Alternative to wood shavings?

[Luna_Chick66]

I raised the waterer and feeder by putting a few flat rocks under them... later on I found that the chicks liked to sleep on the flat rocks because they would retain heat from the heat lamp.

 

[comp6512]

Quote:
My proposed coup will be 13'x7'. How much Stall Dry will I need? Is it used as in deep litter method? Sprinkle more and more every day? That stuff is quite pricey at TSC for a not such a large bag.

 

[trilyn]

Or.....you can try a different waterer that will eliminate the mess altogether for a very cheap price! Check out my byc page for more deets! Good luck and yeah....I had the same problem, hence this type of waterer.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Quote:
My proposed coup will be 13'x7'. How much Stall Dry will I need? Is it used as in deep litter method? Sprinkle more and more every day? That stuff is quite pricey at TSC for a not such a large bag.

Isnt stall dri that powder you put down before bedding? I never use that stuff, its designed to keep the floor dry, but with pellets nothing ever gets wet to begin with, the pellets wick up all the moisture and then dry so rapidly theres just never a wet spot- even when its 6+ inches thick at the end of our deep litter cycle and we clean it all out.

We have an 8x5 coop and our initial layer of pellets is about 4 40 pound bags. Makes about a 2-3 inch layer. That layer lasts for about a month, and then its ready for another bag. Maybe two if the chickens were inside a lot, or some fool dumped the water. After about 3-4 months we usually have added about 4 extra bags- give or take. And at that point we usually clean it all out.

 

[Cherokeerainbow]

Tried the shavings bit and raising it ect ect...blah, what a pain!
don't know what stall dry is...but, I use WOODY PET, even for my horses.

I like it as its not the least bit messy and it has a deodorant in it that flies HATE... which is awesome in the summer time. PLUS, you don't get the powerful ammonia smell either.
You can use it just as pellets or 1/2&1/2 or wet it (lots) till its all sawdust (not recomended, as it gets messy like shavings) It costs about $1. more than a bag of shavings and lasts 5x's longer (and smells better)
Try just 1 bag...
I've used this stuff for 10 years or more (saved big $$ at the Stables too)

Really helpfull for when the lil sneaks play 'tip the waterer' (chicken version of cow tipping) your bedding absorbs it right up and stays dry.
Woody pet is made in canada and is sold at most Agway places.

Hope that helps...

 

[Cherokeerainbow]

Makes about a 2-3 inch layer. That layer lasts for about a month, and then its ready for another bag. Maybe two if the chickens were inside a lot, or some fool dumped the water

LOL!!

 

[seramas]

I use the pelleted sawdust for bedding. The pellets are large so they can't eat them and they have a water content of less than 8% verses the 65 to 70% wood shavings have.

I put them about 4" deep and twice a day using a garden rake carefully 'stir' them about to mix chicken poop up so it just doesn't collect on the top and forms a stick dirty crust. It needs to be changed when it starts to require 'stirring' more often.

The used bedding is placed in my mantis composters and 'cooked' through the composting cycles and when finished it is used again mixing 50/50 with new pellets. This can be done over and over for one season after composting is used on the gardens in the late fall. If your chicks become sick (diseased) the composting process (temperatures) will kill most diseases chickens get making it safe for reuse.