What tyoe of bedding should i use for my enclosed run? Inside my chicken coop?

[rek123456]

Hey everyone,
I live in Southern California in an urban environment. I own 3 baby silkies and it has been 10 years since I last owned chickens. So second coop build. My silkies will spend the majority of their time in their coop and an enclosed run. Free range only a few times a week while I'm outside with them. I am along the coast. Weather here is very mild, low humidity, dry, and little rain fall. What is my best option for keeping my coop/run clean, healthy, and odor free? The floor of the run is compacted dirt that drains well and does not accumulate water. Thanks in advance!
The run is about 100square feet. Coop will probably be 3' x 3'

 

[DobieLover]

Hey everyone,
I live in Southern California in an urban environment. I own 3 baby silkies and it has been 10 years since I last owned chickens. So second coop build. My silkies will spend the majority of their time in their coop and an enclosed run. Free range only a few times a week while I'm outside with them. I am along the coast. Weather here is very mild, low humidity, dry, and little rain fall. What is my best option for keeping my coop/run clean, healthy, and odor free? The floor of the run is compacted dirt that drains well and does not accumulate water. Thanks in advance!
The run is about 100square feet. Coop will probably be 3' x 3'

Any dry organic matter will work. Leaves, pine needles, wood chips. Give them something to scratch through that will also cold compost their poops and that will work. Keeping it dry is key.

 

[rek123456]

Do you recommend changing it out or going with a deep litter bed?

 

[KCD]

I like pine shavings in my coop. I mix in DE (while the girls are outside) and also add a coop and compost product from my feed store. It helps to break things down below and also reduce the odor. I do a modified deep litter method. I only do a full clean out twice per year: in the fall to get ready for winter with straw and then in the spring to swap back to pine shavings. I usually leave pine shavings in the bottom for winter as well. I’ve found that things don’t break down as well with the straw so I do scoop out the poop more with the straw. I’ll also do some surface cleaning with the shavings too but it breaks down better, I’ve found.
My run used to be grass but after years it’s now all dirt. From scratching and digging around in there, we have had to add more dirt over the years but not too often. I also add peat moss to the run to help keep it dry in the spring or during heaving rains. We have a covered run but it still gets wet in there with snow melting and rain. The peat moss keeps it quite dry and they love to dig around in it!

 

[rek123456]

DE is a great idea for bug control, thank you for the idea!

 

[BoyMomof3754]

I like pine shavings in my coop. I mix in DE (while the girls are outside) and also add a coop and compost product from my feed store. It helps to break things down below and also reduce the odor. I do a modified deep litter method. I only do a full clean out twice per year: in the fall to get ready for winter with straw and then in the spring to swap back to pine shavings. I usually leave pine shavings in the bottom for winter as well. I’ve found that things don’t break down as well with the straw so I do scoop out the poop more with the straw. I’ll also do some surface cleaning with the shavings too but it breaks down better, I’ve found.
My run used to be grass but after years it’s now all dirt. From scratching and digging around in there, we have had to add more dirt over the years but not too often. I also add peat moss to the run to help keep it dry in the spring or during heaving rains. We have a covered run but it still gets wet in there with snow melting and rain. The peat moss keeps it quite dry and they love to dig around in it!

What would a coop and compost be? Was looking on tractor supply but not sure what I am looking for?

 

[KCD]

What would a coop and compost be? Was looking on tractor supply but not sure what I am looking for?

This is what I use. It’s made by Manna Pro

 

[aart]

This is what I use. It’s made by Manna Pro

You can buy granulated Sweet PDZ for much less per/lb in the horse aisle.
Both are the mineral zeolite.


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture
-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).
There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sand might work well for you, since rain/dampness isn't really going to be an issue (especially if run is roofed).

 

[rek123456]

Sand might work well for you, since rain/dampness isn't really going to be an issue (especially if run is roofed).

And just sift the poop out? Like a litter box?