Anyone else use straw as bedding?

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

then re-use as fertilizer for my gardens

We use our pine shavings for fertilizer as well. Works great and we got some super nice dark soil to mix into our garden after composting

 

[Turkeytruff]

what's DE please? thanks...

 

[Turkeytruff]

what's DE please? thanks...

 

[r709shackleford]

I am new to chicken keeping....so

What is DE? I saw many references to it?
For those people referring to the deep method? How deep is deep? No one even mentions a depth?
As far as poop boards are concerned; how often do you clean them? Would you recommend them?
Lastly, everyone talks about using pine chips. What about chips from other shreded trees such as Birch, Willow, Pine, Cottonwood etc? And do these have to be fully dried before use? I know for landscaping/gardening purposes it is not recommended using wet/unseasoned wood chips because it robs the ground from oxygen as the chips break down.

Currently I use straw. About 4-6 inches of it. But I have a big coop with about 10 normal sized chickens and about 15-20 bantams. The hay gets packed very quickly. I am trying to figure out a new method. Too much dust, smell and poop to clean now. I'm in Alaska if that helps anything. Everything is expensive here. Straw is $13 a bale and no idea how much wood chips are. I would love to buy it for $5 a bale as mentioned in an earlier post. lol

Just curious

Tnx!

 

[DIMBY]

DE = diatomaceous earth, you can purchase it at most ag stores, I get a 50 pound bag for $25, it goes a long way. It helps to keep off flies, mites and I've read here even helps with their digestion. When I clean out the hen house, I sprinkle some on their bedding every other cleaning or so, perhaps 2x a month, and I also toss some into their run and their favorite "bathing places" in the yard. I have 13 large-breed chickens.

Straw, I use it in the winter, I like the insulating properties, then I switch to wood shavings in the warmer months. I have seen different qualities, so shop around, make sure your supplier is selling you dry, small wood chips (not great big pieces). Ask them to open a bag if you have any issues before you buy. I had poop boards in my "old" hen house but I have a new set up and haven't put them in, don't see a need. I clean the hen house out at least weekly, more if they're spending a lot of time in it like during colder days. Of course, we don't get nearly as cold here in Colorado as you do in Alaska....

 

[r709shackleford]

DE = diatomaceous earth, you can purchase it at most ag stores, I get a 50 pound bag for $25, it goes a long way. It helps to keep off flies, mites and I've read here even helps with their digestion. When I clean out the hen house, I sprinkle some on their bedding every other cleaning or so, perhaps 2x a month, and I also toss some into their run and their favorite "bathing places" in the yard. I have 13 large-breed chickens.

Straw, I use it in the winter, I like the insulating properties, then I switch to wood shavings in the warmer months. I have seen different qualities, so shop around, make sure your supplier is selling you dry, small wood chips (not great big pieces). Ask them to open a bag if you have any issues before you buy. I had poop boards in my "old" hen house but I have a new set up and haven't put them in, don't see a need. I clean the hen house out at least weekly, more if they're spending a lot of time in it like during colder days. Of course, we don't get nearly as cold here in Colorado as you do in Alaska....

Good info. Tnx!