Wood chips for chicken run

[Nixonfamilyusa]

Just added 2-3 inches of wood chips to run for the winter. Got thinking about bumble foot, is this likely to happen with wood chips?

 

[Debbie292d]

Maybe if you have bantam or smaller breeds that won't be jumping down to land on them they'd be okay. Otherwise, I've heard of them causing splinters, and some eventually getting bumblefoot from them. I think that's going to be more prevalent with heavier birds though, especially when their jumping down from nest boxes or roosts.

We use horse bedding pellets in the coop for 8 years and the brooders just this past year. In the coop, they're maintenance free and we just change them out in the spring. No odor or moisture.

Edit: I am realizing now you said run. For the run, as long as big birds aren't jumping down on them, they should be fine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have wood chips in both coop and run. I don't know if it increases odds of bumblefoot though, I've actually had a reduction in number of bumblefoot occurrences the last couple of years while still using the same type of chunky wood chips. Some birds seem more prone to it regardless of litter choice.

 

[Nixonfamilyusa]

@rosemarythyme what type of chips do you use? Mine is from local farm, just a hardwood/softwood mix.

 

[aart]

I've used some pretty gnarly wood chippings over the past 10+ years,
never had any serious bumble foot.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

No it’s the rocks and things like rose bushes that I have found to cause cut up feet that end up with bumble foot. Wood chips have never been an issue.

 

[aart]

Staph infection causes bumblefoot.
Not all foot wounds will develop infection.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@rosemarythyme what type of chips do you use? Mine is from local farm, just a hardwood/softwood mix.

Mine is a mix of whatever wood is on my property, generally something like cedar, hemlock, aspen, pine.