What to do with used bedding?

[chickens really]

I tried that one year and the stink from rotting straw was repulsive and was terrible to clean up. ..It all depends on your location..

 

[Cayuga momma]

I tried that one year and the stink from rotting straw was repulsive and was terrible to clean up. ..It all depends on your location..

That's true. Because we live on top of a mountain we always have some sort of breeze or wind. I don't have much of a sense of smell to tell, but my husband had never complained.

 

[Haydog03]

We use straw sometimes with our rabbits! It keeps them warm, and they adore eating it! We get bad ice on our steps, which spells disaster! Normally, we scrape it off... as for the unused straw- we normally don’t have any. Our rabbits eat whatever is clean! The nasty straw is either tossed out or put in the yard for ducks. (Rabbits normally keep our straw very, very clean, so we just give it to the ducks! Sometimes they eat it all!)

 

[Callender Girl]

I love the sound of your happy ducks! Mine were thrilled to get out of their night shelter this morning, but quickly tucked their feet underneath themselves as they ate when they realized how cold it is on the packed-down snow. I solved that problem by tossing around some fresh piles of straw. I will never win a landscaping award for my yard, but I sure have happier ducks.

BTW, my used duck bedding becomes part of the compost heap. While I am not a fan of slippery mud, I don't think I will see anything resembling wet dirt until spring. We are headed for single digit temps overnight tomorrow. Brrrrrr!! Why do I live in northern Iowa????

 

[JedJackson]

If you have room for a compost heap, then that is the way to go. If you don't, it probably wouldn't be difficult to get someone to take the used straw for their compost heap.

It can also be spread beneath trees or amongst shrubs as a mulch.

 

[Perris]

mud + straw +- dung = a traditional building material called cob in the SW of England. You can make a substantial house out of it! https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/grand-designs-show-returns-east-1884861

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's amazing.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I love Limpy - he doesn't let anything stop him from having a good time. congrats on fixing your mud problem!

Thank you from Limpy, he said »Rasp, Rasp, Rasp!« when i told him!
And yes, whenever my knees hurt i think about Limpy and his attitude and the pain is not so bad anymore.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I tried that one year and the stink from rotting straw was repulsive and was terrible to clean up. ..It all depends on your location..

Fortunately the duck-platform is leewards of the house - for the prevailing winds here.
I hope by spring time it has decomposed enough not to become a nuisance. And better to have stinky straw than a broken butt…

 

[chickens really]

Fortunately the duck-platform is leewards of the house - for the prevailing winds here.
I hope by spring time it has decomposed enough not to become a nuisance. And better to have stinky straw than a broken butt…

My Husband brings home rock chips and yes I have been laying on my back with a 5 gallon pail of water splashing all over me......Gotta love winter...