Wood shavings for chicken run?

[Sharon Bee]

Hello everyone: Just wondering if I can put wood chips or shavings in the chicken run? My chickens are 14 months old. They have a nice run outside but they have it scratched down to bare dirt. I was hoping to put wood chips down for them to scratch in? Do they eat it? Would it be harmful for them? This is my first year raising chickens. I have eleven - all raised from one day old. They are doing fine except for some feather plucking. Grrrrrrrrr. But they are laying lovely eggs.

Any advice would be appreciated with regard to the wood shavings. Thanks.

 

[loverofhatching]

Hi. wood shavings are for non earth bottom settings. If they have soil under them, let them have fun. It is also healthy for them than wood shavings. I cant tell if they eat wood shavings or not but dont do that to them. Feather plucking may be due to moulting and if not then they are crowded in less space than required for them.

 

[calichicken]

Hello everyone: Just wondering if I can put wood chips or shavings in the chicken run? My chickens are 14 months old. They have a nice run outside but they have it scratched down to bare dirt. I was hoping to put wood chips down for them to scratch in? Do they eat it? Would it be harmful for them? This is my first year raising chickens. I have eleven - all raised from one day old. They are doing fine except for some feather plucking. Grrrrrrrrr. But they are laying lovely eggs.

Any advice would be appreciated with regard to the wood shavings. Thanks.

You can always put different types of natural bedding in for them(grass clipping, leaves ect) and new stuff is fun for them to explore!!!

 

[Sharon Bee]

Thank you for your responses. Yes, we do throw in grass clippings, etc. They have lots of space. We have a natural tree stump in there too which they love to hop on. They can go through the open door into a run inside the barn which leads to an enclosure where I have their food and water and nests as well as their roost. They began picking at each other though when they were inside for the winter. We put the peepers on them but removed them all except for two once they were being let outside. The brown ones are the worst. I have 4 brown, 4 white and 3 black with the gold feathers. One black one is very regal. I call her "Princess". She is lovely and very calm with beautiful glossy feathers - always aloof from the rest. LOL.

 

[Sharon Bee]

I should say, the browns are the worst for being picked on! Their bums are bare and their backs and the one even has her neck almost bare of feathers. Poor things. But they are a bit quirky so they get picked the most.

 

[Clay Mudd]

Pretty much any organic material is great. I mostly use pine shavings, grass clippings, and leaves in the covered runs, and all of that plus garden waste, tree bark, pine needles, and even small logs in the uncovered runs. It all rots down into a sort of duff like the natural forest floor, providing a habitat for bugs the chickens end up eating. Some time back, I'd noticed that they really get enthusiastic about scratching and pecking in the wooded areas, so I decided to give them that kind of environment all day long.

 

[Sharon Bee]

Clay. That sounds like a great idea. I'll put more yard waste in there and leaves, etc.

 

[RonP]

Do a search on deep litter. Lots of information. The most maintenance free you can come close to. Hope this helps.

 

[donrae]

I agree, any organic material is great for the coop or run. If I could get a big load of wood chips back to my run, I'd pile it deep!

 

[flagirl]

here is a great video on what you can put in your chicken run