Best coop/run ideas to reduce disease/protozoa

[Nckyturkma]

Hello everyone! I live in Prunedale, CA, in northern Monterey County. We have been keeping poultry since February. We have sandy soil, but it is very fine and silty. It produces a fine dust that coats everything. We have two coops in our backyard that we built. Each one is a rectangle and has about a 9' x 4' x 5' run with an attached coop that is maybe another 4'×4'. The run is just hardware cloth with a dirt floor (wire extends into soil 12" below coop) and a corrugated metal roof. The coop is all plywood (with ventilation at top) and has a wood bottom.

We have 3 laying hens in the one run/coop, and another 3 birds that we raised from chicks (2 young chickens and a young turkey) in the other. They spend their time in the run when they are not free ranging in our grassy backyard. Due to the dirt floor, the waterer gets dirty so fast. It gets coated in fine dust and gets dirty. We clean it out twice a day. It is raised, but not hanging. We tried the nipple waterers but our chickens didn't catch on and we didn't try very hard to make the switch and went back to a traditional waterer.

This summer has been unusually cool and very wet (normally it is hot and dry). We put down straw in the run when we got the chickens, because I wanted to try the deep litter method, but it has been getting damp and not drying out. I feel like that can't be good. We took it all out and just have the dirt now. The coop itself doesn't get very messy. We have some straw in the nesting boxes and below where there turkey sleeps and we clean it out and change it regularly. I am mainly unsure what to do in the run where they spend most their time (when not free ranging a few hours a day).

What is the best way to keep a clean run to reduce disease, parasites, and protozoa?

I don't mind cleaning out the run/coop regularly. I would rather that than have them pecking around and ingesting their feces. Should i put plywood down to reduce the amount of dust, or just leave the dirt? They like to dust bathe in the dirt, but will it be better to keep them off the dirt (mainly the turkey) to reduce parasites and protozoa? I also read sand could be a good option, but there was mixed reviews about using sand with respect to cleanliness.

Anyone live in Central CA or just have advice in general? I am not a clean freak, I just don't want to create a moist environment that breeds disease, and I would love to not have to clean the waterer twice a day (if possible). Thank you!!!!

 

[perkolator]

IMO the issue is trying to keep things too clean and sterile, that's what humans want. Animals like chickens are natural-born ground foragers -- If you were a chicken stuck in a cage and not allowed to free-range all day, would you want your space to be like a desert where you peck at sand, or more like a forest floor where you can forage through organic material looking for hidden goodies?

In regard to the straw -- Deep litter is a moist system that allows decomposition of the material in-place, it's not a dry bedding system like deep DRY bedding - think forest floor with lots of organic material and has moisture content so it decomposes. Organic materials will mix into the sand and will hold some moisture, which should be considerably better for dust control issues.

Also, other bedding materials won't magically resolve the dirty waterer issues - chickens will kick up any material in the area and it will end up in the waterer - sand, dirt, leaves, wood chips, etc. To help resolve this in my own setup I raised waterers on cinder blocks, as it allowed me to go a few inches higher than I could hang them and still have the chickens use it; has definitely reduced how much junk gets accumulated in them

 

[Nckyturkma]

Thank you for the information! Our coop is definitely not sterile. Do you recommend the deep litter method then even though the straw has been getting damp from the Coastal marine layer and not drying out? This time last year we were having sun and 90 degree Temps every day. This year, we have had 3-4 days of sun in the last month or two. Very wet. I understand chickens get their water messy and that's just part of it, but we have friends with chickens either in areas with less dusty soil, or with coops that have a solid floor, and they seem to be able to go the full day without having the water get so dirty (not from food but from dust). I am committed to daily cleaning, but just trying to find what others have most ease and success with for easy cleaning, low maintenance, or best for preventing disease (mostly protozoa).

 

[McChooky]

I elevated my waterer on a milk crate then laid another milk crate beside it to stand on.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I also have a sandy loam and the dust can get insane. Part of the deal. I use free woodchips in my run often, to keep the dust down a little and help with any smells. I also grab leaves from my son's yard and that too helps add organic matter into my run, plus adds fun. If you have not already, add steps, tables, logs or anything for them to hop on. This adds space and also entertains, dust free.
Photos are always helpful when trouble shooting and welcomed fun.

 

[aart]

We tried the nipple waterers but our chickens didn't catch on and we didn't try very hard to make the switch and went back to a traditional waterer.

It takes time, perseverance, and patience...well worth the effort in the long run.
Best done when temps are not extreme, no other water source while training.

where there turkey sleeps and we clean it out and change it regularly. I am mainly unsure what to do in the run where they spend most their time (when not free ranging a few hours a day).

You have a turkey too?
IMO coarse wood chipping from a tree trimmer are the best.
Need a place to store a big pile, that they will often bring and dump for free, so you can add just a bit at a time to the run.

I live in Prunedale, CA

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Nckyturkma]

It takes time, perseverance, and patience...well worth the effort in the long run.
Best done when temps are not extreme, no other water source while training.


You have a turkey too?
IMO coarse wood chipping from a tree trimmer are the best.
Need a place to store a big pile, that they will often bring and dump for free, so you can add just a bit at a time to the run.

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

View attachment 3558453

Thank you so much! This is very helpful! My husband is on a tree crew, so we could definitely get wood chips! I like that idea. I do have a turkey. She is a 14-week bbb. I heard turkeys are prone to bumble foot. Would the rough edges of the wood chips potentially cause problems for her since she is a big bird?

I will try again with the nipple waterer. My mom also just bought us the cup waterers that you drill into a 5-gal bucket.

I will update my profile to put my location. I did not know how to do that! I would love to connect with others in my area since I am new to all this and so much to learn.

I really love my birds and enjoy having them, but it's crazy to me how so many people with chickens told us (before we got the chickens) how low maintenance they are and that they barely have to do anything haha...how??? We spend so much time and energy on the birds (and money haha). I cannot imagine not doing daily chores.

Thank you for your time!

 

[Nckyturkma]

I also have a sandy loam and the dust can get insane. Part of the deal. I use free woodchips in my run often, to keep the dust down a little and help with any smells. I also grab leaves from my son's yard and that too helps add organic matter into my run, plus adds fun. If you have not already, add steps, tables, logs or anything for them to hop on. This adds space and also entertains, dust free.
Photos are always helpful when trouble shooting and welcomed fun.

Thank you so much for the info ! We have a few roosts, but we could definitely add more to give them more options. I keep looking for ideas too on how to keep them occupied when they are in the run (hanging cabbage or fruit, water bottle with feed etc). If anyone has other ideas would love to hear.

 

[aart]

I heard turkeys are prone to bumble foot. Would the rough edges of the wood chips potentially cause problems for her since she is a big bird?

I'm not sure about that, @R2elk would know.
Hasn't been a problem with my chickens on 10 years.

I keep looking for ideas too on how to keep them occupied when they are in the run (hanging cabbage or fruit, water bottle with feed etc). If anyone has other ideas would love to hear.

Lots of space.....and some 'jungle gyms'.....are better than things to eat.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Deep litter/mulch/composting run is absolutely amazing but it takes time to get it working. Like anything that relies on biology. In my experience straw is only able to be used in it once you have a rich biology breaking things down quickly. I use bark/chip mulch and leaves etc and you gotta put it down THICK like minimum 3 inches across the entire run, or it just won't work long term. It also needs regular replication. I view the composting run as addressing disease issues by having so much biology something is going to 'eat' or outcompete disease vectors. However, I do regularly worm my entire flock, as chickens will get parasites not just from exposure to their own feces but from eating insects etc.

I use deep litter in my coop but NOT as a composting coop. In the coop my aim is to keep it dry. I then shovel it out into the moist run to decompose, and add more dry bedding to the coop.

I made a video of my system, if you follow my website link on my profile