annaschicken01
Chirping
- Nov 4, 2019
- 17
- 39
- 81
Hello, everyone. I was wondering what is the best type of bedding that’s easy to clean and won’t get muddy easily for a chicken run outside of the chicken house?
What’s the best type of bedding for the chicken run?
- Thread starter annaschicken01
- Start date
I don’t really use bedding in my chicken run. I toss in grass clippings, grasses and weeds I pull, as well as leaves which the chickens mix into a nice soft layer over the packed dirt.
Depends on your location and climate and your set up. Most popular choices are probably deep litter or sand.
DiYMama540
Crossing the Road
I've got a little bit of everything in the run...leaves, pine needles, straw, pine shavings...they just dig through it down to the dirt anyways and make a mess. 
My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
Might depend on how big your run is and how many birds you have and where you live.
Welcome to BYC! @annaschicken01
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
Hi, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.
Unfortunately their is no one product that is perfect for all of us. People use all kinds of different things with varying results. Different people get different results when they use the same thing. There are too many unique things about each of us that makes us all different.
To me, one of the big factors is how well the area drains. If water drains to the area or stands in that area you could have serious issues. If water drains away, either because it is high or the soil type is such that it drains easily you might be OK. Your chicken density (how big the area is compared to how many chickens you have) can have an effect. Your overall climate or even time of year can matter. Your management techniques make a difference. Just so many things.
You mentioned mud. That can be a problem even in a well-drained area if the weather stays wet for a while. No one likes to walk in slippery mud. It can track and get things dirty, more than just the eggs. If the chickens can't get out of mud they can develop feet problems over time. A run that stays wet is a breeding ground for diseases. It can take a few days for these to develop but they eventually can.
Another potential problem is smell. Chickens poop a lot wherever they are. If the poop builds up enough (chicken density) it can stay wet without any help. If the microbes breaking it down are aerobic (oxygen breathing) you get a nice earthy smell. If the microbes breaking it down are anaerobic (oxygen would kill them) you can get a slimy stinky mess. If it is really dry it doesn't break down so no real smell. It's the way a compost pile works. If it is too dry it does not break down. If it is damp enough for the aerobic microbes to live and reproduce it works great. But if it stays too wet for air to get to the microbes, in a few days the anaerobic take over and it gets bad.
Some people with small urban runs like to use sand and go out daily to scoop the poop so the poop doesn't build up. Sand drains really well if the water has some place to drain to. If you dig a pit in clay (which does not drain) and fill it with sand all you have done is crate a sand-filled swimming pool that stays wet. That will eventually stink or become unhealthy. If the sand is high enough on the clay so water can drain off or your basic dirt is sand that drains well it can work quite well. Some people love sand, some people hate it. An example of how different people can use the same product and get different results.
Some people like to turn their run into a compost pile and let the chickens turn it for them with their scratching. If it stays too wet for a period it can start to smell and be unhealthy but if the moisture level isn't bad it works great.
Some people put bedding in the run to soak up moisture and give a cleaner place to walk on but if it stays wet it starts to stink. So they shovel it out and replace it. Too much work for me but it's how some people manage it. But some people use bedding and it just doesn't need to be replaced very often.
Some people put things on top of the mud to walk on and for their chickens to be ale to dry their feet. It's pretty much how I manage mine. My main run is dirt, but I also have a large area inside electric netting that has vegetation so they spend most of their time out there. Very low chicken density and it is high so it drains reasonably well. When the weather sets in wet it does get muddy, but I put some lumber down to walk on plus dump some pea gravel in critical places to give me a place to step. Some people use pallets. I don't recommend this to most people but it works for me.
People use hay, straw, wood shavings, wood chips, grass clippings, dry leaves, and a host of other things. My thoughts on which is best are that it needs to work for your weather, drainage, and management style and needs to be available and relatively inexpensive. If you are going to be scooping the poop, straw or hay is probably not a great choice.
Another issue is that when you clean it out, how do you dispose of it. If you clean it out regularly the volume can build up. Do you send it to the landfill, compost it, or do something else with it?
The more you can tell us about your run the more likely we can give you advice that suits you. If you can find someone that has your conditions they can be a really valuable source.
People solve this issue all the time, usually quite successfully. I wish you luck on finding yours.
Unfortunately their is no one product that is perfect for all of us. People use all kinds of different things with varying results. Different people get different results when they use the same thing. There are too many unique things about each of us that makes us all different.
To me, one of the big factors is how well the area drains. If water drains to the area or stands in that area you could have serious issues. If water drains away, either because it is high or the soil type is such that it drains easily you might be OK. Your chicken density (how big the area is compared to how many chickens you have) can have an effect. Your overall climate or even time of year can matter. Your management techniques make a difference. Just so many things.
You mentioned mud. That can be a problem even in a well-drained area if the weather stays wet for a while. No one likes to walk in slippery mud. It can track and get things dirty, more than just the eggs. If the chickens can't get out of mud they can develop feet problems over time. A run that stays wet is a breeding ground for diseases. It can take a few days for these to develop but they eventually can.
Another potential problem is smell. Chickens poop a lot wherever they are. If the poop builds up enough (chicken density) it can stay wet without any help. If the microbes breaking it down are aerobic (oxygen breathing) you get a nice earthy smell. If the microbes breaking it down are anaerobic (oxygen would kill them) you can get a slimy stinky mess. If it is really dry it doesn't break down so no real smell. It's the way a compost pile works. If it is too dry it does not break down. If it is damp enough for the aerobic microbes to live and reproduce it works great. But if it stays too wet for air to get to the microbes, in a few days the anaerobic take over and it gets bad.
Some people with small urban runs like to use sand and go out daily to scoop the poop so the poop doesn't build up. Sand drains really well if the water has some place to drain to. If you dig a pit in clay (which does not drain) and fill it with sand all you have done is crate a sand-filled swimming pool that stays wet. That will eventually stink or become unhealthy. If the sand is high enough on the clay so water can drain off or your basic dirt is sand that drains well it can work quite well. Some people love sand, some people hate it. An example of how different people can use the same product and get different results.
Some people like to turn their run into a compost pile and let the chickens turn it for them with their scratching. If it stays too wet for a period it can start to smell and be unhealthy but if the moisture level isn't bad it works great.
Some people put bedding in the run to soak up moisture and give a cleaner place to walk on but if it stays wet it starts to stink. So they shovel it out and replace it. Too much work for me but it's how some people manage it. But some people use bedding and it just doesn't need to be replaced very often.
Some people put things on top of the mud to walk on and for their chickens to be ale to dry their feet. It's pretty much how I manage mine. My main run is dirt, but I also have a large area inside electric netting that has vegetation so they spend most of their time out there. Very low chicken density and it is high so it drains reasonably well. When the weather sets in wet it does get muddy, but I put some lumber down to walk on plus dump some pea gravel in critical places to give me a place to step. Some people use pallets. I don't recommend this to most people but it works for me.
People use hay, straw, wood shavings, wood chips, grass clippings, dry leaves, and a host of other things. My thoughts on which is best are that it needs to work for your weather, drainage, and management style and needs to be available and relatively inexpensive. If you are going to be scooping the poop, straw or hay is probably not a great choice.
Another issue is that when you clean it out, how do you dispose of it. If you clean it out regularly the volume can build up. Do you send it to the landfill, compost it, or do something else with it?
The more you can tell us about your run the more likely we can give you advice that suits you. If you can find someone that has your conditions they can be a really valuable source.
People solve this issue all the time, usually quite successfully. I wish you luck on finding yours.
Matilda Belle
Crowing
I put pine shavings in my run. I add more maybe twice a month to keep things dry and fresh. Once every few months I remove the old shavings completely, burn them, them replace with new bedding.
I'm thoroughly enjoying the wood chippings I've put down. I've only got a couple of inches down in between the frequent rain we've been getting, but as I continue to add to it I think it'll be wonderful.
- Thread starter
- #9
annaschicken01
Chirping
- Nov 4, 2019
- 17
- 39
- 81
I think I might try pine shavings or wood chips. I deal with mud year round once they eat all the grass. It’s a good idea when I put any type of bedding in that I still pick up after my chickens. Mine is like a compost pile we throw in hay, sometimes some veggies, or fruit. They don’t always eat it. But there favorite is oranges. I don’t think I’ll be able to try kitty litter. I might want to put down gravel to help. First for draining.
Really?!
Do not use kitty litter.
If you have a drainage problem, there are much better ways to fix that than gravel.
Post some pics of your run...and tell us where you are located.
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