Most of us are always happy to find a free resource that can help us on the homestead. Wood chips are often available for free at your local waste facility or by calling a local tree trimming service. There are many benefits with using wood chips for managing animals and different areas around your farm.
Putting a load down on lanes delineates a clear pathway. You are more likely to stay on the path when driving a farm vehicle or even walking. This will prevent further damage to the pasture and prevent the pathways from getting muddy. You want to make sure you have a good base layer down before winter. It can difficult to dump them out on the pathways once everything is muddy.
Using Wood Chips for Livestock Management
- Great as chicken coop bedding. It’s free and eliminates the need to purchase shavings.
- When used for bedding in pig hutches and commonly visited areas (such as feeders), they keep the area odor free.
- For cows, sheep, or other ruminants use wood chips on shelter floors and around the water trough. Put them down on any high traffic areas where soil is exposed. This is especially handy if using a sacrifice pasture during the winter months.
- Use as a way to manage manure by covering it up or by removing manure and occasionally adding more wood chips.
It can be very challenging to bring a load out without getting stuck in the mud after a heavy rain. You don’t want your animals stuck in muddy areas, putting down manure and stomping around in it. That is of course, very unsanitary and should be prevented whenever possible. Keep a load of chips on hand so that you have them when you need it. Set a plan to mulch pathways and high traffic areas and then occasionally replenish.
Wood chips are great for mulching your landscaping and flower gardens. They are also helpful in the vegetable garden between rows. You can even use them on your driveway, especially in pot holes or any area where water collects. Soon you will discover even more ways to use this valuable resource.
