So, my run stinks. literally.

[rosemarythyme]

no, i live in an environment with barley any trees, i have 5-7 trees in my 5 acre yard, and a few don't lose their leaves. i have 1 pine tree, and that's all of the pine needles. Aka, not much at all. yeah. i guess i could go to each tree and pile all of the leaves together and throw that in the pen. maybe

I pay nothing for run litter by using what's available around me. You have neighbors who have trees or dried leaves or other yard waste? Around here people are dying to get rid of bags upon bags of dead leaves, plus other organic debris. Tree trimming companies in my area will drop wood chips for free/for gas cost too.

 

[The WinterWolf]

I pay nothing for run litter by using what's available around me. You have neighbors who have trees or dried leaves or other yard waste? Around here people are dying to get rid of bags upon bags of dead leaves, plus other organic debris. Tree trimming companies in my area will drop wood chips for free/for gas cost too.

Lucky

 

[The WinterWolf]

i will do that right now, at least the best i can. one question, are eucalyptus poisonous to them?

so, is it? i don't want to give them something bad. they already have enough problems

 

[Isadora]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/eucalyptus-tree-poisonous.228908/

 

[NatJ]

Lucky

Some people are more determined than others about looking around to see what is available, asking for it, and bringing it home to use. So what looks like luck might be mostly hard work or clever thinking.

 

[The WinterWolf]

i didn't start yet because i didn't know if the eucalyptuses were poison. ok, now i know. i don't think they are, and if i'm wrong please say so

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Leaves. Do leaves. This time of year I overflow my yard with leaves. It helps a lot.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Lucky

Some people are more determined than others about looking around to see what is available, asking for it, and bringing it home to use. So what looks like luck might be mostly hard work or clever thinking.

x2. While I do live in an area with lots of vegetation, I'm the one out there raking and gathering it up. I hang on to wood chips from the tree service done on the property, pack bags with dried leaves and store them in the greenhouse each fall, spread out grass clippings to dry after I mow the lawn in the summer, and pull endless weeds. All that goes into the run. The labor has to be done anyhow but the extra steps ensure I have a good mix of material for deep litter so the run drains well, doesn't get muddy, and doesn't smell.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If it came down to it, I could probably find enough dry needles to use at the very least for nest bedding. I'd be worried that it's too sharp for their feet though personally.

 

[NatJ]

x2. While I do live in an area with lots of vegetation, I'm the one out there raking and gathering it up. I hang on to wood chips from the tree service done on the property, pack bags with dried leaves and store them in the greenhouse each fall, spread out grass clippings to dry after I mow the lawn in the summer, and pull endless weeds. All that goes into the run. The labor has to be done anyhow but the extra steps ensure I have a good mix of material for deep litter so the run drains well, doesn't get muddy, and doesn't smell.

I know of someone who volunteered to rake the leaves from the lawn of their local church, and helpfully hauled away the bags of leaves afterward. Everyone was happy, including the chickens who got the leaves