Do you add anything else to your coop's litter?

[mapurcel]

Hi all,

I'm getting my coop ready for my chicks and had a question about the coop floor bedding. Do any of you use an add in for oder, moister, mold, or anything else BEFORE adding your top layer of bedding? (ex: Diatomaceous Earth or Barn Lime under hay)

I was thinking of dusting the floor with baking soda for good measure on mold control since it rains a lot here in the summer. I also have some stuff called "Sweet Coop" Sweet Coop that "naturally controls moisture and harmful ammonia gas odor." It helped in the brooder with the chicks but I wanted to hear what other people add to their coop floors.

Thanks!
A

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi. Is your coop open to the elements? Is the coop floor dirt or some other material?

 

[3KillerBs]

In my little monitor coop I used shavings in the coop.

When I cleaned it out I sometimes dusted the floor with a few handfuls of garden lime and ashes from our fireplace to help balance the pH of the eventual compost and seeded it with the good composting bacteria by mixing in a fork or two of old leaves.

This composting, however, happened AFTER the next clean-out because the coop was always bone-dry inside.

I solved odor issue in the coop with a combination of superior ventilation and adding more bedding. Noticeable odor was my cue to clean it out and change the bedding every 6-12 weeks depending on the weather and number of inhabitants.

Current coop iteration after repair and redesign to add the little window beside the nest boxes:

 

[rosemarythyme]

I add nothing, my litter is just wood chips. The inside of the coop stays bone dry even with all our rain, so really no need to add anything.

Can't do much about humidity in the air, but if there's additional moisture that builds up in the coop, best to try and address the actual issue, rather than adding stuff into the bedding.

 

[mapurcel]

Thank you both!

 

[aart]

I also have some stuff called "Sweet Coop" Sweet Coop that "naturally controls moisture and harmful ammonia gas odor."

Ha! First I've seen this...which is nothing but the mineral zeolite marketed by that woman for way more than it costs to buy the 'original' Sweet PDZ in the horse aisle (25# for ~$10-12.00). Buyer BeAware!
Of course "....a wet coop stinks"...but this stuff isn't going to keep your coop dry if there are other moisture issues.
Geez, what a racket! Sorry, this trips my 'manipulative marketing' pet peeve big time.


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture.

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).
There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

 

[3mile]

I put some Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled around the coup and run. Prob does nothing to help or hurt but I do it. Oh well

 

[Mamatomany123]

I put some Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled around the coup and run. Prob does nothing to help or hurt but I do it. Oh well

It actually can hurt. It's not good for the chickens.

 

[mapurcel]

I put some Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled around the coup and run. Prob does nothing to help or hurt but I do it. Oh well

I heard Diatomaceous earth has good benefits for keeping mites away!

 

[mapurcel]

Ha! First I've seen this...which is nothing but the mineral zeolite marketed by that woman for way more than it costs to buy the 'original' Sweet PDZ in the horse aisle (25# for ~$10-12.00). Buyer BeAware!
Of course "....a wet coop stinks"...but this stuff isn't going to keep your coop dry if there are other moisture issues.
Geez, what a racket! Sorry, this trips my 'manipulative marketing' pet peeve big time.


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture.

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).
There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

This is GREAT advice. Thank you!