up. Right now they free range whenever I'm outside to watch for hawks, theyre starting to learn to stick near the coop/house rather than be out in the open which is great). Its been pretty clean so far, doesn't smell, mostly just stray feathers so ive probably been raking it more than I need to. (We've got 7 chickens, a mix of banties and standard.)
In the coop ive been using Grounds coffee grounds, and sifting it with cat litter scoops. I intended to do the deep litter method, but with TSC sold out ive gotta make it last til they either restock or I find an alternative. Which ive heard aspen is good for this as well.

But yeah, I heard aspen bedding for like, hamsters and guinea pigs works well, but im not sure if it works well outside with the rain. Theyre in an area they won't flood and usually doesn't get soaked but we have a lot of wind so sometimes the run does get fairly wet.
Ive never owned rodents so ive never used aspen bedding before.
Is it okay to use outside? Would it be good to combine with the Grounds? It breaks down ive heard so is it something I need to remove often?

Thanks for any help!

 

[aart]

How big is your run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.
Beware too many fresh grass clipping can lead to impacted crops if the gorge on it.

They do like to dig!
I put down bricks, or logs, or pavers when they dig where I don't want them to dig.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/

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.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use aspen... in nest boxes. Don't know about your set up or your climate, but I get lots of rain too. Wood shavings are 100% no for my climate, they get soggy and they're not cost efficient. For me, I need my litter to provide drainage and get rid of mud and odors.

I intended to do the deep litter method, but with TSC sold out ive gotta make it last til they either restock or I find an alternative. Which ive heard aspen is good for this as well.

Deep litter isn't coffee grounds or wood shavings. It's a mix of materials that compost down along with poop. What aart posted is above is an example of optimal deep litter base material - chunky wood chips allow for aeration and drainage, and mix other plant matter into that.

Really no need to buy stuff for adding into deep litter. If you have a garden or greenery in your yard, or have neighbors that generate yard waste, that's your source right there.

 

[CheepPeepers]

How big is your run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.
Beware too many fresh grass clipping can lead to impacted crops if the gorge on it.

They do like to dig!
I put down bricks, or logs, or pavers when they dig where I don't want them to dig.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/
View attachment 2286334


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.

Alrighty! I'll try and grab a pic and dimensions later today for ya! Thank you!
And i dont mind them digging, I just worry if a predator breaks through a skirt and theres already a deep hole near the edge theyll get in too easy/fast. All ive got is grass atm and ive been trying to keep that low so its not a huge huge amount.

 

[CheepPeepers]

I use aspen... in nest boxes. Don't know about your set up or your climate, but I get lots of rain too. Wood shavings are 100% no for my climate, they get soggy and they're not cost efficient. For me, I need my litter to provide drainage and get rid of mud and odors.



Deep litter isn't coffee grounds or wood shavings. It's a mix of materials that compost down along with poop. What aart posted is above is an example of optimal deep litter base material - chunky wood chips allow for aeration and drainage, and mix other plant matter into that.

Really no need to buy stuff for adding into deep litter. If you have a garden or greenery in your yard, or have neighbors that generate yard waste, that's your source right there.

Yeah thats what I was worried about lol. Like I said we usually just use the dirt floor.

I asked about bedding before and I thought people said coffee grounds could be used for deep litter? Just keep adding grounds and it'll all break down together i thought. I hope I'm not misremembering (I cant drink coffee so I'd have to buy them).
We don't have a ton of waste atm, just grass. The garden hasn't been doing too good and I dont have much time beyond mowing and letting them out to graze atm. I'm very new to the deep litter idea, we mostly just cleaned the coops every few days in the past.

So leaves in the fall would work good to mix in with wood chips too then?
One thing I was concerned about with deep litter/compst in the coop, is if I throw food in to decompose, whats stopping the hens from eating the food after it rots to decompose?

 

[3KillerBs]

One thing I was concerned about with deep litter/compst in the coop, is if I throw food in to decompose, whats stopping the hens from eating the food after it rots to decompose?

There's no guarantee, but I noticed that as long as my chickens had free access to their regular feed they wouldn't touch the wilted, old veggies, fruit, etc. from yesterday -- but they did enjoy the bugs that came to eat that stuff.

I never left anything in there that would get rotten-rotten and I made sure that the quantities of left-over casseroles, picked soup bones, and the like were within the capacity of 7 chickens to eat quickly.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I asked about bedding before and I thought people said coffee grounds could be used for deep litter? Just keep adding grounds and it'll all break down together i thought. I hope I'm not misremembering (I cant drink coffee so I'd have to buy them).
We don't have a ton of waste atm, just grass. The garden hasn't been doing too good and I dont have much time beyond mowing and letting them out to graze atm. I'm very new to the deep litter idea, we mostly just cleaned the coops every few days in the past.

So leaves in the fall would work good to mix in with wood chips too then?
One thing I was concerned about with deep litter/compst in the coop, is if I throw food in to decompose, whats stopping the hens from eating the food after it rots to decompose?

The grounds can be part of deep litter, yes, but the key to deep litter (vs bedding) is a mix of materials. Different sizes, different textures... you want some air to be able to mix in, water to drain through, and stuff will decompose and take the poop with it.

If you don't have a lot of yard waste, maybe check with neighbors to see if they have some? Or just work on building this up slowly over time... deep litter isn't an instant thing, it favors a slow layering of materials. Too much dumped in at once could cause mold or odors, from layers getting suffocated under one another.

Dried leaves are a super mix in for deep litter. If you have space to store them and can keep them completely dry (like a shed or greenhouse), them can be saved and mixed into the litter throughout the year. I save up all my dried leaves in the fall and fill my greenhouse with them, somewhere around 16-18 bags. Or if you don't get a lot of leaves yourself, many neighbors would be happy to let you have theirs, as it saves them from having to pay the waste company to take it.

Food waste is fine too - my chickens simply don't eat anything they don't want, BUT one caveat with food waste in the mix is it can attract pests, so depending on what food waste you have you might want to pick and choose what goes out. Like bits and pieces of leafy vegetables are completely fine. But for me, fruit attracts fruit flies, so I can't have that sitting out. Grain products could attract mice or rats, etc.

Here's a pretty good looks at my current litter, you can see dried grass, dried leaves, some wood chips and branches scattered throughout.

 

[CheepPeepers]

How big is your run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.
Beware too many fresh grass clipping can lead to impacted crops if the gorge on it.

They do like to dig!
I put down bricks, or logs, or pavers when they dig where I don't want them to dig.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/
View attachment 2286334


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.

Okay so I got the pics, couldn't find the yard stick to measure but its from TSC

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/petmate-superior-construction-chicken-coop-70401d

 

[CheepPeepers]

There's no guarantee, but I noticed that as long as my chickens had free access to their regular feed they wouldn't touch the wilted, old veggies, fruit, etc. from yesterday -- but they did enjoy the bugs that came to eat that stuff.

I never left anything in there that would get rotten-rotten and I made sure that the quantities of left-over casseroles, picked soup bones, and the like were within the capacity of 7 chickens to eat quickly.

Awesome, thats great to hear! I always worry about pets eating things they shouldn't and I know chickens can eat practically anything, but its really awesome to know they typically avoid it!

The grounds can be part of deep litter, yes, but the key to deep litter (vs bedding) is a mix of materials. Different sizes, different textures... you want some air to be able to mix in, water to drain through, and stuff will decompose and take the poop with it.

If you don't have a lot of yard waste, maybe check with neighbors to see if they have some? Or just work on building this up slowly over time... deep litter isn't an instant thing, it favors a slow layering of materials. Too much dumped in at once could cause mold or odors, from layers getting suffocated under one another.

Dried leaves are a super mix in for deep litter. If you have space to store them and can keep them completely dry (like a shed or greenhouse), them can be saved and mixed into the litter throughout the year. I save up all my dried leaves in the fall and fill my greenhouse with them, somewhere around 16-18 bags. Or if you don't get a lot of leaves yourself, many neighbors would be happy to let you have theirs, as it saves them from having to pay the waste company to take it.

Food waste is fine too - my chickens simply don't eat anything they don't want, BUT one caveat with food waste in the mix is it can attract pests, so depending on what food waste you have you might want to pick and choose what goes out. Like bits and pieces of leafy vegetables are completely fine. But for me, fruit attracts fruit flies, so I can't have that sitting out. Grain products could attract mice or rats, etc.

Here's a pretty good looks at my current litter, you can see dried grass, dried leaves, some wood chips and branches scattered throughout.

View attachment 2287700
View attachment 2287703

Ah I see what you mean! I didnt realize it had to be a mix, thank you so much for explaining! I'll definitely see about saving some leaves! We have a ton of trees so thats easy enough!

 

[3KillerBs]

Ah I see what you mean! I didnt realize it had to be a mix, thank you so much for explaining! I'll definitely see about saving some leaves! We have a ton of trees so thats easy enough!

Some people think of it as replicating a forest floor -- the chickens' natural habitat.