When people do not clean out their chicken coops regularly, they risk losing chickens to diseases they can easily prevent. A clean chicken coop reduces the chances of germs spreading and will keep your flock healthy.
Part of your cleaning schedule should include replacing old and soiled bedding with fresh bedding. In order to find out how our members dispose of dirty & soiled coop bedding, we conducted a poll.
If you're wondering how to get rid of dirty bedding, try these tips:
Putting dirty bedding in a compost pile is a good way to dispose of it. It has both the brown stuff (bedding, such as wood shavings) and the green stuff (chicken poop) you need to make compost! It won't take long for you to have black gold with the right additions.
Furthermore, the chickens will turn it for you by digging through what they missed.
This can only be done after your fall harvest and for about three months before you plant in the spring. The chicken poop from coop bedding will over-fertilize the soil and burn the tender roots if it's used in the garden when it's too fresh.
Composting inside a chicken run is a popular new method. By using this method, you provide free food for your chickens by allowing them to consume insects in your compost pile. Having chickens do the composting for you is another bonus! This is lazy composting at its finest since it doesn't require turning.
Make sure you completely lock down your coop, and that all sides, including the bottom, are protected from predators if you use this method. If you choose to go this route, you should layer hardware cloth at the bottom of the run.
It might be the best option for very small flocks or coops in the city to use this method of litter disposal. Plus feed bags can be reused for two reasons:
Are you not happy with the other methods of disposal? Nature will break it down if you dump it in the woods. Any seeds left behind will be eaten by chipmunks and squirrels, and the dirty bedding from the coop will compost on its own.
It must be dry for this to work. Rural homes that use straw or hay litter are best suited for this method. If you have coop bedding that has been infested with mites or lice of any kind, this is a great method for getting rid of it. Composting or dumping that stuff wouldn't be a good idea.
A small amount of wood is needed to ignite and keep a fire going if the dirt is particularly dirty. Wood shavings, straw, newspaper, or hay can be burned with ease.
In spite of having to compost the chicken fertilizer themselves, gardeners will pay for it. You might be surprised to know that lots of people are doing it! Post posters in local farm groups, on bulletin boards online, or at garden centers. By the bag, sell it in your old feed bags.
It can also be given to friends, relatives, and neighbors for use in their gardens.
That's all there is to it. These are some great ways to get rid of dirty chicken coop bedding! How do you get rid of yours?
Further Reading:
Part of your cleaning schedule should include replacing old and soiled bedding with fresh bedding. In order to find out how our members dispose of dirty & soiled coop bedding, we conducted a poll.
If you're wondering how to get rid of dirty bedding, try these tips:
Compost it
Putting dirty bedding in a compost pile is a good way to dispose of it. It has both the brown stuff (bedding, such as wood shavings) and the green stuff (chicken poop) you need to make compost! It won't take long for you to have black gold with the right additions.
Furthermore, the chickens will turn it for you by digging through what they missed.
Use it in the garden
This can only be done after your fall harvest and for about three months before you plant in the spring. The chicken poop from coop bedding will over-fertilize the soil and burn the tender roots if it's used in the garden when it's too fresh.
Scatter It In the Run
Composting inside a chicken run is a popular new method. By using this method, you provide free food for your chickens by allowing them to consume insects in your compost pile. Having chickens do the composting for you is another bonus! This is lazy composting at its finest since it doesn't require turning.
Make sure you completely lock down your coop, and that all sides, including the bottom, are protected from predators if you use this method. If you choose to go this route, you should layer hardware cloth at the bottom of the run.
Dispose of it in the garbage can
It might be the best option for very small flocks or coops in the city to use this method of litter disposal. Plus feed bags can be reused for two reasons:
- There is no need to buy garbage bags since you already have Feed bags.
- It's really easy to load up feed bags without them ripping since they're so sturdy.
Dump it in the woods
Are you not happy with the other methods of disposal? Nature will break it down if you dump it in the woods. Any seeds left behind will be eaten by chipmunks and squirrels, and the dirty bedding from the coop will compost on its own.
Burn it
It must be dry for this to work. Rural homes that use straw or hay litter are best suited for this method. If you have coop bedding that has been infested with mites or lice of any kind, this is a great method for getting rid of it. Composting or dumping that stuff wouldn't be a good idea.
A small amount of wood is needed to ignite and keep a fire going if the dirt is particularly dirty. Wood shavings, straw, newspaper, or hay can be burned with ease.
Sell or give it away
In spite of having to compost the chicken fertilizer themselves, gardeners will pay for it. You might be surprised to know that lots of people are doing it! Post posters in local farm groups, on bulletin boards online, or at garden centers. By the bag, sell it in your old feed bags.
It can also be given to friends, relatives, and neighbors for use in their gardens.
That's all there is to it. These are some great ways to get rid of dirty chicken coop bedding! How do you get rid of yours?
Further Reading:
