Leaves as bedding

[U_Stormcrow]

i would mow but the terrain and multitude of obstacles i have set up for hawk protections make it pretty much impossible to mow back here

I have a flail mower. Those obstacles would look lke I fed them into a wood chipper.

That said, there's good reason to have "obstacles" in a chicken run, and your birds will be hapier for it.

That's why they make gas trimmers with metal X blades where the string should go.


Wear jeans. Trust me.

 

[paintedChix]

I have a flail mower. Those obstacles would look lke I fed them into a wood chipper.

That said, there's good reason to have "obstacles" in a chicken run, and your birds will be hapier for it.

That's why they make gas trimmers with metal X blades where the string should go.
View attachment 3977688

Wear jeans. Trust me.

I now have canvas "gaitors" to cover shins & tops of shoes. Unfortunately, I broke my leg, just above ankle in Feb & have not been able to use them.

Instead, at the moment, we have 5-9' tall "ferny" weeds that think they are trees. Wherever I had chicken tractors, ducks & around the raised beds. Been a serious issue since mid-2022 when I came down w/ covid & things just done in small bits as I could...

 

[Sally PB]

Wear jeans. Trust me.

And eye protection.

I wear my prescription glasses, my "old lady over the glasses sunglasses" (hubby's name for them), and a bug net over my wide brimmed hat.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Here’s my very delayed update (plus a pumpkin I carved)

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I mixed a quarter bag of pine with 3 trash bags of leaves for the inside of the coop and I poured about 4 bags in the run but they kicked most to one side and I still need to add more

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

also I was filling up their water because they knocked it over, I don’t just not give them water

 

[paintedChix]

I mixed a quarter bag of pine with 3 trash bags of leaves for the inside of the coop and I poured about 4 bags in the run but they kicked most to one side and I still need to add more

It's amazing how much/many leaves you need for coops & runs. They also break them down so fast!

 

[muddy75]

Leaves can make a decent addition to run bedding.
Best to use dry leaves and watch they don't shingle and mat.

Shingling and matting would be my concern as well. I once used straw that matted and it was a mess to clean out

 

[paintedChix]

Shingling and matting would be my concern as well. I once used straw that matted and it was a mess to clean out

One way to prevent that is to drop flakes, a bit spread out, while mowing or weed eating. This will chop hay, straw, pine straw into different lengths.

It's different sizes of materials that works to allow water flow through & aeration.

 

[TooCheep]

Shingling and matting would be my concern as well. I once used straw that matted and it was a mess to clean out

I'm curious. Has anyone ever seen this with leaves? I've been using leaves for 5-6 years and never seen it. The chickens do too much scratching around for it to be a problem.