Wood chip and shaving do's and don'ts

[Alaskan]

I use wood chips/saw dust from a local saw mill and a local timber framer. Sometimes they are a bit damp, but I find that they dry out very quickly in my coop, and I have pretty high humidity.

I haven't ever noticed any sap on them.

If the wood shavings feel wetter than usual, I put on a light layer at a time, then it dries fast.

I LOVE wood shavings in the coop, I think they would be nasty in a run where they got rained on.

 

[Cknldy]

Most of this has been said already but here goes: The very first chicks that I got I had gathered bags of dry leaves to use in the brooder. Worked amazing and free I thought. Many chicks and chickens later...tried hay studiously chopped by hand into 2" pieces- stuck together, had to remove all hay at once instead of being able to scoop, etc. Now I am using the pine shavings- I can give it a flip and a stir for a day or two, then easily change it out. It does tend to hold a smell unless changed daily which costs more money. Thinking about shavings for the first week then trying transitioning to sand with future chicks. I have done deep litter hay in juvenile/adult runs. Turning the hay daily was never a problem but eventually a bottom compacted layer does form by year's end and the "dig out" is Spring does NOT smell good Kids asked why covered run got shorter- uh, the ground got higher! I didn't get around to it this year but WILL be trying sand in the runs next year. Oh, and I use sawdust in the houses/ under roosts due to being able to scoop up every morning- no odor, no gloppy mess, no nasty chicken feet. Sawdust for me is $5 for a dumpster load from the nearby sawmill. Experience everything before turning it down. You'll find what works best for you.

 

[wsmith]

At least twice a year, I get a couple trailers full of tree/bark mulch. I spread this in my large runs and sometimes in the hen house. I also use straw, old hay, dry leaves, etc in the hen houses. In the brooders I usually use dry shavings mixed with dry leaves. I have never had a problem with bumblefoot. I clean out my hen house twice a year. Deep litter. The mixutre of chips/mulch, leaves, straw and hay breaks down very nicely. I will even add moisture to help with the deep litter process. If the chickens haven't been churning up the bedding as much as I'd like on have neglected an area within the coop, I will spread out some scratch in that area and they take care of it. No offensive odors, no mold, no sick chickens.
When I clean out the coops twice a year, I place the old bedding into compost bins and start them working. I then have nice compsted chicken litter to put into the gardens, around the trees, etc.

Just my experience.

 

[pertyjewely]

I have two coops inside a 25'x25' run. I started using hay in the nest boxes... and then started spreading in the run because the ground seemed too wet and the chickens enjoyed scratching through it. Recently we got a load of hard wood chips fresh cut from the neighborhood I put only in the run. Leaving the coops with hay. So far the mud is much better, less smell and less flies in the run due to moisture. I was cleaning out old hay twice a month out of the run and coops. Hay Didn't help with the moisture or the smell.

 

[Chikwhisperer]

We also lined our coop with linoleum what an easy clean up! Lol we did from wall behind & side of coop. The roost bar which is a 2x4 & one slightly lower to it (drops fall through sm spabe between or bars get scraped off & rinsed easy peasy) one’s notched & one added with two nails holding space for bar/ea end. They love it seems good stabilization we just had massive tree trimming & got the mulch from Laurel Oak, Camphor, Magnolia, Cypress, Holly, lots of Oak & leaves. Mulch for gardens but considering in run not coop. Use sm pine shavings in there & nesting boxes with a golf ball laying in cntr. (They are quite clean, sweet birds good layers, 3 Rhode Is Reds 1 Australorpe for anyone curious.)

 

[mrscrystalg]

I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND SAND! I went from straw to sand it is cheaper, Easier to clean and it fights odors better! And sand is very good in some soils! I scoop the poo every other day and use the droppings in my garden. I just recently changed the sand in my coop and the old sand I put in my run, no more muddy mess! My Hens love it, especially when it comes to dust baths! 1/2 ton of sand cost me $6.00 And it will last probably all winter! And once the sand gets warm this winter it will hold heat! So my chickies will have nice toasty feet!

What do you use in the nesting boxes?

 

[mcbriendl]

But, are they black walnut?

My coop and run sit in the shade of two walnut trees. Leaves drop in on a fairly regular basis and they're munched up immediately. I've observed no problems. The amount of leaves that make it to the chickens is not large, however.

C

 

[aart]

But, are they black walnut?

C

@mcbriendl the post you quoted is from 2012 and the member who wrote it hasn't been around for 6 years....so you won't get a reply.

 

[mcbriendl]

@mcbriendl the post you quoted is from 2012 and the member who wrote it hasn't been around for 6 years....so you won't get a reply.

Thanks a lot. I'll be sure to look for dates on stuff in the future.
Debra