What to do until grass is gone?

[rjohns39]

LOL! I'm thinking medicine on a chicken forum! Cx = Cornish X?

What do you expect from a newbie?

Sorry

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

NancyNurse,

I'm trying to figure out your user name, are you labor and delivery or a CNM? It's like license plates, I love to figure them out!

We are kindred spirits, I love to take a glass of wine and just sit with the girls. Sometimes the BR or BO will roost on the arm of the chair and try to peck at whatever they can reach, so it isn't because they are so peaceful - its because they are so hysterical to watch!

I only have 8 and they don't denude the grass in their tractor runs so I'm concerned it may take awhile in the 10x10 run, but yours is twice as large so we will see. If they don't, I will just try to rake out what I can and sprinkle in some PDZ.

I'm thinking about adding PDZ in the litter tray with the pine shavings I use now. I clean that out once a week. I got a sample of something similar, Espoma Sani-Care, although this is actually used as bedding for horses and PDZ is more of a spot solution for horses.

Anyway, thanks for your suggestions. I'm not sure how I feel about straw, I've heard a lot of negatives in the reading I've done on here, but then some really love it.

LOL! I'm thinking medicine on a chicken forum! Cx = Cornish X?

What do you expect from a newbie?

I am a retired critical care nurse. The only time I have ventured near the dreaded Labor and Delivery units was for codes, sadly. I was a designated Code Blue nurse for many years.
I am not sure how I feel about straw either---I have seen raves and I have seen reports of "slimy" and a harbor for mites.
I use PDZ in my poop trays. The poops turn into Tootsie Turds and are easily removed with a kitty litter rake. Absolute NO STINK. Cleaning the coop is a Zen experience. I actually enjoy it. Raking the poop out, cleaning the poop splats with a spritz of white vinegar and a paper towel. Life is good.
Pic of my poop trays:
They have a bit of pine shavings in this pic because we had just added the trays to the coop and the chickens had a habit of screaming bloody murder when anything new was introduced to the coop or run and I thought the pine shavings would somehow calm them. Still, they went a bit nuts---running in and out of the coop at sunset when they previously had gone into the coop like little soldiers when the sun was nearly down.
Chickens....gotta love them.
CX---shorthand for chicken in the fast food world. Not sure where I picked that up but it has stuck, mostly for grocery lists.
CX Mama---mother hen to my two-day-old chicks. First time Cx Mama here---loving all of it except for losing one at eight weeks to who knows what. May my sweet lil Rocky rest in peace along with all my other beloved pets.

 

[rjohns39]

I am a retired critical care nurse. The only time I have ventured near the dreaded Labor and Delivery units was for codes, sadly. I was a designated Code Blue nurse for many years.
I am not sure how I feel about straw either---I have seen raves and I have seen reports of "slimy" and a harbor for mites.
I use PDZ in my poop trays. The poops turn into Tootsie Turds and are easily removed with a kitty litter rake. Absolute NO STINK. Cleaning the coop is a Zen experience. I actually enjoy it. Raking the poop out, cleaning the poop splats with a spritz of white vinegar and a paper towel. Life is good.
Pic of my poop trays:View attachment 1121293
They have a bit of pine shavings in this pic because we had just added the trays to the coop and the chickens had a habit of screaming bloody murder when anything new was introduced to the coop or run and I thought the pine shavings would somehow calm them. Still, they went a bit nuts---running in and out of the coop at sunset when they previously had gone into the coop like little soldiers when the sun was nearly down.
Chickens....gotta love them.
CX---shorthand for chicken in the fast food world. Not sure where I picked that up but it has stuck, mostly for grocery lists.
CX Mama---mother hen to my two-day-old chicks. First time Cx Mama here---loving all of it except for losing one at eight weeks to who knows what. May my sweet lil Rocky rest in peace along with all my other beloved pets.

I only use straw for my ducks and then alternate straw pine shavings. Never had a problem with bugs. Hay can be a completely different story. it will rot and draw bugs, but again I alternate to get it buried before it becomes a problem.

 

[aart]

I have a large walk in run and never 'clean' poops from the run,
and there is rarely any nasty odors. The bedding of a good mix of dry plant materials use facilitates this nicely, it's basically no maintenance other than adding more material from time to time. I was able to start with a big load of tree trimmings from the power company that had been aged(6 months) so I avoided the toxic molds that can bloom with fresh chippings. I collect dry leaves in the fall (stored in feed bags in a shed) and add them occasionally, and other garden trimmings. I let my grass grow tall, mow and spread it out with discharge pattern, leave it to dry a few day, then push it into rows with the mower discharge, rake it up and add to run.

 

[rjohns39]

aart your birds are making you a wonderful compost mix.

 

[path.otto]

Wow, aart, that is very impressive!

 

[path.otto]

NancyNurse,

That is a lovely coop! I'm going to change to PDZ later this fall for the poop tray. I still have some shavings left and I want to use it up. I moved the chickens into the walk in run just in time. Hawks are all around and I hear Owls in the evening. A hawk grabbed a 13-lined ground squirrel (yea!) just behind the coop the other day. Those squirrels are terribly destructive to the tomatoes in our garden (much to the chickens delight, as they get the damaged ones)!

 

[path.otto]

aart,
We are having some major tree trimming done this fall and the arborist has said he would be happy to bring us all the chips we would like. Unfortunately, with the emerald ash borer just a county away from us he will have all the work (and chips) he can handle. He keeps his chips separated (walnut, evergreen, other woods, etc.) Other than the 6-month hold, what specimens of wood chips will you use for your run? We have 11 acres and mow 2 so we don't have a problem with grass clippings and we have a neighbor who is nuts about raking all his leaves (we don't). I think we have all the fixings.

Just so I understand, you don't rake anything out of your run, you just add to it as needed? The top photo you posted is what is put into the run, not what is taken out after the chickens have turned it into compost?

Sorry for all the questions but I really am taken by your run maintenance. Thanks in advance for any more insight you can share.

 

[aart]

Other than the 6-month hold, what specimens of wood chips will you use for your run?

I have no idea what species of trees, was probably a mix of hard and soft woods, one load definitely had some pine in there as indicated by needles.

Just so I understand, you don't rake anything out of your run, you just add to it as needed? The top photo you posted is what is put into the run, not what is taken out after the chickens have turned it into compost?

Have only had this for about a year and have not removed anything. My run is on a slight slope and I will probably keep adding until it is all level. I don't plan on removing/harvesting any of it, but who knows?<shrugs>. Another member here with a similar setup harvests the small stuff that leaks out of the 1/2" HC to the outside of run.

Yes, that pic was taken as I was unloading it from the trailer to put into the run.

 

[path.otto]

Thank you, aart! One week later and there is still lots of grass in the run. Maybe, I have lazy chickens. So far, I have been raking. It's not a huge run, 10 x 10, so that is no chore.
Will attempt your process this fall. We've had lots of blow down this year and my DH is chainsawing away. He'll be chipping what he can and then I'll have a go.

Glad I have them under cover now, though. This week a hawk took down a ground squirrel (pocket gopher, squinty, whatever they are known as where you live) right behind the run. Go, Hawk! (Perfect for Iowa!)