What to fill my duck run with? And progress pics

[DwayneNLiz]

straw doesnt mold like hay but thats all i know about it

 

[shawluvsbirds]

For what its worth since I am not a duck owner.... a wanabe of course. I use Rice hulls for bedding.... semi water proof the chickens love it I am sure the Ducks will too. it does compost but it also stays drier longer. It allows water through.

I dont under stand the concern of fleas being in sand... I have ordered sand many times for Corrals and enclosures.... You can also buy Decomposed granite which looks like sand but it has different sized particles screened down to less than a quarter inch... It packs nicely for a sub floor... then top it off with @DwayneNLiz method.... I love it by the way. and will be using that for My duck enclosure
Love those rubber matts.

Where do I find or buy rice hulls? Would they carry that at most t s c type places?
Well I might be crazy about the fleas. But several years ago my idiot ex husband brought in loads and loads of creek gravel and dumped in our driveway. It was a disaster. Lots of sand and huge sharp rocks. Ever since then I have battled fleas in my yard. They were so bad in the driveway you couldn't even get in your car without getting bitten. Its much better now but I am still paranoid any Sandy places will get infested. I used to spray my yard and driveway once or twice a year but now I can't cause of the ducks.

If you buy bleach in 55 gallon drums, my work here will be done..

I did not even start on the snakes, bacteria and viruses that live in straw.....

Well, maybe in humid MN, those things happen. In arid CO though, moisture does not last. I will say that whatever is in my ducks' excrement, is flourishing in the straw. But a good compacted layer of composted straw does not scare me at all. And my ducks have never had any illnesses nor bumblefoot, nor anything!
This straw comes in a compacted state, inside sealed plastic, same as the pine shavings do. In fact the pine is $2/bag cheaper than the straw. Sorry, ralphie, I just am not scared, since I have been doing things this way for 5-years, and have never had a duck health problem.......not counting that owl who raided the place last year. That is why I am reinforcing the coops.
Your reply about buying bleach in 55-gallon drums was a bit harsh, and scared some people. Obviously, you have a ton more knowledge than I do. But I am observant and conscientious, and I take good care of my flock, even if it is not the way you do things.

Please don't take it personal. It sounds like you take great care of your flock!
Ralphie and I give each other a hard time. It's ok. Hope no-one actually is scared about the bleach comment
I am sure different climate does make a difference. I have a lot of humidity where I live so mold is an issue with everything and is also one thing I'm allergic to so it's always a concern.
I'll bet the chopped straw in a bag would be better than what I usually get for my dogs bedding.
I will put it in my list of possibilities for sure!
It's always good to hear pros and cons.

 

[perchie.girl]

If you get it from a gravel supplier it will be sterilized.... by steam

deb

 

[shawluvsbirds]

here are a couple pics that better shows how much we have to fill. I have to get at least one load of dirt to go on the outside even. There will be a predator apron attached to the bottom board around the outside and bent out then covered with dirt. The inside needs to be filled at least up to the board. That's a lot of space to fill!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Well, maybe in humid MN, those things happen. In arid CO though, moisture does not last. I will say that whatever is in my ducks' excrement, is flourishing in the straw. But a good compacted layer of composted straw does not scare me at all. And my ducks have never had any illnesses nor bumblefoot, nor anything!
This straw comes in a compacted state, inside sealed plastic, same as the pine shavings do. In fact the pine is $2/bag cheaper than the straw. Sorry, ralphie, I just am not scared, since I have been doing things this way for 5-years, and have never had a duck health problem.......not counting that owl who raided the place last year. That is why I am reinforcing the coops.
Your reply about buying bleach in 55-gallon drums was a bit harsh, and scared some people. Obviously, you have a ton more knowledge than I do. But I am observant and conscientious, and I take good care of my flock, even if it is not the way you do things.

I am sorry you have not been with this "group" as long as all of us have. If you had you would understand the joke behind it... .Some here think I am a bit of a germophobe and buy bleach in wholesale amounts.... The person that was the butt of that joke was me... Because of my tad over the top approach to germs and cleanliness in hatching according to others on this thread...

Sorry, you did not get it and misunderstood the intent...

 

[biophiliac]

View attachment 1153280 View attachment 1153282 here are a couple pics that better shows how much we have to fill. I have to get at least one load of dirt to go on the outside even. There will be a predator apron attached to the bottom board around the outside and bent out then covered with dirt. The inside needs to be filled at least up to the board. That's a lot of space to fill!!

It's gonna be great!!!!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

It's gonna be great!!!!

Thanks! I think so too. Can't wait to get it finished so I can stop worrying every day about them.

 

[biophiliac]

I meant the past about it being properly dried. If it is fresh from the mill it might not be good for them?

Once I drove by a tree service in process of removing quite a few large limbs and chipping everything up. I thought it would be great if they would just dump the material at my house to use in the run. This is the type of material, ie fresh and including quite a bit of green material/leaves, that you need to be careful of re aspergillus. If you spread if out and let it dry then it will be fine. I didn't know about this when I started but I was lucky bc the material I grabbed had been sitting for a while.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/aspergillus/guide/
As far as I know chickens experience the same symptoms as described in people and can be fatal.

 

[biophiliac]

Best to let any fresh chippings from a tree service age for at least few months
before allowing chickens to access them, especially for a deep litter situation.

All the moisture in them, along with the organisms on the bark and floating in the air,
can fuel a huge fungus/mold(aspergillus as well as others) bloom that could well be toxic to birds.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Once I drove by a tree service in process of removing quite a few large limbs and chipping everything up. I thought it would be great if they would just dump the material at my house to use in the run. This is the type of material, ie fresh and including quite a bit of green material/leaves, that you need to be careful of re aspergillus. If you spread if out and let it dry then it will be fine. I didn't know about this when I started but I was lucky bc the material I grabbed had been sitting for a while.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/aspergillus/guide/
As far as I know chickens experience the same symptoms as described in people and can be fatal.

Oh boy. That sounds like something that would defiantly grow easily in deep litter.
I am prone to getting sinusitis too. Great!