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

[centrarchid]

Oh boy. Does everyone move the feed inside at night? Do you have a suggestion?

Farming rodents for me is a cost of doing business that is aggravating and often difficult to avoid once we start confining the chickens. With my chickens on a maintenance diet only, the feed is put out so consumed in its entirety before dark. Being very lazy, I do not consistently put up feed after dark. What has worked is to make so feeder is on elevated platform in a large bowl that the chickens my fly up to and rodents cannot reach by climbing or jumping. That makes your feeding system more complicated and some chickens have to be more motivated by hunger than is ideal for egg production. being smart takes energy.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

I am in NJ and I have seen pine straw (which is pine needles from a particular variety of pine that has super soft needles) in ACE, Lowe's, and Home Depot but I don't know if it is always there - I haven't looked as I am lucky enough to have a few of those pines growing near my house so I take my yard cart and a pitch fork and load up!
Regular straw is completely different and is the dried up stalks of various crops. I think folk who use it buy chopped straw, I have never tried it because I worry it would go moldy.
I use whatever is to hand in both coop and run. Mostly mine is made up of oak leaves, shredded brown packing paper, and pine straw.
And in the wettest areas of the run that are not under a roof I chuck in kitchen waste - the chickens eat what they want and the rest composts down in place.
I use pine shavings from TSC in the nest boxes and pine pellets (horse stall pellets) in any particularly poopy spots to make sure they dry out fast.

Hmm, I have some pine trees in my yard and we frequent the pine barrens. It can't be any type of pine needles, correct? I would love to use something we already have. It's so awesome that you've got them near you to utilize. Plus as my dear friend would often say "Free shit is the best shit."

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Farming rodents for me is a cost of doing business that is aggravating and often difficult to avoid once we start confining the chickens. With my chickens on a maintenance diet only, the feed is put out so consumed in its entirety before dark. Being very lazy, I do not consistently put up feed after dark. What has worked is to make so feeder is on elevated platform in a large bowl that the chickens my fly up to and rodents cannot reach by climbing or jumping. That makes your feeding system more complicated and some chickens have to be more motivated by hunger than is ideal for egg production. being smart takes energy.

These seems like quite a conundrum. I need to think about this. Thanks for your input.

 

[RoyalChick]

Hmm, I have some pine trees in my yard and we frequent the pine barrens. It can't be any type of pine needles, correct? I would love to use something we already have. It's so awesome that you've got them near you to utilize. Plus as my dear friend would often say "Free shit is the best shit."

Mine are white pines. Grab a handful of the needles under your pines. If they are sharp and prickly they are the wrong thing. If they are all soft then bag ‘em up and give them to the chickens!
I have rather high up roosts and two ladies that roost about 11’ up in the rafters so I have been adding more pine straw recently to give them a nice soft landing.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Here's my article on Deep Bedding: Using Deep Bedding in a Small Coop It should answer many of your questions.

I just finished your article. Phenomenal! Thank you so much. I still needed this thread for an introduction to the deep bedding method but now it makes much more sense. I'm in and will try to use this for our coop and run.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Mine are white pines. Grab a handful of the needles under your pines. If they are sharp and prickly they are the wrong thing. If they are all soft then bag ‘em up and give them to the chickens!
I have rather high up roosts and two ladies that roost about 11’ up in the rafters so I have been adding more pine straw recently to give them a nice soft landing.

Ahhh, cross your fingers for me. I surely hope they are usable! Thanks for the suggestion and info.

You've got acrobat chickens. How cute.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have been pondering the food and the rodents situation. Someone suggested the attached food setup - a large trash can with the food things at the bottom. Do you think I will have a problem with critters getting into the food/trash can?

Yes, I will enjoy my hens. Just trying to get a general plan in place before they arrive so I can get this out of the way and focus on them. Appreciate your input, thanks a lot!

We have a feeder similar to that except we didn't have the fancy feeders! Just 90° PVC pipe elbows, works great. That's the one we just keep in the 8x10 coop. I wouldn't recommend leaving it out in the run, no. I would worry about rats getting into it, but when it's full it'll be too heavy to lug around. That's why we keep ours in the coop, which gets closed up at night.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

We have a feeder similar to that except we didn't have the fancy feeders! Just 90° PVC pipe elbows, works great. That's the one we just keep in the 8x10 coop. I wouldn't recommend leaving it out in the run, no. I would worry about rats getting into it, but when it's full it'll be too heavy to lug around. That's why we keep ours in the coop, which gets closed up at night.

So you always keep yours in the coop, never in the run? Most people say not to do this. Do you have a lot of spillage?

I have a 11.5'w x 3'd coop. I don't think I can fit it in their if I use the can, hmmm.

PVC pipe is a great idea. I didn't think of that.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

I also like horizontal nipple waterers. I make them from 3-gallon containers that the grocery store bakery gets frosting in because I work in a grocery store and because I can't lift a 5-gallon bucket of water.

The part about being able to LIFT your containers is important, especially at the start when you still need to make adjustments. So if you go with the huge trash can idea, maybe don’t fill it very full to start.

Also, consider whether algae is an issue where you live. We never went with an automated/large water system because we regularly have to scrub out our containers. (They are metal, so never added vinegar.) If you have containers that apple cider vinegar won’t corrode, perhaps that would prevent algae from growing?

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

The part about being able to LIFT your containers is important, especially at the start when you still need to make adjustments. So if you go with the huge trash can idea, maybe don’t fill it very full to start.

Also, consider whether algae is an issue where you live. We never went with an automated/large water system because we regularly have to scrub out our containers. (They are metal, so never added vinegar.) If you have containers that apple cider vinegar won’t corrode, perhaps that would prevent algae from growing?

I was thinking the same thing. I will only fill the trash cans a little bit until we figure out our system. Thank you.

Some info I came across mentioned using a dark colored barrel and keeping it in the shade to prevent algae. I don't know if this is enough but at least it's a start. I wonder if there's something I could throw in the water to prevent algae and bacteria?

Vinegar is such a universal awesome thing to use. It has so many great purposes.

Where do you live?