For the MINIMALISTS - those who think less is more in chicken keeping - Please help

[GetFitWithKrista]

Well, yeah!

I also found out that it takes over a minute to fill a gallon milk jug with water at the kitchen sink! At the hose spigot, it's about 10 seconds!

It's also faster to dump stuff out than to fill stuff up.

In the morning, I do all the stuff in the run -- fill the water bowl and feeders -- before I open up the coop. That way I'm not moving around the chickens, or worrying about stepping on feet.

I sing the Good Morning Chickens song while I get everything ready.

Awesome. Sounds great and easy enough

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

https://www.ruralking.com/catalog/product/view/id/37055

Found it. It says I can purchase it online but then it takes me to a site where I can only purchase it at the store and we don't have any near us. Darn.

While we're on the top of bedding, any change you guys could send me links to the exact bedding that you use?

Soooo tempted to somehow create a link that takes you to a photo of a pile of leaves in my yard

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Anything reasonably priced and locally available is fine.

I have two dumptruck loads of woodchips from when the tree service did some work on our property.

I buy bags of large-flake shavings at the local feed store.

I buy bales of straw at the local feed store.

I use the lawnsweeper to rake up pine straw, fall leaves, and grass clippings from my yard. Or hand rake in the tight areas.

Now and then I rake up debris from the woods.

If ground corncob, rice hulls, or other such items *were* locally available and inexpensive I'd use them. But they aren't so I don't.

Any dry organic material is going to work -- but some need a little more management than others.

IMO, a mix of materials is better than -- and requires less management than -- one material used alone.

Noted. Which materials would be more management?

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Soooo tempted to somehow create a link that takes you to a photo of a pile of leaves in my yard

so funny. Send a pic of your setup of you're able

 

[RoyalChick]

Soooo tempted to somehow create a link that takes you to a photo of a pile of leaves in my yard

Yes me too - though as it is spring the heap is much reduced as I have given most of it to the chickens already.
Spurred by this discussion I did drag my cart up to near the road where the white pines grow and filled it up with pine straw. I will let it dry out for a couple of days in the garage (it never really gets wet but I probably also forked up some rotted down stuff underneath the straw) and then I will tip it into the hen house and let the ladies spread it around for me.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Yes me too - though as it is spring the heap is much reduced as I have given most of it to the chickens already.
Spurred by this discussion I did drag my cart up to near the road where the white pines grow and filled it up with pine straw. I will let it dry out for a couple of days in the garage (it never really gets wet but I probably also forked up some rotted down stuff underneath the straw) and then I will tip it into the hen house and let the ladies spread it around for me.

So you just chuck it in their area and they do the rest of the work? I like it

 

[3KillerBs]

I have two different routines, my before-work routine and my day off routine (I work 3 days a week).

Before work:

• Put on muck boots.
• Go down to the big coop, take the carabiners off the door into the run and flip the latches over but don't open it.
• Go to the other door, open up and go into the coop, open the run door from the inside and prop it.
• Wade back through the rush of chickens going out to check feed and water, which *should* be fine.
• Give the place a quick eye and leave, fastening the door behind me.
• If I have chicks in the brooder, tend them, making wet mash, replenishing the feed, and giving them clean water.
• If I have birds in Camp Cockerel, cast an eye on them, checking feed and water, which *should* be fine.

Day Off:

• Put on muck boots.
• Turn hose on at the house.
• Repeat opening operation for the big coop.
• Fill both nipple waterers and the open bucket in the run (I need to make a couple more nipple waterers).
• Fill all feeders, which are large enough to last at least 2 days.
• Have a look at the nests, picking up any early eggs and tidying up any messes.
• Check oystershell container and fill if necessary.
• Tend chicks as above if I have chicks.
• Fill feeder and waterer in Camp Cockerel if it's inhabited.

At dusk, any day:

• Make sure all birds are back in the coop.
• Collect eggs.
• Close and secure both doors.
• Check a couple birds off the roost for potential problems -- getting around to all the birds once a month or so.

From time to time as needed:

• Throw litter back uphill because it works downhill.
• Add additional litter.
• Shovel out some of the litter to finish composting before using on the garden.
• Move the poultry netting fence to allow access to fresh green stuff.
• Spend time sitting in the door of the brooder to help chicks overcome their fear of people.

I can do the before work list in 5 minutes if I don't have chicks or birds in Camp Cockerel. 10 minutes for the minimum check on all three.

The day off list takes less than half an hour even for all 3 sections and even allowing for socializing with the birds.

 

[3KillerBs]

Noted. Which materials would be more management?

Long straw may pack and/or mat depending on circumstances, especially if it gets wet.

Likewise for fall leaves.

Throwing some scratch into the bedding encourages the chickens to dig it up, but sometimes it's necessary to toss it around with a pitchfork. That takes about 10-15 minutes depending on how big an area it is and if I'm just stirring it a little or really throwing it around.

Yes me too - though as it is spring the heap is much reduced as I have given most of it to the chickens already.
Spurred by this discussion I did drag my cart up to near the road where the white pines grow and filled it up with pine straw. I will let it dry out for a couple of days in the garage (it never really gets wet but I probably also forked up some rotted down stuff underneath the straw) and then I will tip it into the hen house and let the ladies spread it around for me.

If you're putting it into the run it doesn't need to be dry.

I personally wouldn't put it into my garage because it's probably full of yummy, protein-rich, mobile chicken snacks.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

so funny. Send a pic of your setup of you're able

This is old but gives an idea of our VERY SIMPLE coop. Top left is the front view, bottom left zooms in on the nest box (was also our first teeny brooder haha), and right side is our door latch - I was proud of figuring that out since it was my first time installing any kind of door .

Roof, 2 solid walls, two with hardware cloth. Wire aprons around the outer edges to prevent digging predators. Dog house was our first nest box for our 3 hens. Roost and roof not pictured since I added it after the photo shoot, but it’s a couple tree branches I attached with screws and brackets and plastic sheeting for the roof - it’s shaded, so just something to keep the rain off. And I hadn’t added many leaves yet for litter in this photo. This was the chickens’ first time checking it out.

I will be upgrading a bit this year - removing the dog house and wall-mounting a couple plastic nest boxes is the plan. More floor space that way and an extra nest they can ignore .

They “yard range” in our fenced back yard all day, so this 7x7 area has been plenty, even minus the 2x3 dog house. We typically have a large non-tipping water bowl in there but the food outside the coop.

So now you know your setup is AMAZING compared to my “make it work” one . And again, I tarp at least one wall if weather gets super wet and cold, but that is rare here.

And yes. I did use trees as posts. Which means I have to check for and patch gaps regularly…but I couldn’t dig the post holes myself. So another “make it work” moment.

 

[RoyalChick]

So you just chuck it in their area and they do the rest of the work? I like it

I chuck it in their area. Pull up a chair and watch chicken TV while they spread it around.
Slightly damp leaves off the leaf pile in the run are best for this kind of entertainment because there are crawlies in it and they go at it with a vengeance lots of happy clicks

Here is an old video of mine tackling the leaves. It takes them a few hours to spread a compacted lawn bag sized heap.