Thinking about leaves

After re-reading some posts about winter-readying I have a thought.

In my coops there is a dirt floor, I used hard wood shavings for the bedding, and do spread straw too. The birds like to play in straw and do wonders to it for the spring gardens.

On our property there is massive amounts of deciduous trees, particularly in the yard down at my Daughter's home. She has been leaf gathering and has about 15 of the big clear bags filled to the brim with leaves. I have put about 3 of those bags covering my garlic that I planted a couple of days ago. (I also put the gatherings of the chicken coops over these leaves over the garlic, well, some of it to hold down the leaves, so they don't blow away, these will decompose over the winter and help to nourish the garlic).

Thinking and wondering if I should take a few bags of these leaves and spread them in the coops for the birds to enjoy. I think that they might add warmth, I think also that the leaves would break down over time and certainly enhance the already-wonderful-shavings and straw that will come out in the late spring, to go into the garden.

These leaves come from oak and maple.

Thoughts please about using leaves as extra warmth in the coops. There are so many bags of them, just unsure what else to do. Guess we could leave them in the bags for the decomposition that would take place over the winter and when the sun warms it in the spring. Need answers, please, need answers, smiling about smiling. Have that wonderful day, CynthiaM.

Good thoughts Cindi - but I believe - must check - that oak leaves don't break down for years and years and years. I worry they would get slick and mucky in with the chickens. Maple I think break down fairly easily.

My pens are full of aspen leaves, just the way the winds blow them in. A few are fine, too many and when they get wet they just become a slick layer. Not sure what will happen to them in a few months.

I can't foresee a real problem with leaves, but, here are the things I would wonder:

1. Leaves that have fallen from the tree recently are not necessarily "dried" like straw or shavings. It is a chemical reaction in the tree, and when the leaves fall, they then start the process of decomp or drying. A truly dry leaf should crumble with ease. So, if the leaves are still fresh, they will add humidity to the coop until dried. I wouldn't add unless they were at this point.


The resulting product for your garden would be awesome ~ too temping to resist.

Oh, oh. I think I should actually now really find out if they are oak. I know there is maple mixed in, but I think they are oak. Now off to find out if they are really oak, but I think so. I just looked at the bags of leaves and really actually never, really, honestly found out the exact species of trees. Heading down for a visit in the next while. I'll ask darling Daughter if they are oak for surely. I should act before I speak, smiling. A slippery slimey mess would just not cut it in my chicken houses for surely. Thanks for this invaluable input, Heda, have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

If they're wild (native) trees, they're not oak; the only native oak in BC is the Garry Oak, and that's only on the SW coast. However there are several species of oak from other places that will survive in BC. What do the leaves look like?

Oak leaves actually have tanins in them that are not good for livestock as well. I am not sure about dried, dead leaves, but I would personally not risk oak leaves.

Now this is why I love to ask questions. I have a good amount of information that can ensure a nice decision.

I will get a picture of the trees and also of the specific leaves. This is for another time, another day, perhaps today, but perhaps not, smiling. Depends on what happens in the course of this day. The leaves are living in plastic bags, so I would expect a fair amount of moisture and decomposition already beginning.

Should the decision to not use them occur, they will sit near my compost pile, which is massive, from the garden clean up with annual plants' remains and well, just garden stuff. That is decomposing already, along with the fall clean out of all the coops. Good stuff coming in the spring. Perhaps with the warmth of the spring sun, should I not use the leaves in the coops, mixed in with everything else, decomposing, the leaves will be a safe product to incorporate into the masses.

First thing is to ascertain species of leaves for sure. Thanks for all input, I am listening...and informed decisions forthcome -- have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

I was reading in a magazine about using dried leaves in the coop for bedding. I can imagine the fun chickens would have digging through them looking for goodies. But would think they have to be very dry. Our are gets way to much rain for the leaves to get try. I think they would go moldy pretty quick here.

Not sure how oak leaves would be for farm animals. But I have read that if you can use them in planted tanks to lower the Ph, and soften the water, for certain species of fish or shrimp. They also break down slower then some other leaves.

coopslave wrote:Oak leaves actually have tanins in them that are not good for livestock as well. I am not sure about dried, dead leaves, but I would personally not risk oak leaves.

I was going to say the same thing. I also would defintley not use oak shavings.

I think drying the leaves somehow and then using them
is a great idea. Suggest suspending a tarp somewhere out of the way but under cover then putting some of the leaves
that are not to wet and drying them out.
Next year I might try this myself but would not suggest
oak leave also walnut leaves are a no.

I asked my Daughter what the trees were, I didn't have time to go look, had a jam packed day ahead. She said they were different types of maple. No Oak. So, now when I have a minute, I am going to get pictures of leaves. The leaves probably are not too wet though, this is an extremely dry climate most of the time and things dehydrate pretty quickly. Still, listening, and will make that informed decision. Beautiful days, CynthiaM.