adding charcoal to coop and run deep litter questions

[CanadaEh]

I have made a couple of 40-gal batches of charcoal lately and added it to a small section of chicken run deep litter for the purpose of chicken enjoyment and making/incorporating biochar in a future compost.

Crashed to powder by foot traffic, even after thorough water hosing, the charcoal become dusty again after baked back to dry by the sun. I could cover it with a thin layer of compost but i assume the chickens would scratch through it and let it dry out again pretty quickly.

Does any one else add large quantities of charcoal to deep litter run, and especially deep litter coop and how do you prepare/incorporate it in terms of making it less dusty?
Any issues with charcoal dust in the coop? Any issues with some wood ash in the charcoal batch leaching down and killing worms in the deep litter run?

 

[casportpony]

@aaart, any advice?

 

[Marie2020]

Can't say for the deep run but I use benonite clay under the wood shavings and hay then rub the clay into my chickens to deter flies and mites.

 

[aart]

@aaart, any advice?

@casportpony didn't get this 'tag'.

I don't know much about biochar, but don't think it, or bentonite clay, does much for chickens..

 

[CanadaEh]

I don't know much about biochar, but don't think it, or bentonite clay, does much for chickens..

Charcoal has been shown to improve chicken digestion and food conversion, reduce smell of the droppings and the litter (think activated carbon filter).

I have tried since then quenching hot coals with water (as opposed to sealing the air out till they cool). Getting much heavier water-soaked charcoal this way and no dust issue in either coop or run.

 

[Dancingwnature]

Charcoal has been shown to improve chicken digestion and food conversion, reduce smell of the droppings and the litter (think activated carbon filter).

I have tried since then quenching hot coals with water (as opposed to sealing the air out till they cool). Getting much heavier water-soaked charcoal this way and no dust issue in either coop or run.

Really? That's great, I have diatomaceous earth, bentonite & activated charcoal. Do you know more about the uses for these are and when NOT to use them?

 

[Dancingwnature]

Can't say for the deep run but I use benonite clay under the wood shavings and hay then rub the clay into my chickens to deter flies and mites.

I'm completely clearing out the coop today, and removing the perch etc, to clean it. I may have a case of mites, or lice. What would you suggest I use to clean it and mix in with the wood shavings?

 

[aart]

I may have a case of mites, or lice.

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

What would you suggest I use to clean it and mix in with the wood shavings?

If you find bugs, get some permethrin spray and/or dust to treat the birds and maybe coop(roost mites)

 

[Dancingwnature]

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008


If you find bugs, get some permethrin spray and/or dust to treat the birds and maybe coop(roost mites)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

This is what my hen's breast area looks like, for a reference.

 

[aart]

This is what my hen's breast area looks like, for a reference.

Belly looks swollen down near her legs.
Red skin could be urine burn, does she roost off ground?
I don't blame bugs unless I see live bugs crawling on bird.