Vegetable Peels as Bedding in Duck Run/Enclosure

[Backyard Dacks]

Hey! We're currently having an issue with an overly-muddy meant-to-be-temporary duck enclosure; this contributes to poor hygiene, quite an odor, and dirty, unhealthy-looking ducks. Currently, there are no dead leaves and the like around to dump in there, and, while I know that the officially proper thing to do is to purchase straw/hay/shavings etc., that is not very feasible currently for numerous reasons. Whatever the case, I was wondering if dumping vegetable peels (yes, I'm aware, no eggplant peels, no green potato peels, etc.) would do anything productive to solve the issue or would just rot and contribute to the already present "aroma".

 

[cavemanrich]

Your situation is somewhat complex, but it is your current circumstance. Can I suggest you try to get some sawdust from a home-center saw station. A lumberyard would also have such, but those are less common than home-centers like Home Depot.
I have requested, and was given bags of sawdust FREE from the Home Depot near me. Best if you bring your own bags.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't know if ducks enjoy eating vegetable peelings or not because I don't have ducks yet, but adding more moisture to a mud problem won't help.

Coarse wood chips -- the sort you get from a tree-trimming service -- are more likely to help.

 

[Sueby]

My local feed store will let you bag up all the loose straw from their bales for free if you bring a bag. Maybe you can call around, not sure what your situation is.

I wouldn't think vegetable peels would help.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

I would do Aspen chips or sawdust as @cavemanrich suggested. I've used Aspen chips in the past to soak up wet runs. Just dump out the whole bag and spread it over the mud. It will look pretty nasty, but it dries fast. Though with ducks it's bound to be wet again soon.

That was for chickens though.. not sure if ducks would eat the chips.

 

[KaleIAm]

I feel that vegetable peels will decompose/mold and create a new issue. Personally I would rather have a muddy duck run than a moldy duck run.

 

[Backyard Dacks]

Your situation is somewhat complex, but it is your current circumstance.

First of all, thank you @cavemanrich for understanding that the situation is what it is, something which I feel many people here have are not accustomed to doing.

I feel that vegetable peels will decompose/mold and create a new issue.

@KalelAm, will they decompose or will they create mold? Are the two not mutually exclusive?

My local feed store will let you bag up all the loose straw from their bales for free if you bring a bag.

Back where I come from, they don't really make any feed stores...

Coarse wood chips -- the sort you get from a tree-trimming service -- are more likely to help.

I think that's what I may do- I have a local friend who may be able to provide that. Thanks, everyone, for your advice.

 

[Isaac 0]

Fresh vegetables/fruit peels contain nitrogen - when you add that to a duck pen and let fecal matter collect you're going to have a slimy, stinky area, presumably to have mold and lots of bacterial growth collecting. If anything with poultry pens, you should be adding a carbon source which will eventually even out with the nitrogen source (bird poop). There is no "right" substrate to use, because its effectiveness and whether it will cause problems will vary with each setup, and location; however in my experience, wood chips have worked well.

 

[Ascholten]

veggy peels are going to cause rotting issues not to mention possibly attract rats and / or other undesirable vermin. Get wood chips if you can, or straw, or grass maybe.

Aaron