Deep litter method

[RoseMarie1]

Thanks so much for your input. I really appreciate it. I'm feeling very green around here and trying to take in all that I can. I am aiming for raising the chickens the most natural way possible. I really admire all the info and understanding that so many of you have. I am so glad you are willing to share it with the rest of us newbies.

hey here's another newbie as you can see on my siggy. This place is AWESOME for learning!!!

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

Hey guys and gals... Further to the posts about using sulfur and/or pyrethrin dust for roosts, coops, etc in order to keep mites and such at bay, has anyone ever heard of PERMETHRIN ? If so, can you tell me if it's ok to use in the same manner as sulfur and pyrethrin ? Thanks !

 

[Beekissed]

Hey guys and gals... Further to the posts about using sulfur and/or pyrethrin dust for roosts, coops, etc in order to keep mites and such at bay, has anyone ever heard of PERMETHRIN ? If so, can you tell me if it's ok to use in the same manner as sulfur and pyrethrin ? Thanks !

It's the synthetic version of pyrethrin and has a lot more cautions attached to it in regard to pets, the soils, and the environment. It won't kill you or the bird to use it...I've gotten it by mistake once and used it a few times on the dog, roosts and even on a few chickens. But, I prefer to stick with pyrethrin if I have to use such a thing. Probably doesn't matter much between the two but I like the information on the pyrethrin better.

Info on pyrethrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrethrin

And info on Permethrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

It's the synthetic version of pyrethrin and has a lot more cautions attached to it in regard to pets, the soils, and the environment.  It won't kill you or the bird to use it...I've gotten it by mistake once and used it a few times on the dog, roosts and even on a few chickens.  But, I prefer to stick with pyrethrin if I have to use such a thing.  Probably doesn't matter much between the two but I like the information on the pyrethrin better. 

Info on pyrethrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrethrin

And info on Permethrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin

Thanks, Bee... I too prefer and feel more comfortable using pyrethrin if needed. It just sounds like a safer product . Thanks for the input

 

[Arielle]

Does it have to be pine shavings? I figure if you live near a sawmill that handles many types of wood you could get the shavings from them for cheaper or free if it is ok to use multable types of shavings. I also think if you have hardwoods mixed with pine shavings it would make a better quality compost. From what I seen soil tends to be of poor quality and highly acidic around pines, while the opposite holds true for hardwoods. By mixing the two plus adding ash ect it seems like the compost would be even better for gardening. Perhaps if you have multable coops do half with just pine and ash and the other half mixed pine, hardwoods, and ash. dump them in seperate piles the pine pile being for acid loving plants and the hardwoods on being for "sweet" soil loving plants.


Granted I am very new to chicken raising, but this is my thought process from what I know. If it is wrong or harmful please let me know.

THere are woods that are toxic to animals-- my local supplier keeps the noxious woods out of the planer, or perhaps they do not use that wood.

I use some hard wood shavings and some pine, all mixed to gether from the cabinetmaking shop.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Thought I would join in on this discussion too.

I've been watching my neighbor for the last two years... he has two horses and he keeps their manure cleaned up really well. He takes it out in his wheelbarrow and piles it up in different places for a week or so and then takes his truck and a section of chain link fence and runs over all of them breaking them down and incorporating them ever so slightly into our barren desert earth.

I finally decided that I needed his manure more than he does. So I went this morning and asked him if I could have it. He said OF COURSE! I took a container that will hold whatever he gets in his wheelbarrow for him to dump into. I just have to go get it every day. I brought back two wheelbarrow fulls this morning from piles he hasn't scattered yet. There are several piles left so I need to be energetic and go collect them before he decides to do them in.

Now, if I can find a source for leaves, etc., I'll be in business (so to speak) keeping it in their yards will be a challenge when the wind blows here. The wheelbarrow won't fit through the door into the coop so I'll probably be adding some by the forkful to the coop once I get some other materials. I'm trying to get my birds outside in the sun and busy. They get used to hiding in their coops because the sun here is so very hot and it makes our black dirt very hot on their feet. I need to get some bushes to make shade for them in their runs. I have some old railroad ties I plan to pile up in their yard for them to lay in the shade of and also to climb on. Environment Enhancement is what may son calls it.

 

[write2caroline]

I use deep litter in two of my coops the other two were designed for straw or hay. I like the deep litter. When I am placing waterers or feeders, I put them up on cement bricks. It keeps them up off the floor and out of the litter.

Caroline

 

[Arielle]

Thought I would join in on this discussion too.

I've been watching my neighbor for the last two years... he has two horses and he keeps their manure cleaned up really well. He takes it out in his wheelbarrow and piles it up in different places for a week or so and then takes his truck and a section of chain link fence and runs over all of them breaking them down and incorporating them ever so slightly into our barren desert earth.

I finally decided that I needed his manure more than he does. So I went this morning and asked him if I could have it. He said OF COURSE! I took a container that will hold whatever he gets in his wheelbarrow for him to dump into. I just have to go get it every day. I brought back two wheelbarrow fulls this morning from piles he hasn't scattered yet. There are several piles left so I need to be energetic and go collect them before he decides to do them in.

Now, if I can find a source for leaves, etc., I'll be in business (so to speak) keeping it in their yards will be a challenge when the wind blows here. The wheelbarrow won't fit through the door into the coop so I'll probably be adding some by the forkful to the coop once I get some other materials. I'm trying to get my birds outside in the sun and busy. They get used to hiding in their coops because the sun here is so very hot and it makes our black dirt very hot on their feet. I need to get some bushes to make shade for them in their runs. I have some old railroad ties I plan to pile up in their yard for them to lay in the shade of and also to climb on. Environment Enhancement is what may son calls it.

I never thought of adding the horse manue to the litter-- maybe it works because your environment is much drier than my area . . . ?? The hens do like to spread the piles around out in the horse paddocks!! lol

I use tarps to create shade--maybe a short tem solution until the bushes are planted.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: There's no benefit to putting it in the coop.
It will only "compost" if it's kept moist, and that would be TOO WET for a coop.

Do your composting OUTSIDE, and save yourself a lot of work moving it around

 

[AlienChick]

Quote:

There's no benefit to putting it in the coop.
It will only "compost" if it's kept moist, and that would be TOO WET for a coop.

Do your composting OUTSIDE, and save yourself a lot of work moving it around

x2