If you have a chicken house, you know the importance of having happy hens. Happy hens lay more eggs, and are generally healthier and have better temperaments. Part of having happy hens means keeping your chicken coop, and/or your nesting boxes, mulched or deep bedded. ‘Mulching,’ by definition, is covering an area with organic matter, which could be leaves, straw or sawdust, just to name a few. ‘Deep bedding’ is a technique relatively close to mulching, except that it is used in animal housing and involves continually layering new organic matter in the area.
What are the benefits of mulching or deep bedding your chicken coop? Anyone who has spent any time around chickens knows that they are often accompanied by a rather unpleasant odor. Mulching can do away with most of that odor – the organic material in the mulch speeds up the breakdown of the chicken manure. This also reduces the fly problem that many chicken coops have. Mulching gives the chickens an outlet to release their natural scratching tendencies – when they have material to scratch and fluff and eat insects from, they don’t pick at one another, a problem that can often lead to cannibalism. Mulching keeps the chicken coop warmer in the wintertime, and reduces time spent cleaning. Lastly, mulching your chicken coop and even your run for your hens gives the area a more aesthetically appealing look.
What sort of organic matter can be used to mulch a chicken coop? The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Here are a few choices to get you started.
Straw: Straw, the outer stems or stalks of grain plants, is one of the most commonly used mulch materials. It is typically inexpensive and can be purchased in large quantities. It is easy to store as long as it is out of the elements, and a little bit goes a long way. It is important to make sure that the straw is free of mold before mulching – moldy straw can cause respiratory problems for chickens.
Pine Needles: If you or a close neighbor happens to have a few pine trees growing in the yard, you can get your poultry mulch for free. Pine needles are a very inexpensive source of soft, sweet smelling mulch for your hens to lay eggs in. A rake and some five gallon buckets work best for gathering pine needle mulch – just make sure the needles are dry before mulching.
Corn Husks: For those in the corn business, chances are you have a lot of chicken coop mulch growing right in your crop fields – corn husks are another great option for mulching. Just fill your coop with clean, dry corn husks after shucking and your hens will thank you.
Leaves: Leaves are yet another source of free mulch – when you rake your leaves in the fall, simply bag them in large trash bags and store in a dry place. You will have mulch for your chicken coop all winter long.
These are just a few mulching options for happy hens. Wood chips, lawn clippings and even tall, dry grasses can be used to mulch your chicken coop. Whatever you decide to use, make sure it is clean and mold free – then mulch away.
