Wood Chips

[Hargett]

Hello all,
I am in the process of designing and building a backyard coop for 6 hens. I have heard from several sources that using wood chips for a deep mulch is a great way to build compost and keep the odor under control. What I don’t know is how much moisture will accumulate. If I apply several inches of wood chips on plywood, will it rot out? I’m considering adding some sort of buffer between the mulch and plywood, but don’t want to do so if it isn’t necessary. Thanks for the help!

 

[Trux]

@aart

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wouldn't use bare plywood. Apply paint, at the very least, or Black Jack 57 or vinyl/linoleum, for a barrier against moisture.

I also don't try to do any form of compost in the coop, as that's best done on with a dirt floor. I aim to keep my coop bedding (wood chips) dry and clean as possible, then twice a year the used bedding goes into the run where it becomes part of my deep litter.

 

[aart]

I have heard from several sources that using wood chips for a deep mulch is a great way to build compost and keep the odor under control.

If you want to build garden soil, avoid wood altogether, it takes forever to fully break down and will steal nitrogen from your plants if mixed into the soil. Best to get a good compost pile/system going and add chicken poop without bedding.

For reducing odors, wood chips can surely help.


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.

 

[Hargett]

Thank you for the advice. I love the idea of using the run for deep litter.

 

[Alaskan]

I have used wood chips directly on plywood for years.... then painted the plywood when I was redoing things....

Anyway... it has held up great, but I was NOT composting in the coop. I just used the wood chips as bedding.

With that said.... putting something on the plywood will extend its life.