Using leaves as litter?

[Weasleymum]

I was re-reading one of my chicken how-to books last night, and it listed leaves as a possible litter for the coop. Right now all over my neighborhood people are putting their bagged leaves out for the city to collect-- I've already been stealing the leaves for my compost piles but I would love to use them as litter!

Anyone done this? Any cons?

 

[chicken_ladyGA]

Its sounds great . I had considered it myself. I use pine needles also we have tons and tons of them year round.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I wouldnt do that. The leaves fall in my chicken runs, and they make a horrible mess.

 

[DeeTee]

I have never used leaves as litter, but I threw a bunch in the run. When I throw scratch to the chooks, they have a ball scratching around in the crunchy leaves.

 

[scooter147]

I have a ton of leaves. I use them in the run especially this time of year when it seems to rain every other day to cut down on the muddy mess.
I do not use them in the coop. I find with the hens scracthing in them they "break down" quicker and turn to a dusty mess and therefore I have to clean out the coop more often plus all that dust is not good for the chickens health.

 

[speckledhen]

I'd do it in the run, but not inside the coop. Leaves will not absorb moisture at all.

 

[MissPrissy]

I keep a heavy load of leaves in my duck pen now. With so much rain it is hard to keep a dry place for them to bed down.

 

[conny63malies]

well come to my house , bring a rake and bags and knock yourself ot. I have three trees worth of maple trees on the ground. My chicken loves scratching though them.

 

[scooter147]

Connie, I WIN, I have three very matrue oak trees, one big maple, one huge pecan, a tulip tree and for good measure a bradford pear in my fenced backyard, right now there are parts of the yard the leaves come up to the bottom of the standard breeds wings, they look like they are swimming in leaves as they walk through them, the bantam avoid the areas with the deep leaf litter.
If it would stop raining on the weekend I could get out there and rake but until them, leaf fun it is.

 

[redoak]

In the fall I switched to dry leaves in the chicken coop. They free range and don't really spend any time in the coop so the leaves work really well for me.