You Know What They Say About Stupid Questions, ...

[3KillerBs]

If I don't ask, ...

After giving the chickens supplemental foods like the inner parts of peppers, wormy ears of sweet corn, wilted peaches, etc. do I need to clean up what they don't eat or can corn husks and cobs, pepper stems, peach pits, etc. be allowed to become one with the pine straw in the run and compost in place?

Nothing is slimy or nasty. The tough, fibery stuff is just sitting there drying out.

 

[DavidKerk]

It will be fine to just leave it out there. Don't worry, no question is a stupid one on BYC!

 

[donrae]

I throw everything we don't eat in the run and they eat what they want, everything else just stays there and decomposes in place. I think the decomposition draws bugs for the chickens to eat, and I've not really had a problem with odor, etc.

 

[lazy gardener]

If your litter is nice and deep, it shouldn't be a problem. However, I wouldn't allow any meat based stuff to sit around, for fear that it might draw predators. Even if your run is secure, you don't want to send an invitation.

 

[3KillerBs]

Update:

I've been doing this for months now. It gets a little ratty-looking after a couple weeks so I just throw on more pine straw and leaves. I'll have some marvelous compost come spring.

 

[donrae]

And your garden will be the envy of everyone who sees it! They'll all ask what your secret is.

 

[sepaditty1]

If your litter is nice and deep, it shouldn't be a problem. However, I wouldn't allow any meat based stuff to sit around, for fear that it might draw predators. Even if your run is secure, you don't want to send an invitation.

Do you do deep litter in the run, too? I was thinking that was only for in the coop itself. My girls don't have an actual coop, so I haven't even considered deep litter. But if it is beneficial to have it in the run, too....

 

[cubalaya]

rotten meat can cause limberneck and death. be careful what you leave out there.

 

[3KillerBs]

I only put the vegetables and scraps in the run.

The chickens absolutely do not leave any meat long enough to spoil. They attack it instantly.

 

[lazy gardener]

RE: DL: I use DL shavings in the upper level of their coop (4 x 8) DL leaves and grass clippings in the lower level of the coop (8 x 8) which sits on the ground with a skirt. You might call that a run. Just added an other 4 x 8 section to that with DL leaves as well. Their actual run in summer is not DL, just a part of the lawn surrounded by electric poultry netting (1600 s.f.) Awesome stuff. Their winter run is a part of the garden mulched with hay, and leaves, also access to an 8 x 8 hoop green house with DL leaves. So it depends on the time of year, and the amount of damage they're doing to the vegetation. If I had them in a standard run, and they ate up the ground cover, I'd immediately put in a deep layer of mulch both for their entertainment and to hold the nitrogen load so it could be used beneficially.