Wood chips for OUTSIDE the coop

[PirateGirl]

I heard that you should only use hardwood bark chippings. Pine can cause bumblefoot from splinters and the oils can cause respiratory problems. Don't know about that for sure as it's out side. I'm looking to do the same. My run is a mud pit at the moment.

but bags of pine shavings are what you would buy at the feed store... hmm... I will see what others have said too

 

[aquabum]

I keep a thin mixture of pine shavings outside the coop to mix in with the natural earth and as the shavings wear down into dirt and it starts to look muddy again after a rain, I throw a little more in there. Then once a year I do a deep clean in the run outside the coop and repeat. Been working in my neck of the woods here in NW FL for a while.

I will say this. Half my run is covered and half is not. So the one part stays dry and the other half get's wet. The chickens seem to throw and mix the two areas really well. And I'll mix the two area from time to time as well. This seems to give each area a chance to dry and mix and repeat etc...

 

[aquabum]

Picture for what I'm talking about