Deep litter method

[Beekissed]

Pictures for Beekissed.....Poopamites! The first two pictures are before cleanup, the last is after. The base of that poop stalagmite is as wide as the tower is tall, it breaks away from the base shavings with a little effort, and then I carry the chunk out of the coop and chuck it into the compost bin. Then I spread some new shavings and it looks less like a cave!


Before....


After...


All ready for their new year's eve party!
Happy new year, everyone!

Those are so cool!!!!

Thank you for the pic! Now I can say I've seen a poopamite.....

 

[frostbite]

Are those frozen. Does it smell? That is a crazy amount of poo.

Yes, deep frozen. We had temps down to 20-30 below zero last few weeks, and the coop's been frozen pretty much since late October. They don't smell at all, until they melt in the spring. (it never melts in the winter here) I haul the stalagmites out periodically because it's easy, relatively clean, since it's like hauling rocks, and then when they melt, they melt in the compost bin and they don't add to the shovel loads when I strip the coop in the spring. And yes, those birds do poop a bit! That was one stalagmite from the one chicken that roosts on the short roost. The three birds that sit on the tall perch created what looks like a cresting tsunami wave under their perch. It took an ice wedge to dislodge it from the dry shavings below.

Still doesn't smell bad....Cold is our friend!

 

[Beekissed]

I'd hate to have to manage the outhouses in your area. Could get problematic with that kind of build up.....

 

[armorfirelady]

Totally off topic but I watched a show on tv where the family lived in Alaska. They had to move their outhouse in the middle of winter because it was full. They were chipping off poopamites so they could move the outhouse.

I love the great outdoors and would like to eventually move somewhere away from others but I have decided a flush able toilet is a must. Not because i couldn't handle an outhouse but def not when it's -45 below!!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Totally off topic but I watched a show on tv where the family lived in Alaska. They had to move their outhouse in the middle of winter because it was full. They were chipping off poopamites so they could move the outhouse.

I love the great outdoors and would like to eventually move somewhere away from others but I have decided a flush able toilet is a must. Not because i couldn't handle an outhouse but def not when it's -45 below!!!!

You think that now...but when the power grid goes down and you can't flush your toilet....for weeks....that outside toilet begins to look pretty darn nice! We have both, as we have learned that we don't ever want to be without that backup. The power goes off around here if someone sneezes in the next county on a bright, sunny calm day...let alone in the winter time when trees are always falling across the power lines.

That family used poor planning....

 

[RoseMarie1]

I'd hate to have to manage the outhouses in your area. Could get problematic with that kind of build up.....

you are such a hoot!

you ALWAYS bring a smile to my face or a huge laugh.
Am sick AGAIN! Daughter got sick and now I have it and hubby got it yesterday. This crud is going around here and I mean everyone that gets around it seems to get it. Upper Respiratory infection and bronchitis. He went to the Dr. yesterday but is going back in the a.m to see if they will give him a steriod shot so he can get over it faster since it's taking us, me one week and still going strong and daughter going on 2 weeks now but slowly getting better. It's hit my chest now and am coughing so much my whole body is hurting. I got me some whiskey and am using that with some honey, lemon and peppermint and THAT is the ONLY thing that seems to calm this cough.

I am so tired of being sick. I was sick with something like this last month to so I think now I should get well and not have NOTHING else for a whole year! LOL I think I have had my share and 2-3 other peoples.

got me a bag of oranges awhile ago to start eating. Not that I;m not taking C's like thy're going out of style.

doing EVERY THING in my power to get better and also praying for healing to. Anyway hubby /someone needs to be well here to tend to things since I have little air and it wears me out to do much. I WOULD take a steroid shot to but I can't because of my thyroids.

Anyway all that to say, you always lift my spirits up sis!!! I love you! God richly blessed me yesterday to with some precepts women conference tapes for under 2 bucks. 1/2 price day. lol (had to run hubby to the Dr. and went to the thrift store close by while I waited) it's a really large thing of cassettes. I have had trouble with my eyes for the past few days and couldn't do my bible study so this has been a blessing so far. Enjoying it so far. Only listened to one cassette, front n back but awesome stuff. Kay Arthur was the first one. Just gets me how He ALWAYS encourages me when I am my lowest. ALWAYS!

 

[Beekissed]

You poor thing!!!! Not again!!!

Oh, I wish I could help you in some way, Rosemarie! I know what that feels like...I used to get bronchitis that would work into pneumonia all the time, even wound up in the hospital with it and then even got pleurisy once. But that was many years ago...back in the 90s.

Then we stopped eating all dairy products and meats from the store because my youngest was always sick with allergies and colds and we had read about stopping the dairy...and it worked. It worked for us all. I had been a chronic lunger for so many years until then. I don't know that I've had a bad cold since then. Neither have the kids until they got out on their own, eating their own foods.... and the oldest started having the chronic colds like I used to have...I told him what to do but do you think he listens? Nope.

But I remember those lung wrenching coughing bouts that felt like the insides of your body will come out your eyeballs....horrible! I'll be praying for you and your family tonight.

 

[RoseMarie1]

You poor thing!!!! Not again!!!

Oh, I wish I could help you in some way, Rosemarie! I know what that feels like...I used to get bronchitis that would work into pneumonia all the time, even wound up in the hospital with it and then even got pleurisy once. But that was many years ago...back in the 90s.

Then we stopped eating all dairy products and meats from the store because my youngest was always sick with allergies and colds and we had read about stopping the dairy...and it worked. It worked for us all. I had been a chronic lunger for so many years until then. I don't know that I've had a bad cold since then. Neither have the kids until they got out on their own, eating their own foods.... and the oldest started having the chronic colds like I used to have...I told him what to do but do you think he listens? Nope.

But I remember those lung wrenching coughing bouts that felt like the insides of your body will come out your eyeballs....horrible! I'll be praying for you and your family tonight.

thank you Bee I sure would appreciate it. Yeah I have been avoiding cheeses and milk etc. like the plaque until yesterday and today because it just didn't seem to be doing anything to avoid it and I needed something simple to eat to take these meds with. Drained so not feeling much like standing over the stove. Daughter made us some potato soup and I ate that for several meals and froze the other so it wouldn't ruin. She knows how I like to have potato and thickening as I call it. She just made soup but it sure was good and felt good to the throat. Hubby loves cooking eggs, eggs and more eggs. lol told him I couldn't eat another one.

LOL

yep have had the pleurisy once to and that was not fun at all. I really believe what you're saying to about all this mess we eat. I KNOW since we got off the wheat and a lot of the grains we both feel so much better. So yeah you probably have something there about the dairy to but have cut out sooooo much stuff already don't know WHAT we'd eat! lol I do know I can't drink milk because it really starts the mess draining in my throat like crazy. Just can't have it.

 

[niqueie]

Get better really quick Rose Marie. Hope your chickens and your family have a health new year. You have definitely had your fair share.

We started the new year off, with finding lice in my 7 and 11 year olds hair. Meanwhile my 4 year old was throwing up.
Hoping and praying for a healthy and safe new year for all.

Very interesting about the dairy. Have you tried goat milk? Just dairy, or store bought meat too were the problem?

 

[niqueie]

Yes, deep frozen.  We had temps down to 20-30 below zero last few weeks, and the coop's been frozen pretty much since late October.  They don't smell at all, until they melt in the spring.  (it never melts in the winter here)  I haul the stalagmites out periodically because it's easy, relatively clean, since it's like hauling rocks, and then when they melt, they melt in the compost bin and they don't add to the shovel loads when I strip the coop in the spring.  And yes, those birds do poop a bit!  That was one stalagmite from the one chicken that roosts on the short roost.  The three birds that sit on the tall perch created what looks like a cresting tsunami wave under their perch.  It took an ice wedge to dislodge it from the dry shavings below. 

Still doesn't smell bad....Cold is our friend!

Awesome. Your chickens are lucky to have you as their chicken keeper. I'm amazed at their ability to stay healthy through those temps.