Which wood chips are suitable for chicken runs?

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Which wood chips are suitable for chicken runs?
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AdventureGirl

Joined: 01 Nov 2005
Posts: 55
Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 7:52 pm Post subject: Which wood chips are suitable for chicken runs?

We use chipped wood on the floor of our chicken run ... have been buying it from B&Q but it is proving expensive!

I asked a local tree surgeon about having some from him, but he thought you needed to be very careful about which wood you used.

So, is anything dangerous for them?

Am I right that I shouldn't be using chipped bark in there?

Is there anything else we could use instead? It isn't a waterproof run so things like shredded newspaper wouldn't work very well. We tried straw but that was horrible after the rain.

Looking forward to your great advice as always!

Cheers

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 7:55 pm Post subject:
We use the massive bales you get from Countrywide, about £5.99 and last a month or so. The shavings have to have the dust extracted from them really, otherwise they can cause breathing problems for the chooks I think.

pink bouncy

Joined: 14 May 2005
Posts: 174

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 7:58 pm Post subject:
As far as I'm aware, wood chippings are fine for chickens. I believe you can get them from your local council for free. Something else you can get free that is suitable for use in chicken runs is autumn leaves! Councils sweep up loads of the stuff and put it in sacks. All you have to do is ask and they will bring some to you. It does need to have the odd crisp packet removed from it though.....

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 7:58 pm Post subject:

Yep, we also use the dust-extracted wood shavings from our local country stores. Anywhere that sells horsey stuff should sell them.

You're right in saying bark chips shouldn't be used as they can go mouldy and that can cause breathing problems for the hens.

I'm not sure what other shavings might cause problems, I know my hens have a tenancy to eat small wood chips and sawdust.

I don't know why but at least oak doesn't seem to harm them.

VSS

Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2845
Location: Llyn Peninsula, North Wales

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 8:39 pm Post subject:
Those dust extracted shavings are seriously bad news for ducklings by the way.

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11434

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 8:44 pm Post subject:
I keep my chickens on 20mm gravel/pebbles. It sluices down well and they can still scratch around in it and excavate their dust baths

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 8:51 pm Post subject:

VSS wrote:

Those dust extracted shavings are seriously bad news for ducklings by the way.

Excuse my ignorance but why? I don't use them but it would be helpful to know why I shouldn't this spring---you may have saved me from a bad mistake---thanks

VSS

Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2845
Location: Llyn Peninsula, North Wales

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 9:06 pm Post subject:

lottie wrote:

VSS wrote:

Those dust extracted shavings are seriously bad news for ducklings by the way.

Excuse my ignorance but why? I don't use them but it would be helpful to know why I shouldn't this spring---you may have saved me from a bad mistake---thanks

They eat them, for some stupid reason, then they die. Seems to just bung up their whole system.
Ducks with very small ducklings are better off on some old deep litter, such as an empty calf pen that you haven't got around to mucking out yet.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 08 9:22 pm Post subject:
Turkey poults do the same. Justme

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 08 12:38 am Post subject:
Thanks for the info

tonythetree

Joined: 25 Jan 2008
Posts: 16
Location: Worcestershire

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 08 9:43 am Post subject: Re: Which wood chips are suitable for chicken runs?

AdventureGirl wrote:

Greetings from a tree surgeon I run my chooks on woodchip mulch have done for a while no probs
Tony

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 08 3:55 pm Post subject: Re: Which wood chips are suitable for chicken runs?

tonythetree wrote:

Greetings from a tree surgeon I run my chooks on woodchip mulch have done for a while no probs
Tony

Well hello there...

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 08 4:03 pm Post subject:
Hello - great name

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 08 4:05 pm Post subject:

Mary-Jane wrote:

tonythetree wrote:

Greetings from a tree surgeon I run my chooks on woodchip mulch have done for a while no probs
Tony

Well hello there...

Penny wrote:

Hello - great name

Just to let you know Tonythetree - Penny and I are the sensible voice of sweet reason around here. Stick with us and you'll be in safe hands...

villager

Joined: 22 Dec 2007
Posts: 35
Location: Malawi, Central Africa

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 08 3:04 pm Post subject:

That was an interesting post from Frewen, who said, "I keep my chickens on 20mm gravel/pebbles. It sluices down well and they can still scratch around in it and excavate their dust baths."

Small-scale farmers here always keep their broiler chickens on deep litter, consisting of leaves or sawdust.. Generally, the litter is of inadequate depth, and I suppose that the chickens are susceptible to respiratory diseases from the dust. This idea for using stones/gravel seems to me a way of keeping the floor clean, and avoiding respiratory problems.

I can see that Frewen's system will be more expensive to set-up, but that there are long-term benefits such as easy maintenance, and with proper drainage and collection it will be a source of liquid manure, which can be piped to growing crops.

Why is this system not used more often, particularly on the commercial scale?

Ta

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