Sweet PDZ

[3 chicks farm]

Don't think asbestos is approved for organic gardening,

If you've read something bad about zeolite, please share.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

A couple questions; 1. What is the difference between Sweet PDZ Stall Refresher and Sweet PDZ Coop Refresher, other than price? Different size granules? (avoiding the powder version), 2. If used in the run, what difference does it make being covered or not? My opinion is it's a mineral, if it gets wet it'll dry, am I wrong?

 

[kgb6days]

I use Sweet PDZ in my coop under the shavings - it works well to control smell. I don't have a poop board so clean out under the perch weekly - add a little PDZ and stir up the shavings to cover that area. I use DLM in the run so there is no PDZ there. All I have to do is turn it over weekly. Do I have any smell? Only if I don't do the 15 minutes of weekly maintenance as I should. Works well for me, and come spring I plan to clean out the run and put the black gold in my garden.

 

[aart]

A couple questions; 1. What is the difference between Sweet PDZ Stall Refresher and Sweet PDZ Coop Refresher, other than price? Different size granules? (avoiding the powder version), 2. If used in the run, what difference does it make being covered or not? My opinion is it's a mineral, if it gets wet it'll dry, am I wrong?

1. Nothing, to my knowledge, but size of packaging and price.
2. I wouldn't bother using it in the run, but I have a semi-deep litter there which needs no maintenance at all except to add smaller browns regularly, no need to turn it as the birds keep things mixed up.

 

[Pater est Pullis]

I use Sweet PDZ in my coop under the shavings - it works well to control smell. I don't have a poop board so clean out under the perch weekly - add a little PDZ and stir up the shavings to cover that area. I use DLM in the run so there is no PDZ there. All I have to do is turn it over weekly. Do I have any smell? Only if I don't do the 15 minutes of weekly maintenance as I should. Works well for me, and come spring I plan to clean out the run and put the black gold in my garden.

My run is 23' x 19', uncovered, except for netting (Red Tails), it's made up of sand, dirt and pine needles. Been thinking about raking up needles and adding 2-3 inches of river sand. Never considered DLM for run, I'm intrigued. What do you use? All pine shavings?

 

[aart]

I have a large walk in run and never 'clean' poops from the run,
and there is rarely any nasty odors. The bedding of a good mix of dry plant materials use facilitates this nicely, it's basically no maintenance other than adding more material from time to time. I was able to start with a big load of tree trimmings from the power company that had been aged(6 months) so I avoided the toxic molds that can bloom with fresh chippings. I collect dry leaves in the fall (stored in feed bags in a shed) and add them occasionally, and other garden trimmings. I let my grass grow tall, mow and spread it out with discharge pattern, leave it to dry a few day, then push it into rows with the mower discharge, rake it up and add to run.
Started with this:

'Hay' Day-grass grown long, left to dry after cutting, before adding to run:

 

[Pater est Pullis]

I have a large walk in run and never 'clean' poops from the run,
and there is rarely any nasty odors. The bedding of a good mix of dry plant materials use facilitates this nicely, it's basically no maintenance other than adding more material from time to time. I was able to start with a big load of tree trimmings from the power company that had been aged(6 months) so I avoided the toxic molds that can bloom with fresh chippings. I collect dry leaves in the fall (stored in feed bags in a shed) and add them occasionally, and other garden trimmings. I let my grass grow tall, mow and spread it out with discharge pattern, leave it to dry a few day, then push it into rows with the mower discharge, rake it up and add to run.
Started with this:

'Hay' Day-grass grown long, left to dry after cutting, before adding to run:

Very cool! Your run is similar to mine, I'll have to try adding more plant material.

 

[kgb6days]

I do pretty much what aart does with my run. I add leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, as well as any leftovers from dinner that I give them that they might miss. I have put pine shavings in but I'm not too happy with that - it seems to take forever to break own. My run does have a roof on it so it stays dry - sometimes too dry. If I notice it getting dusty I'll spray a little water on it just to knock down the dust. The girls LOVE it when I add something to it - gives them new stuff to scratch and pick through

 

[Pater est Pullis]

I do pretty much what aart does with my run. I add leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, as well as any leftovers from dinner that I give them that they might miss. I have put pine shavings in but I'm not too happy with that - it seems to take forever to break own. My run does have a roof on it so it stays dry - sometimes too dry. If I notice it getting dusty I'll spray a little water on it just to knock down the dust. The girls LOVE it when I add something to it - gives them new stuff to scratch and pick through

I'm pretty much surrounded by pines, have a few hardwoods, my run is full of pine straw. I've been debating about raking it out, before letting my new brood loose. Sorry, I'm too A.D.D., to let my grass grow long enough, to cut/throw into my run. Question to you and aart, I want to add alfalfa to the run and my wife suggested adding timothy grass as well, what do you'all think? Rake out pine straw/or no? As far as additional plant matter, alfalfa and/or Timothy? Any advice is valued, thanks for sharing.

 

[aart]

I'm pretty much surrounded by pines, have a few hardwoods, my run is full of pine straw. I've been debating about raking it out, before letting my new brood loose. Sorry, I'm too A.D.D., to let my grass grow long enough, to cut/throw into my run. Question to you and aart, I want to add alfalfa to the run and my wife suggested adding timothy grass as well, what do you'all think? Rake out pine straw/or no? As far as additional plant matter, alfalfa and/or Timothy? Any advice is valued, thanks for sharing.

Leave the pine straw, it's a good ingredient for the litter.
Are you talking bales of dry alfalfa and timothy?
Some of both of those would be fine.
Thing to remember is to use a variety of ingredients.
Different sizes, shapes, and materials.
Too much of any one thing could create a slimy anaerobic mess of toxicity.