Deep litter method

[niqueie]

If you are just starting out how do you get the DL to start composting quickly. I'm worried about lice and mites and parasites from wild birds getting into my coup. If I understand it right, with a good DL method you don't have to worry about those (lice...) because of the beneficial bugs and bacteria. But I'm concerned about them starting out on new deep litter and the bad bugs taking over before the good ones can. Is this something to worry about or am I over thinking it. The birds are still in the brooder during the night in my house but outside in a pen during the day. They have been shaking thief heads frequently ( 3-6 times a minute). When they do it, I have been dusting them by hand with DE. It has seemed to really help. I'm hoping for some pointers as my coop is almost ready to put the birds in.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Here's a few pics of flower bed trimmings and weedings heading to the litter pack in my coop. In the trimmings and thinnings were some chocolate mint...and now my coop smells like Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream! Truly!

The bugs must have risen in the night to feed on the greens because the next day the chooks tossed that bedding to kingdom come, hunting for bugs.

Bee while we have the wire off the run I am piling in more DL. Got 3 huge things swept up yesterday evening. It's just piled in there right now because the wire and stuff is being stored in there so I could sweep it all up and all that wouldn't be in the way. Anyway I figured it would be much easier to do it now with the wire off there and it was. Something happened with the lawn mower before I got finished mowing to but I am praying nothings seriously wrong with the motor on it.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee while we have the wire off the run I am piling in more DL. Got 3 huge things swept up yesterday evening. It's just piled in there right now because the wire and stuff is being stored in there so I could sweep it all up and all that wouldn't be in the way. Anyway I figured it would be much easier to do it now with the wire off there and it was. Something happened with the lawn mower before I got finished mowing to but I am praying nothings seriously wrong with the motor on it.

Good idea. I'm raking leaves today to put in the soup roo pen and am waiting impatiently for the other leaves to mount up enough for piling into the coop. I'm feeling like we are going to have a very moist, lots of snow winter coming on. The deer are very dark and there has been food abundance, oft times it happens that way before a tough winter.

 

[RoosterLew]

Good idea. I'm raking leaves today to put in the soup roo pen and am waiting impatiently for the other leaves to mount up enough for piling into the coop. I'm feeling like we are going to have a very moist, lots of snow winter coming on. The deer are very dark and there has been food abundance, oft times it happens that way before a tough winter.

Amazing how someone* always seems to know what we need before we even need it

 

[Beekissed]

Amazing how someone* always seems to know what we need before we even need it

Always! And I thank Him every day for that!

 

[All Ball]

Phew!! Glad to hear it- I was not looking forward to a total clean out. Thanks Bee!

 

[Beekissed]

If you are just starting out how do you get the DL to start composting quickly. I'm worried about lice and mites and parasites from wild birds getting into my coup. If I understand it right, with a good DL method you don't have to worry about those (lice...) because of the beneficial bugs and bacteria. But I'm concerned about them starting out on new deep litter and the bad bugs taking over before the good ones can. Is this something to worry about or am I over thinking it. The birds are still in the brooder during the night in my house but outside in a pen during the day. They have been shaking thief heads frequently ( 3-6 times a minute). When they do it, I have been dusting them by hand with DE. It has seemed to really help. I'm hoping for some pointers as my coop is almost ready to put the birds in.

If birds have good dusting spots and can do so regularly, they won't get mites and lice as easily. I can honestly tell you that after keeping chickens on and off for most of my life, last year was the first time I had to deal with lice and skin mites on a chicken...and that was because they had come from a place with no dusting opportunities and very poor management. A few years before that, I took in some chickens and got scale mites on my birds...and that was the first time for that as well.

As common as it seems to be on these forums, if birds live a normal and healthy life out on clean soils, eating healthy foods and getting a chance to self groom with dusting, they just don't have these kinds of parasite problems. Also important...culling your flocks for birds who have weakened immune systems as they seem to also be the birds that are chronic carriers of lice/mites...the very old, the non layers, the chronically ill, over weight, too thin, etc.

If you really feel like dusting for prevention, dust the birds with something that has more than just sharp thingies in it...try sulfur dust(insect repellent), pyrethrin(a natural, non toxic insecticide and repellent), sweet lime(insect repellent). Then place the same things in their dusting spots only, on the roosting bars and also in the nests. But not in the deep litter.

Feed inside the coop and don't throw scratch grains out in your run either...these attract wild birds, who are natural vectors of bird lice and mites. Don't leave free choice feed out at all times...rodents are parasite vectors as well.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Good idea. I'm raking leaves today to put in the soup roo pen and am waiting impatiently for the other leaves to mount up enough for piling into the coop. I'm feeling like we are going to have a very moist, lots of snow winter coming on. The deer are very dark and there has been food abundance, oft times it happens that way before a tough winter.

yep it's sorta weird feeling here with the weather and thinking it's going to be cold earlier this year just by the feel of it. Raining cats and dogs here today. Just posted pix on my FB page of the rain gushing off the roof of our house. It was raining so hard that the 6" pipe (drain) couldn't keep it drained off fast enough and it was coming up on our patio.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

If birds have good dusting spots and can do so regularly, they won't get mites and lice as easily.  I can honestly tell you that after keeping chickens on and off for most of my life, last year was the first time I had to deal with lice and skin mites on a chicken...and that was because they had come from a place with no dusting opportunities and very poor management.  A few years before that, I took in some chickens and got scale  mites on my birds...and that was the first time for that as well. 

As common as it seems to be on these forums, if birds live a normal and healthy life out on clean soils, eating healthy foods and getting a chance to self groom with dusting, they just don't have these kinds of parasite problems.  Also important...culling your flocks for birds who have weakened immune systems as they seem to also be the birds that are chronic carriers of lice/mites...the very old, the non layers, the chronically ill, over weight, too thin, etc. 

If you really feel like dusting for prevention, dust the birds with something that has more than just sharp thingies in it...try sulfur dust(insect repellent), pyrethrin(a natural, non toxic insecticide and repellent), sweet lime(insect repellent).  Then place the same things in their dusting spots only, on the roosting bars and also in the nests.  But not in the deep litter. 

Feed inside the coop and don't throw scratch grains out in your run either...these attract wild birds, who are natural vectors of bird lice and mites.  Don't leave free choice feed out at all times...rodents are parasite vectors as well. 

The sulfur dust and pyrethrin dust - are these something you could buy from your local garden centre ? And how much/how often should one use this stuff ?

 

[Beekissed]

The sulfur dust and pyrethrin dust - are these something you could buy from your local garden centre ? And how much/how often should one use this stuff ?

You can find them there. I'd only use them when you need to...if you don't have a problem, don't fix it. The best prevention for external parasites is establishing a healthy environment for the chickens. You can dust the roosts, nests and the dusting spots whenever you like...I'd not dust the chickens with it unless you have to.