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

[3KillerBs]

Oops, hit the wrong button.

s there a difference in deep bedding vs deep litter besides deep bedding is dry because it's in the coop which is dry - and deep litter is moist because it is in the run where sometimes there might be some rain or dew or snow?

Deep Litter *can* be done over a floor, but it much better done with ground contact because that way the beneficial organisms are seeded into the bedding through the soil.

Just something to watch for, shavings can be dusty. Watch for respiratory issues like runny nose and sneezing

Chickens themselves are inherently dusty because of the feather dander

All coop cleaning should be done with a mask on to protect our lungs regardless of the bedding system.

I heard back from the coop designer. He said the henhouse is very well ventilated with a hardware cloth ceiling that runs the entire width. See the attached photo.

The ventilated ceiling is good up to a point, but that clear roof will turn the coop into a rotisserie on a hot summer day. Chickens tolerate cold very well -- down to 0F and below -- but they suffer in the heat.

It would be much more beneficial to use an opaque roof to provide shade. Personally, I was surprised and delighted to discover how easy it is to install metal roofing on purlins using self-tapping screws as provided by the seller of the metal and a cordless impact driver.

I'm a small woman with arthritic wrists, but the metal I did personally was easy to handle.

Got it, no pine shavings. I thought some people use pine? Is it a different material than shavings?

Pine shavings are fine. Just wear a mask against the dust when you clean.

Does your part of New Jersey have pine straw available? I'm not quite sure where on the US east coast the loblolly pines stop growing. Pine straw is, IMO, terrific bedding for a run because they resist packing and matting -- though I like something more absorbent for the coop itself.

But doesn't it sit there for at least 6 months before you clean it out? So it's just dried up poop in the coop and run for all that time and it's safe?

How often you're going to need to change the bedding is going to depend on how deep a layer you will put in and how much time the chickens spend in there. A smaller coop with shallower bedding needs to be cleaned more often. A larger coop with more bedding needs to be cleaned less often.

The coop shown in the article requires cleaning 4-5 times a year depending on the number of chickens and the time of year. My big Open Air coop is coming up on it's first cleaning after about 18 months.

Yes, the dry poop remains in the Deep Bedding, but as long as it's completely dry it's inert and harmless. Then when you take it out and form the compost pile it gets wet and composts instead of just rotting and reeking because of the chemical interaction between the nitrogen in the manure and the carbon in the bedding as facilitated by the composting organisms.

For the Deep Litter in the run, those organisms work the entire time processing the nitrogen and carbon into compost.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

@Folly's place Post 28 has a picture of what the coop roof is said to be.

Do you think this is good sunlight and airflow?

 

[In the mtns]

Don’t stress too much, you can always change things as you go, as long as the basic structure is sound. We’ve only had chickens for about two years now, and there is always something however minor…many small tweaks a few big tweaks…expect them and roll with it.
Like you wrote in your post, it’s nice to just sit and watch the hens and remember how simple life is for them and that you help make that possible! They truly are great entertainment and you’ll learn what they need soon enough

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

My only concern is that the long, skinny coop portion may be inconvenient to access and keep clean. Are there pop doors for the chickens at both ends? If not, a bully hen could trap one of the others in the depths of the coop and beat up the victim.

The designer confirmed that there are two sets of double doors, which gives easy access to all parts of the henhouse.

There are not pop doors at each end but I can add that. The additional would be near the laying boxes. Would that pose a problem?

I attached two photos. One is where the plans have the exit and the other is the proposed second exit.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Don’t stress too much, you can always change things as you go, as long as the basic structure is sound. We’ve only had chickens for about two years now, and there is always something however minor…many small tweaks a few big tweaks…expect them and roll with it.
Like you wrote in your post, it’s nice to just sit and watch the hens and remember how simple life is for them and that you help make that possible! They truly are great entertainment and you’ll learn what they need soon enough

I'm excited and realize that whatever I plan for now probably will change. I just need a general plan to get going. Once I get that in place, I will be able to relax and enjoy them, which we definitely will do.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Just want to chime in on this one.
I love using pine shavings for the coop interior, I also like the deep bedding method. The feed stores usually sell a few different sizes of shavings, small, med and large. Every brand is different tho, some are more dusty and messy than others while some are super clean and nearly dust free, you may have to just try a few out and find which one is best for your flock.
Hope this helps!

Okay so I can use it but make sure it's not too dusty. Got it. Thanks

 

[3KillerBs]

Do you think this is good sunlight and airflow?

Too much sunlight through the roof. The greenhouse effect will turn the place into a rotisserie.

The goal is to have enough airflow that the temperature inside the coop is the same as the outside. Don't worry about chickens being cold in the winter, they tolerate cold very well with their built-in down parkas. Worry about summer heat.

There are not pop doors at each end but I can add that. The additional would be near the laying boxes. Would that pose a problem?

Not a problem at all.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Deep Litter *can* be done over a floor, but it much better done with ground contact because that way the beneficial organisms are seeded into the bedding through the soil.

Great explanation for my brain, thank you. But am I basically doing the same thing whether it is deep bedding or deep litter - throwing down layers of straw? The variable is the linoleum surface (dry) vs the dirt or soil (moist)?

The ventilated ceiling is good up to a point, but that clear roof will turn the coop into a rotisserie on a hot summer day. Chickens tolerate cold very well -- down to 0F and below -- but they suffer in the heat.

The designer suggests the option of the opaque version of the clear roof so we could do that. So they should be okay in the coop with the ventilation in the attached photo?

Does your part of New Jersey have pine straw available? I'm not quite sure where on the US east coast the loblolly pines stop growing. Pine straw is, IMO, terrific bedding for a run because they resist packing and matting -- though I like something more absorbent for the coop itself.

Surprisingly, there are a lot of people in NJ who have chickens so I would think I could find pine straw. I need to look into this. Another stupid question but is all straw pine or is straw made of different materials? Someone else may have mentioned this up but I've read through so many posts that I can't find it now.

What would you use in the coop?

Yes, the dry poop remains in the Deep Bedding, but as long as it's completely dry it's inert and harmless. Then when you take it out and form the compost pile it gets wet and composts instead of just rotting and reeking because of the chemical interaction between the nitrogen in the manure and the carbon in the bedding as facilitated by the composting organisms.

I (finally) understand! Thank you for the explanation.

For the Deep Litter in the run, those organisms work the entire time processing the nitrogen and carbon into compost.

How do I know if the run deep litter compost is balanced correctly?


I REALLY appreciate your thoughtful responses, thank you SO much.

 

[RojoMarz]

Do you think this is good sunlight and airflow?

I do think airflow is good. Assuming the whole 11x3 coop roof is like that (wire).

While I agree mostly with @3KillerBs, location plays a part in the ”rotisserie” concept. At my house, a coop with a full clear roof would not be a rotisserie. So, @GetFitWithKrista, you may or may not need to replace some of the clear with opaque/smoke or even metal. But, do keep what @3KillerBs mentioned in mind.

 

[centrarchid]

Title of thread does not reflect the process developing at all.

As soon as you confine, you must take on concerns of complete diet formulations and challenges promoted by the confinement.