I don't spray leaves unless there's a problem, not routinely. Couldn't cover my big old Bramleys either so I don't.
Mulch I am putting on at the moment, the hens do root around in it so I just heap it around the orchard and let them do the scattering
I usually put my wood ash out in winter for them too, it's usually rained in before the hens get chance to dustbath but if they do then it works for them and the trees get the goodness eventually.
I'm thinking of adding a layer of dead leaves this year since I had a couple of sycamores cut down and just finished taking the heaps apart to lop firewood from twigs and make a leaf pile. If I could stop the amount of weeds and grass that now grow over the old black weedmatting, I'd put more down but they just love the mulch too