Some questions about new coop

[Kayla's Lunch]

We are in the process of building our coop. We live in Maryland, very hot and humid right now. We just have a backyard, not acreage. The run is done and covered and the chicks are in there, sleeping in a box/cave at night. We have twelve 6 week old chicks. The coop will be 4' x 12' and the run is 12' x 12'. I tried to do some research on the deep litter method for the run and wow! there is a lot of info. Too much! So, I have a few questions about it. I don't have a lot of natural stuff to collect from the yard to put in the run. I will start collecting, but in the meantime, what can I buy for the run? Right now, there is some yard clippings, some straw, and some pine shavings. Can I use some straw? Can I use the pine nuggets that are sold at Lowe's? What about hardwood mulch? Pine shavings? If I understand correctly, the run material should be different sizes so that it doesn't compact down. Can I use some of all the above? Also, as of yesterday, we started having some flies in the run. Is that because I need more stuff in there? Thanks!

 

[lazy gardener]

Nice start. You can use bedding removed from the coop, leaves, grass clippings, weeds, hay, straw, AGED wood chips. If you buy hay or straw, be very sure that it has not been treated with any herbicides. Those can persist, and ruin your garden long after the bedding is composted.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Why can't you just use the natural dirt? Nice coop/run btw.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

If I ask about herbicides, will they tell me? What are aged wood chips? I have pine nuggets that have been in the yard since at least last year. Can I put some of those in? I don't know where to get wood chips as in trees that have been cut down and put through a chipper.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

I'm *assuming* that dirt will become mud. Even though the run is covered, some rain will get in there. And then there is just all the poop, sitting on that dirt/mud. We go in there a lot to be with the chicks, so I really don't want to be walking on just poopy dirt.

 

[lazy gardener]

They should be honest about it. But, it depends on where you get your materials. I would be less inclined to accept the word of someone at a feed store than the word of the farmer who I buy my materials directly from. The feed store employee may not have a clue where the materials come from or if they have been treated.

 

[lazy gardener]

Bare soil in a run becomes either a fecal mud pit or a fecal dust bowl... or totally impacted into a fecal impregnated rock hard layer. In all of these scenarios, the soil becomes dead, can not support beneficial organisms or even plant life b/c the nutrient levels are so far off, and is a cess pool of possible pathogens. Add DL material, and the beneficial organisms will rebound, the excess nutrients will be consumed by the insect and microscopic life, which in turn will help to keep any pathogens in check.

 

[Thyme4Chickens]

Bare soil in a run becomes either a fecal mud pit or a fecal dust bowl... or totally impacted into a fecal impregnated rock hard layer. In all of these scenarios, the soil becomes dead, can not support beneficial organisms or even plant life b/c the nutrient levels are so far off, and is a cess pool of possible pathogens. Add DL material, and the beneficial organisms will rebound, the excess nutrients will be consumed by the insect and microscopic life, which in turn will help to keep any pathogens in check.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Bare soil in a run becomes either a fecal mud pit or a fecal dust bowl... or totally impacted into a fecal impregnated rock hard layer. In all of these scenarios, the soil becomes dead, can not support beneficial organisms or even plant life b/c the nutrient levels are so far off, and is a cess pool of possible pathogens. Add DL material, and the beneficial organisms will rebound, the excess nutrients will be consumed by the insect and microscopic life, which in turn will help to keep any pathogens in check.

Yes, that's what I was thinking, but of course not that technical or elegantly phrased! Thanks!

 

[rosemarythyme]

If I ask about herbicides, will they tell me? What are aged wood chips? I have pine nuggets that have been in the yard since at least last year. Can I put some of those in? I don't know where to get wood chips as in trees that have been cut down and put through a chipper.

Aged wood chips are simply chips that have been sitting around, drying and airing out, for a while. If you are thinking of using any bagged wood products (mulch, pine nuggets), make sure you're not buying the type that have been dyed (usually pretty obvious, they'll be dark black or solid red).

Other suggestions is if you have neighbors that have some trees, or an untreated lawn, is to ask them for their unwanted organic waste like grass clippings and leaf litter. Some folks on BYC have their whole neighborhood giving them dried leaves in the fall, etc.