vermiculite litter

[Mrwinchester]

vermiculite litter
Hi everyone. I was just thinking about my less than fun experience with sand in my brooder and i got thinking about vermiculite. Why have i not herd it mentioned for bedding before has anyone ever used it it would solve allot of composting issues too . This is a link i came across check it out and let me know what you think. M.W.

http://www.fireprotection-klein.com/animalcare/interspersing-medium.php


I posted this in another thread but looking for some input. Seems to me this might be a really good alternative to other litter especially in the brooder.Thanks M.W.

 

[Den in Penn]

First thought is that is it breaks up easily and goes to dust, much more then other litters would. But I have never used it as a litter.

 

[6 littleHens]

Mrwinchester,

I found youtube video called, Natural Chicken Farming Chicken Feed Workshop. A woman talks about feeding chicks raw brown rice to strengthen their digestion for 3 days after hatch. She claims that this lengthens their egg laying time by a year also. She also talks about adult chicken feed and litter for your coop and brooder. Very interesting idea. She adds IMO 4 to the soil in coop and brooder. Supposedly, this culture helps ingest the pooh! I'm studying on it now. I have already added this under my roosts. However, I'm not real sure on my culture being correct. But, it cut flies down by 3/4's and no odor in my coop yet. My research thus far has claimed that no flies, no odor, and never change litter. I cut windows in my 50 lb bags of feed and put thin layer of sand in bottom, then thick layer of soil with acv culture mixed in water on the soil, then a top layer of dried pine needles.
I plan on putting these bags all over my lanolium floored coop. Then, I can switch individual bags out as needed. Only problem I can think of is me tripping over the edges of the bags if I dont have them down far enough. Anyways, just an experiment and may not work. In that case, I'll just keep thinking of convenient ways to keep coop clean and healthy.

 

[Kernel Cluck]

hmmm. I'm not sure about vermiculite.I have heard varying things, and not all are good from a health stand point.

 

[6 littleHens]

I know the pine needles on top will catch solid poohs and only thin fluids will fall through. I will have to change the pine needle bedding on top layer of the bags but I'm hopeful that the cultured soil will at least ingest the thin fluid that goes through and be more sanitary.

 

[Sinfonian]

It is in my garden soil in small amounts. From the sound of it I should be fine if they eat some of it. Whew.