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

[3KillerBs]

So when it becomes dirt, then add a layer of litter where I can still see the ground but there is a slight covering. Then as I see it getting gross, add more... then more... then more. Then after some time, change it out and repeat.

How often do you find you're adding more? Is it days or weeks or months from one layer to the next? I know it depends on how many chickens you've got but a general idea...

I really appreciate your thorough responses and somehow finding all of my questions and answering every single one.

Yes, that's how it works. You just add bedding as needed in the amounts that seem to be needed.

Did you read my Deep Bedding article? Using Deep Bedding in a Small Coop It shows a typical cycle for my small coop.

In my big coop my management is less intensive simply because of the size. I add some bedding every couple months and am about to shovel out some compost for final finishing after about 18 months. The more space you have the simpler it is to keep it going.

Oh, this brings me to yet another question. I'm getting mine at 8 weeks old. When do they start producing eggs? Do I need to give them certain feed while they are little and switch to something else as they get bigger?

I prefer to feed all-flock with oystershell on the side.

Most dual purpose, hatchery-strain breeds start laying between 20-24 weeks. Some lay later -- I even had an OE take 9 months to lay. Commercial strain Leghorns and sexlinks *might* lay as early as 18 weeks.

Time of year and whether days are lengthening or shortening matter.

 

[RoyalChick]

Most dual purpose, hatchery-strain breeds start laying between 20-24 weeks. Some lay later -- I even had an OE take 9 months to lay. Commercial strain Leghorns and sexlinks *might* lay as early as 18 weeks.

9 months - ha - I wish! I kept telling Bernadette she should get with the program but she was determined to take her sweet time. Just 3 days shy of 11 months and she casually produces her first (beautiful dark brown) egg.

 

[Yakisugi Coop]

I wanted a low maintenance coop too. A few things I find helpful:

- I put a removable board along the door to the coop that holds the bedding in place but that I can remove when the time comes to switch out the bedding. There’s no “lip” so I can sweep all the bedding into a wheelbarrow and take it to the compost. I’ve been using used coffee grounds (highly recommend) and I switch out bedding twice a year. I also use a cat litter scooper to scoop out the poop a few times a week. Our coop isn’t big enough for the deep litter method.
- I built a pvc feeder that I can access and fill from outside the coop. It stores one week of food.
- We have a plug in nipple waterer that doesn’t freeze in winter so I don’t have to worry about that.
- Our run has a hardware cloth skirt and is very predator proof so we can leave the door from the coop to the run open all the time with no need to let the chickens out in the morning.

Your coop design looks lovely! Best wishes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

When do they start producing eggs?

Probably the most asked question on the forum, when do they start laying. My answer, when you see an egg. I've had a couple of pullets start as young as 16 weeks. I've had a very few go nine months. Most of mine start between 20 to 26 weeks but it is very much up to the individual.

Breed makes a difference but that is only tendencies. If you have enough birds then averages matter. If you have 100 you can get pretty close to when most of them will start, but if you have an individual it could be anytime.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

When they produce eggs depends on breed (supposedly) and on individual. My lovely Bernadette went a full 11 months before gracing us with her first egg. My others a more normal 6 month (approximately).
Before they lay they should not have too much calcium and then when they lay they need calcium.
People solve this one of two ways:
- Feed an 'all flock' feed (I actually feed grower feed) to everyone, all the time, and provide calcium (oyster shell and crushed egg shell as we have been discussing) freely. What you find is only the chickens that want/need the calcium help themselves to the oyster/egg shell. I think most of us answering your questions on this thread use this method.
- Other people switch to a layer feed once they are laying or just about to lay. Layer feed is a kind of feed that has the calcium built in to the feed. This doesn't work for folk who have mixed age chickens and/or roosters because you are sort of forcing them to eat calcium that isn't good for them. Also, I prefer to give mine a slightly higher % of protein than is typical in a layer feed (most layer feed is 16% protein which is sort of a minimum).

I'm going with option 1. I like that they can regulate themselves with the calcium intake and the shells. Awesome info and very easy to understand. Thanks a lot.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

I wanted a low maintenance coop too. A few things I find helpful:

- I put a removable board along the door to the coop that holds the bedding in place but that I can remove when the time comes to switch out the bedding. There’s no “lip” so I can sweep all the bedding into a wheelbarrow and take it to the compost. I’ve been using used coffee grounds (highly recommend) and I switch out bedding twice a year. I also use a cat litter scooper to scoop out the poop a few times a week. Our coop isn’t big enough for the deep litter method.

I like this idea. We actually have to lift our coop 12" to accommodate for the bedding so I'm sure we could add a piece of wood on hinges that could drop down and "open" to easily sweep out the bedding.

- I built a pvc feeder that I can access and fill from outside the coop. It stores one week of food.

If you wouldn't mind sharing a photo of your setup, that would be awesome. I have been thinking about this or a large trash can with feeders attached.

- We have a plug in nipple waterer that doesn’t freeze in winter so I don’t have to worry about that.

Could you possibly share a photo of this, too? We have been thinking about a rain barrel system either available to fill a water bucket or a PVC setup. I'm afraid it might freeze in the winter - I'm in NJ - or be hard to maintain.

How have you adjusted so that the nipple waterer doesn't freeze?

- Our run has a hardware cloth skirt and is very predator proof so we can leave the door from the coop to the run open all the time with no need to let the chickens out in the morning.

This is good to heart. Our plans have the hardware cloth skirt and doesn't include a door to the coop so I was wondering if we'd be okay. I like that they can come and go as they please. Good to know your system works for them.

Your coop design looks lovely! Best wishes.

These are really great tips, thanks so much for chiming in and sharing your methods! Please let me know if you think of anything else.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Yes, that's how it works. You just add bedding as needed in the amounts that seem to be needed.

Did you read my Deep Bedding article? Using Deep Bedding in a Small Coop It shows a typical cycle for my small coop.

I sure did. I have to sort through all of my info again.

In my big coop my management is less intensive simply because of the size. I add some bedding every couple months and am about to shovel out some compost for final finishing after about 18 months. The more space you have the simpler it is to keep it going.

I prefer to feed all-flock with oystershell on the side.

Most dual purpose, hatchery-strain breeds start laying between 20-24 weeks. Some lay later -- I even had an OE take 9 months to lay. Commercial strain Leghorns and sexlinks *might* lay as early as 18 weeks.

Time of year and whether days are lengthening or shortening matter.

Thanks. Building starts next week. Fingers crossed

 

[Yakisugi Coop]

I like this idea. We actually have to lift our coop 12" to accommodate for the bedding so I'm sure we could add a piece of wood on hinges that could drop down and "open" to easily sweep out the bedding.


If you wouldn't mind sharing a photo of your setup, that would be awesome. I have been thinking about this or a large trash can with feeders attached.


Could you possibly share a photo of this, too? We have been thinking about a rain barrel system either available to fill a water bucket or a PVC setup. I'm afraid it might freeze in the winter - I'm in NJ - or be hard to maintain.

How have you adjusted so that the nipple waterer doesn't freeze?


This is good to heart. Our plans have the hardware cloth skirt and doesn't include a door to the coop so I was wondering if we'd be okay. I like that they can come and go as they please. Good to know your system works for them.


These are really great tips, thanks so much for chiming in and sharing your methods! Please let me know if you think of anything else.

Photos of my PVC feeder are in my coop write-up (scroll down a bunch): https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yakisugi-coop.76398/.

I don't have a close up photo of the waterer but you can see it in the first photos in the coop write up. It's store-bought. We inherited it from a friend so I don't know where they got it. It plugs into an electrical outlet, which keeps it from freezing in the winter.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Photos of my PVC feeder are in my coop write-up (scroll down a bunch): https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yakisugi-coop.76398/.

I don't have a close up photo of the waterer but you can see it in the first photos in the coop write up. It's store-bought. We inherited it from a friend so I don't know where they got it. It plugs into an electrical outlet, which keeps it from freezing in the winter.

They are beautiful coops. You did an awesome job. Thanks for sending the link and for sharing your methods.

 

[Vata Raven]

I ditched the solid flooring, and plan to raise the coop onto those 8x8x16 concrete blocks. After we lift the coop onto the blocks (it's a small coop), I'm going to throw the deep litter into the cavity below.

Why? I decided I'm going to let the chickens do the work for me.

I will also place a layer of those thin concrete caps along the outside edge to keep things from digging in.