Garden Lime Question

[triciayoung]

Coarse wood chippings and good drainage are the keys, IMO.
If you have any standing water and/or soil that does not drain well,
no bedding or additive will take care of the odors long term.

Adequate space can help too. A bunch of birds in too small a space is going to make the odors more concentrated.

@triciayoung a How many birds in how big a space(feet by feet)?
Is your run in a low spot in your yard?
Pics might help here.

I am from Michigan. I lived in Plymouth until I was 23. Hello from a fellow Michigander

 

[gtaus]

Your setup sounds great. You may also want to try my charcoal suggestion. Free biochar for your gardens along with all that beautiful compost.

It's something on my long list of things to do. I know some people really advocate using biochar for the benefits it offers. I am quite happy with my chicken run compost, but am always open to suggestions that may improve my setup. Thanks.

 

[gtaus]

Thank you so much. I get the idea now.

Yep, raking out the litter daily and keeping only a thin layer of litter would be wet and stinky in my run. Adding inches to the litter and letting it sit in the run solved the problem for me. I don't know if you need 12 inches of litter like I have, but there will be a point where the top of the litter stays dry and the bottom layers will just turn into compost. If you maintain a nice mix of greens and browns, your compost in the chicken run will not smell, except, maybe like a fresh forest floor after a rain.

If you are into gardening, then your organic chicken run compost will be like black gold to mix in with your soil.

 

[aart]

I am from Michigan. I lived in Plymouth until I was 23. Hello from a fellow Michigander

8-O I graduated from Plymouth Salem in 1977.