WWYD: Winter run decision.

[RoyalChick]

Sounds like the mulch is too fine if it is creating dust.
I use a mix of things depending on availability:
- Pine horse pellets. I love how they deal with any moisture in the poop and magically turn into sawdust. Not very expensive at TSC.
- Wood chips. I get these for free from local tree companies who are delighted to get rid of them. The chickens love them and freezing has never been an issue.
- Pine shavings. A bit more expensive but still OK. Mostly I use these in the coop and next boxes and the chickens relocate them to the run.
- Shredded paper. Works fine but a pain to shred and not as absorbent as the horse pellets. I feel like it is a good recycle but increasingly I just can’t spare the time.
- Leaves. Free as I live in a clearing in the woods. Chickens go nuts with happiness because they are always full of bugs. Over a few months they really disappear and I think cause dust.
- Chopped straw. I only use this in the coop when it gets really cold as it creates a nice cozy top layer that lasts a good long time. Again the chickens sometimes reorganize and move a lot of it into the run.

As context my run is about 3/4 covered with a real roof and 1/4 open to the sky with a wire roof. In the area that is open to the sky I only use leaves and woodchips. The pellets would become sawdust after the first rain.

 

[TOMTE]

Horse pellets are excellent, can confirm. Fresh clean pellets go in the coop, break down over the process of about a year, and go directly onto the floor of the run when it's time to clean the coop. The girls dust bathe in the sawdust.

 

[RoyalChick]

I think @Debbie292d is where I got the idea to use them. It was here nonetheless. I switched my brooders over to them and it's been great. I keep a cat litter scoop by the brooders and I can scoop out the bigger poops on the top. Then I just stir the pellets around. I'm hoping to have as much success with them in the coop. With any luck, the shelf will catch the poops under the roosting bars, and the pellets will contain the rest of the mess in an easier to keep clean way, lol.

I put a lot of pellets under the roosts to catch the night time poop. Works really well.

 

[thecatumbrella]

When a pellet aborbs it's max of moisture, it turns to dustless sawdust.

We keep the coops at 40-50°F all winter. The growout pens with just a cozy coop (radiant panel heater) would have pellets that freeze on the other side, but I've never had any problems.

Here's a guess: The pellets that are freezing cold get pooped on, that warm poop instantly warms up the pellets and they absorb the moisture. I've never observed that this is the case, but again, I never had any issues, and it gets subzero here for weeks in the winter.

That's actually some super helpful winter data on the pellets, thank you! Here's question for you. I knew you heated the coops. Do your birds still go outside during the day? What's the temperature differential? I ask because I'm down to just the three bantams, and I'm trying to make a game plan for super cold nights. I could bring them into the basement, which sits around 50 degrees, but it might be teens or 20's outside the next morning. I have concerns about that being too big of a temperature swing for them.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I switched my brooders over to them and it's been great.

How's the dust on those? I know they turn to sawdust, but is the sawdust super airborne?

I use a mix of things depending on availability

I love this "kitchen sink" concept for run material. I really need to lean into this more.

Mostly I use these in the coop and next boxes and the chickens relocate them to the run.

Why do they do this?? My one layer will take mouthfuls of shavings from the nest box and carry them out to the run. I've never seen one do this before!

The girls dust bathe in the sawdust.

I've heard that's one of the perks! Now that I think of it, pellets could be a good material for a forage box. Kick around looking for goodies while they're intact, then dust bathe once they break down. Dual purpose!

 

[RoyalChick]

Why do they do this?? My one layer will take mouthfuls of shavings from the nest box and carry them out to the run. I've never seen one do this before!

Well I have sympathy with this. I like to rearrange. Put the blue pillows on the red chair and the red throw on the blue chair. Just because.
I like to think they are doing the same thing.
“Oooh - that would look great out in the run. Come on ladies, let’s move it out there.”

Incidentally, I don’t think the sawdust from horse pellets is at all dusty.

 

[ChickenChick46]

Well I have sympathy with this. I like to rearrange. Put the blue pillows on the red chair and the red throw on the blue chair. Just because.
I like to think they are doing the same thing.
“Oooh - that would look great out in the run. Come on ladies, let’s move it out there.”

Incidentally, I don’t think the sawdust from horse pellets is at all dusty.

I don't think so either. The dust from my brooders dropped significantly after I switched from the shavings, somehow. The most dusty thing in the brooders now is grit.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I put a lot of pellets under the roosts to catch the night time poop. Works really well.

I'm debating what to put on the poop shelf under the roosts. I've read coffee grounds work well. But honestly, coffee is kinda pricy, lol. I've also read sand works.

 

[ChickenChick46]

How's the dust on those? I know they turn to sawdust, but is the sawdust super airborne?

It somehow really isn't. The dust stopped a lot after I switched.

 

[thecatumbrella]

The most dusty thing in the brooders now is grit.

Really?? What brand is it? I can't say I've ever noticed dust in mine.

I'm debating what to put on the poop shelf under the roosts.

Team PDZ for warm climates!