Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[sarahsunshine]

Saw dust... wood chips... My favourite subject (sorry for the aside)


The best use for that is a humanure toilet!!! Basically the same thing as "deep litter" for chickens, but for human waste. Get a bucket, put 3" of sawdust in the bottom, put a toilet seat on top, and make sure that whenever you put in a deposit, you cover it up. Put it in a pile (1mx1mx1m large composter - ours is made of scrap lumber). Once you fill it up, leave it for at least 4-5 months (no turning), and it should be completely composted at temperatures high enough that you don't have to worry about disease. If you are concerned, leave it for another year. Then, put it on your veggie garden/fruit trees, etc... Oh, add your veggie scraps/any compost too, but please, keep your chickens and pigs OUT!!!

This works so well - no smell at all (well wood chips/saw dust).

And in terms of the composted manure, it's AMAZING!!!



An added plus is that when you know you will be using it on your own veggies and the nutrients will make full circle, yo start thinking a lot more about what you are eating as well.

 

[Angelicisi]

Hmmmmm, I'm thinking I don't wanna be that green :/

Why keep the pigs and chickens out?

My chickens tear into my many other forms of compost...

Saw dust... wood chips... My favourite subject (sorry for the aside)


The best use for that is a humanure toilet!!! Basically the same thing as "deep litter" for chickens, but for human waste. Get a bucket, put 3" of sawdust in the bottom, put a toilet seat on top, and make sure that whenever you put in a deposit, you cover it up. Put it in a pile (1mx1mx1m large composter - ours is made of scrap lumber). Once you fill it up, leave it for at least 4-5 months (no turning), and it should be completely composted at temperatures high enough that you don't have to worry about disease. If you are concerned, leave it for another year. Then, put it on your veggie garden/fruit trees, etc... Oh, add your veggie scraps/any compost too, but please, keep your chickens and pigs OUT!!!

This works so well - no smell at all (well wood chips/saw dust).

And in terms of the composted manure, it's AMAZING!!! 



An added plus is that when you know you will be using it on your own veggies and the nutrients will make full circle, yo start thinking a lot more about what you are eating as well.

 

[sarahsunshine]

Hmmmmm, I'm thinking I don't wanna be that green

Why keep the pigs and chickens out?

My chickens tear into my many other forms of compost...

You know what? I used to totally agree with you until last summer when I moved to our piece of land, and there is a mill just a mile down the road. Free saw dust, and a stinky bucket/outhouse... We started using the wood chips and Holey Cow!!! Amazing... Our neighbour has joined us in the endeavor as well (lives in a 2 room cabin with no plumbing). and just won't stop talking about it!

No, not in the city yet (though that would save on excess water use drastically, and maintaining pluming, and you could use the compost on your garden, saving money in many ways).

Anyway, to each their own!!!

Every person's waste is another's treasure!

!!!

 

[LindaB220]

You know what? I used to totally agree with you until last summer when I moved to our piece of land, and there is a mill jJuust a mile down the road. Free saw dust, and a stinky bucket/outhouse... We started using the wood chips and Holey Cow!!! Amazing... Our neighbour has joined us in the endeavor as well (lives in a 2 room cabin with no plumbing). and just won't stop talking about it!

No, not in the city yet (though that would save on excess water use drastically, and maintaining pluming, and you could use the compost on your garden, saving money in many ways).

Anyway, to each their own!!!

Every person's waste is another's treasure!

!!!

You know, I saw a youtube site that builds tiny outhouses in Africa. Dig about a 2' wide hole about 6 feet deep. Put a sit upon over it. After every use add sawdust or dirt. When it's almost full, move your outhouse to another spot and fill the rest with dirt. And plant an apple tree. Some kind of fruit. Hygenic and saves a lot of lives. Of course, we don't have to go the such extremes but it could work with someone in case SHTF.

Just laughing at myself. Knowing I'll never be in this position. Too old ha

 

[Triple Willow]

You know, I saw a youtube site that builds tiny outhouses in Africa.  Dig about a 2' wide hole about 6 feet deep.  Put a sit upon over it. After every use add sawdust or dirt.  When it's almost full, move your outhouse to another spot and fill the rest with dirt.   And plant an apple tree.  Some kind of fruit.  Hygenic and saves a lot of lives. Of course, we don't have to go the such extremes but  it could work with someone  in case SHTF.     Just laughing at myself.  Knowing I'll never be in this position.  Too old  ha

I tell ya, when we had that ice storm in 2009 and the water went out (along with the toilet) I would have paid dearly for a outhouse! LOL

 

[Angelicisi]

In a situation without plumbing, flooding here or camping now or in any event its needed, its great info to know anything that makes the deed more pleasant and reusable is good usually.

You know what? I used to totally agree with you until last summer when I moved to our piece of land, and there is a mill just a mile down the road. Free saw dust, and a stinky bucket/outhouse... We started using the wood chips and Holey Cow!!! Amazing... Our neighbour has joined us in the endeavor as well (lives in a 2 room cabin with no plumbing). and just won't stop talking about it!

No, not in the city yet (though that would save on excess water use drastically, and maintaining pluming, and you could use the compost on your garden, saving money in many ways).

Anyway, to each their own!!! 

Every person's waste is another's treasure!

!!!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Oh, the reason you don't wanna let pigs and chickens in there is that they will probably eat your poop out of it. This was a really common way of feeding pigs for a while actually for poor people because even when fed "properly" and all the "right" things are around them, pigs will still eat other animals waste as part of even their wild diet.

Pigs have a much more effective digestive system than almost any other animal, so animals with inefficient digestive systems leave waste that is like candy to them. I have heard that one really decent system of permaculture is to suspend your rabbit cages over the pig pens. The pigs will eat the fallen poop, feed and hay and grow on it. You can also grow tilapia this way.

It seems gross but my chickens are under 4 of my rabbit cages... When the hawk got two of em I opened their gizzard are there was rabbit poops in their gizzards. And they certainly aren't any worse for the wear. I am pretty sure most of us have dogs that think chicken poop (especially from meat birds) is like candy, too.

Also some people compare the feeding of animal waste to pigs and chickens to the feeding of chicken poop to cows in commercial industries (which is bad), but bear in mind that chickens and pigs and to a certain degree even dogs are omnivores at heart and can digest just about anything. Cows cant.

And that is my lecture on poop for the day. XD

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: No pun intended.... LOL

Quote: The sawdust out house listed above works for a camp toilet too. 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat built around it.. Next to the potty sits a nother five gallon bucket full of sawdust... For clean up you can buy bags specifically for sawdust toilets.... Its clean and doesnt smell and If you are descreet it can go right in the garbage.... If you are inclined not to put it in the compost pile.... works there too but has to be composted longer... No I have never done one but I want to do one for my Master bathroom.... eventually.

Yep Angelcisi....

In a situation without plumbing, flooding here or camping now or in any event its needed, its great info to know

anything that makes the deed more pleasant and reusable is good usually.
Quote:

Oh, the reason you don't wanna let pigs and chickens in there is that they will probably eat your poop out of it. This was a really common way of feeding pigs for a while actually for poor people because even when fed "properly" and all the "right" things are around them, pigs will still eat other animals waste as part of even their wild diet.

Pigs have a much more effective digestive system than almost any other animal, so animals with inefficient digestive systems leave waste that is like candy to them. I have heard that one really decent system of permaculture is to suspend your rabbit cages over the pig pens. The pigs will eat the fallen poop, feed and hay and grow on it. You can also grow tilapia this way.

It seems gross but my chickens are under 4 of my rabbit cages... When the hawk got two of em I opened their gizzard are there was rabbit poops in their gizzards. And they certainly aren't any worse for the wear. I am pretty sure most of us have dogs that think chicken poop (especially from meat birds) is like candy, too.

Also some people compare the feeding of animal waste to pigs and chickens to the feeding of chicken poop to cows in commercial industries (which is bad), but bear in mind that chickens and pigs and to a certain degree even dogs are omnivores at heart and can digest just about anything. Cows cant.

And that is my lecture on poop for the day. XD

Mom said when they used the outhouse there was no "pit" when you looked in to the toilet most times you would see a beady eyed hen looking up at you...

Only problem with it now is if you are going organic you probably shouldnt be on any medication for that kind of operation...

Hem...

deb

 

[RoseMarie1]

Oh my goodness. I just went through this. Not the feather picking but the wounds. I should have taken pictures to share. If you're not squeamish, you can sew her up with a needle and thread. The thread will heal into her skin but she'd be fine. If she has a saddle to protect the wounds, you wouldn't need to separate her. Just get the wound nice and clean, inside and out. Soak your needle and thread in some iodine and when you make your stitches, tie each one off individually. I thought about doing a running stitch type thing but figured if something happened, the whole thing would come undone so better safe than sorry, even though its a pain, to make each stitch separate.

If you have or can get some scotch guard to spray their washed and dried saddles with, it will go a long way toward making them waterproof and you wouldn't have to change them like you were mentioning. If you took them all off one night to wash and dry, you'd only need to separate the rooster for the night so he couldn't get at them in the morning. Then put all the treated saddles back on them in the morning. I don't know what to tell you about your bare rooster, probably make one for him too?

I know I'm not Bee, just trying to help.

Oh no Lacy,I was just asking anyone that could help me. It's not a deep wound he only cut the fat layer and it's not read or anything so I am going ot leave it and see how it looks later. I also thought about mixing up me some melted coconut oil and some tea tree oil together and applying it to her. Good idea on the scotch gard!! THANX!!!!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Oh no Lacy,I was just asking anyone that could help me. It's not a deep wound he only cut the fat layer and it's not read or anything so I am going ot leave it and see how it looks later. I also thought about mixing up me some melted coconut oil and some tea tree oil together and applying it to her. Good idea on the scotch gard!! THANX!!!!

I think that's how my hen was too. Through the skin and fat. I could see the muscle underneath. If you just want to leave it be, I'd use some Q-tips and plenty of iodine to clean inside the wound. The second wound on my girl was apparently older and had almost sealed shut but I pulled all the scabs off anyway and its a good thing I did because she had at least 3 feathers under her skin, completely detached from the skin and coated in slime; the body's defenses (mucus carries the white blood cells) to attack the invader. After I got all that cleaned out she healed up really fast.