Leaves as deep litter in coop

[Shiloh Acres]

LOL all kinds of new replies while I was typing on this phone. I'm slow.

to get back to the question that was asked ... Maybe someone can answer. But I don't store my leaves. We actually have mostly dry weather (I just wanted a solution for the chickens for when it DOES rain). My leaves are just outside, blown in piles up against the fencing where the goats have not eaten them. Easy to gather into the wheeled cart and pull to the coop and dump. That cart was one of the best investments I've made -- used off Craigslist and I'm thinking of teaching the wether to pull it.

If I had to store them, and I might do this, I would put them in contractor garbage bags as suggested and store them overhead in the coop. I have a LOT of space up there under roof not being used, and I store some animal stuff in there.

If you truly have no place the same could work in the yard stacked up, I would think? Though with the right conditions, I expect they would be breaking down in there.

 

[savingdogs]

My Hubby was wondering if we could (in warm weather of course) shred them first and store them in empty livestock food bags.

 

[Wifezilla]

Sure..why not? As long as they are dry you should be fine.

 

[Dooley]

I've always wondered this! Let me know how it goes.

 

[Ohioann]

We have used leaves (mostly maple and willow)in chicken coop and in stalls for years. We are in eastern Ohio so we rake and bag the leaves in the fall. We have stored the bags in an empty stall or along the side of the coop until we need them. The chickens love them, they scratch around find bugs, eat some of the vegative matter and we don't seem to have problems with the leaves packing down. When we clean the coop it all goes on the compost heap.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I use feedbags to store our dry leaves. We then store the bags, whereever we can find a dry spot. I don't have to store too much though. I don't shred them either. I let the chickens do that. I try to mix in different stuff that I come across and I do use shavings in the wet winter month. I use as much leaves as I can though, so I won't have to buy the shavings or straw. I am always on the lookout for alternative bedding material. When I worked at an office, I used to bring home shredded paper and newspaper.

 

[coldcreekchick]

I was doing research on using leaves in my chicken coop, and found this thread. Wondering how it has worked out for the folks who use leaves? Its been a couple months since this first posted, time enough to discover any problems. I have always put leaves in the run outside, figured let them do the work of shredding them, and then added that to the compost. Now I am questioning the money spent on truckloads of pine shavings - that gets expensive! I thought (and I guess not originally) why not use the leaves???

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Well, here's a story for you.
One of my free ranging bunnies got into the coop & started digging a hole. I had to stop that so predators wouldn't get in through the bunny hole.
But that bunny tossed up the richest, blackest soil like substance I have ever seen on my place.

I haven't cleaned the coop in... months? Since the fall I think, although I do scrub off the roosts from time to time & let them dry in the sun.

The regular rules of deep litter apply. Use lots of material. If it smells, add more until it doesn't.

My coop smells like good garden soil, not ammonia. When it gets really wet outside, it can smell a little funky, so I always add leaves when it rains.

 

[freemotion]

I've used leaves for...um....three winters now? And it works great and saves lots of money, too. And leaves in the goat's stall in the fall to make a base for winter. Works great.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

We have used leaves, but now just use shavings cause we can get them free by the semi load.
Goats seem to really like leaves, so they work very well in their barn. They munch on them.