What do people do with pine shavings?

[Huskerchickens]

All,
I'm pretty new to the chicken game and I'm currently using pine wood shavings in my coop. I'm curious as to what others who use wood shavings do with them after a clean out. I'm not very experienced with compost, and I'm not sure if it's too much wood to try and turn into compost/fertilizer. I'm also guessing there's not an easy way to seperate out the droppings from the shavings to reduce some of the volume.

I've also seen lots of posts where people were incredibly happy with switching to sand, so maybe I should go that route when I use up the last of my shavings? Thanks!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I toss the shavings right into the compost pile, which consists exclusively of shavings, droppings and lawn clippings. It's a dream in the garden every year!

 

[cackydoodledoo]

I throw mine in my compost pile. Makes for some great composting material!

 

[Fred's Hens]

I just take the shavings or the straw out to the garden and pile it up on one end.

In fall and early spring, I spread them out and till them in. I don't sweat it and don't do "conventional" composting at all. I've got a million other things to do. I can tell you that the chicken litter makes wonderful, natural soil amendment and grows vegetables very well.

 

[cackydoodledoo]

Quote:
You don't stick your kitchen scraps in there? Heck I throw all veggie/fruit scraps, egg shells and coffee grounds in there. The smaller the scraps the faster it breaks down.

 

[secuono]

I toss mine along the ducks fence line, dogs fence line and the chickens run's fence line. No compost for me...just leave it out in the open...

 

[blefky]

Quote:
x 2 - and I have a separate composter for kitchen scraps that I also throw some used pine shavings into. All that chicken poo really heats up the compost!

 

[crawfordmama]

Hmmm... Depends what kind of mood I'm in.

Some of it goes into the compost pile, some of it gets tossed in the woods, and during the winter months it goes under my coop for insulation (it's an old building up on cynder blocks).

 

[Denninmi]

I use mine directly around trees and under shrubs for mulch. Never had any problems with burning or odors/insects. Seems to make good fertilizer, and they break down quickly due to the droppings and the thinness of the shavings.

 

[theoldchick]

I put mine out in the woods where dead leaves cover the shavings pretty quickly.