Deep litter method

[RoosterLew]

Papercrete is basically re-pulped paper mixed with Portland cement. Very inexpensive and lightweight but strong building material. It takes a bit more work than something like cob but it more stable.
Some people will try waterproofing it as it does take on moisture, but as long as it is open to air it simply dries back out. Cannot be used directly in contact with the ground as it will rot.
Another benefit is it can be shaped, sawn,will take nails and screws. Very stable and workable , sustainable material.

 

[LittlePriceFarm]

i didnt read the comments but i hear diatomaciouse earth sold at supply stors helps with the smell greatly and is good for them in lots of ways

 

[schnebbles]

Is it ok to have a ton of food in it? I had to hang the feeder in the coop when it got cold. The chickens and wild birds have made a mess (imagine that, lol!). I can't imagine it hurting anything.

the sparrows are eating a ton of my chicken food! they hang out in the coop, they wait for me to open the door and eat all of my chicken food darn it!

 

[Beekissed]

That will be fine...it will attract more bugs that way. Might attract some mice, though I'm sure that is already going on there. You might want to switch to a trough style feeder and only feed each day what they can eat in one setting. It will save you a bunch on feed and keep the birds and mice away. You can put a lid over the trough of chicken wire so they can't flick and shovel the feed out on the floor.

 

[schnebbles]

Oh. I never thought of only feeding at certain times. I don't have mice yet, I'm sure. Do you think they would eat if I only put the food in maybe from 5 pm and leave it overnight until I open coop in the morning which is usually around 8-9 lately. That would save me a ton of "bird" food!

I can look at a trough type too but my coop is kind of small so I like the hanging one.

 

[Beekissed]

Oh. I never thought of only feeding at certain times. I don't have mice yet, I'm sure. Do you think they would eat if I only put the food in maybe from 5 pm and leave it overnight until I open coop in the morning which is usually around 8-9 lately. That would save me a ton of "bird" food!

I can look at a trough type too but my coop is kind of small so I like the hanging one.

If you have a lot of feed on the floor, I'm betting you have mices you don't get to see...that's like ringing a dinner bell for them.

They come out at night, so if you leave the feed there over night, they are feasting and eating all your money. You can still use your hanging feeder but as you can see, it creates a lot of waste...they aren't the most efficient style of feeder one can use. You can hang a trough from the ceiling as well, if you like. I'd feed in the morning and only what they can mostly clean up in an hour or so. I've been doing it that way for years upon years.

 

[schnebbles]

I'll do that, thanks. How dumb that I never thought of it! I did have a feeder made of PVC but they kept pooping on it so I took it out.

My coop is pretty secure, I close the door at night. But I know mice can be sneaky!

thank you

 

[RoosterLew]

i didnt read the comments but i hear diatomaciouse earth sold at supply stors helps with the smell greatly and is good for them in lots of ways 

You should read the comments...

 

[yogifink]

i didnt read the comments but i hear diatomaciouse earth sold at supply stors helps with the smell greatly and is good for them in lots of ways 

You should read the comments...

LOL

 

[Ebal]

I am doing the deep litter in the floor of my 8x8 coop.... I stir it weekly with a pitch fork...

I have a poop board under my roost's and scoop this up weekly and replace with and inch or so of fresh shavings...

It is really pretty clean with minimal smell, BUT... I put my feeder and water outside the coop so I do not get this mess and moisture. Half my 16x8
run is covered with salvaged tin and I keep the feed in this area.

Hens have unlimited access from the coop to run... The mess around food and water stays outside and basically my hens spend little time in the coop (pooping) other than at night and when getting to the nest boxes.