Used coop bedding into the run?

[SunHwaKwon]

Does anyone put their used bedding from the coop into the run when they clean the coop out? I think I've read that a few people do that and I was wondering why, how well it works out, any benefits, and so on. I tried doing a search but had a hard time turning up anything relevant.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We do it sometimes, if I'm feeling lazy, we do deep litter in the bantam run, and the other shed we wheel it out and dump it in low spots. In the run it adds organic matter into the soil, so it depends if it needs more added or not. And for some reason it becomes something to dig through even though it was just in the shed.

It's good to mix brown and green, so shavings get dump, a load of grass clippings get added, some fall leaves, some slabs of fresh hay, keeps everything fresh, chickens turn it into the soil, worms and bugs eat the poop, and help break down and compost stuff, raises the soil level, nice draining of rain, healthy run, not that packed down mud hole we used to have that would stink.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Okay. My run, which has not been used yet but will be starting this weekend, is just full of grass right now. The perimeter of the dog pen portion is on buried concrete and the remainder will be surrounded by a wire skirt. I figure the grass won't last long, especially since right now I am a bit overcrowded with 14 guineas and 6 chicks, all apx 8 weeks old (I'm not 100% sure on the age of the chicks), and I want to build up the ground especially over the buried concrete, and also increase insect activity. Maybe I'll wait until they start tearing up the grass, though.

Here is my set up, although it's not 100% complete:

 

[henless]

I would let them eat the grass first. They will really enjoy tearing into it. Once it's gone, then you can start adding you coop clean out.

I do deep litter in my coop and run. My coop is a walk in coop with a dirt floor. I change the litter once a year and just put it in my compost bin. I haven't changed my run yet, and doubt I will unless it gets really deep.

Since your's is a raised coop, putting it in the run afterwards would help to compost it more. Do you have a door that you can use to push out the bedding into the run? If you do, you could just rake it right out into the run without have to use a wheelbarrow.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You might want to break up the soil a bit to get the process going after the grass starts to get destroyed, and add something like bricks or landscape timber, we use railroad ties, to put around the perimeter because the levels will be a bit higher than outside of the fence and you could end up will stuff spilling out.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I would let them eat the grass first. They will really enjoy tearing into it. Once it's gone, then you can start adding you coop clean out.

I do deep litter in my coop and run. My coop is a walk in coop with a dirt floor. I change the litter once a year and just put it in my compost bin. I haven't changed my run yet, and doubt I will unless it gets really deep.

Since your's is a raised coop, putting it in the run afterwards would help to compost it more. Do you have a door that you can use to push out the bedding into the run? If you do, you could just rake it right out into the run without have to use a wheelbarrow.

I'll do as you suggest and let them spend some time on the grass. I'm not planning to free range anyone for at least a month or two because everyone is so young and the guineas need coop training.

I don't have a door to sweep it right into the run, but I could make a door or just use the chicken door I suppose.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

You might want to break up the soil a bit to get the process going after the grass starts to get destroyed, and add something like bricks or landscape timber, we use railroad ties, to put around the perimeter because the levels will be a bit higher than outside of the fence and you could end up will stuff spilling out.

Good idea. I would like to get a bit spilling out the side to help cover some of the buried cement, and then I think I will put something around the perimeter. It may be spring before I get to that point, though, I don't know.

 

[RonP]

I use pine shavings in my coop, 8-10 inches deep.

It keeps the coop dry but dusty, as I replace it perhaps once a year.. I have very good ventilation.

All the shavings go straight into the outside deep litter run.

There it decomposes in about 6 months to a very high quality compost.