Grit size question - and a little cross-border rant

[MiaS]

If you're doing a true composting deep litter.... no, you wouldn't use a poop board.
...and you'd use more than just pine shavings on the floor.

The term 'deep litter' is often misunderstood and misapplied.
I've always liked this explanation:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-method-with-this-coop.1075545/#post-16440037

Yes, there seems to be some confusion over 'deep litter', 'composting litter' and 'deep bedding'. Maybe it's just me that is confused

 

[aart]

Yes, there seems to be some confusion over 'deep litter', 'composting litter' and 'deep bedding'. Maybe it's just me that is confused

Nope, not just you, the terminology thing has been going for years as you can see from the post I linked.

 

[MiaS]

Yes, there seems to be some confusion over 'deep litter', 'composting litter' and 'deep bedding'. Maybe it's just me that is confused

If you're doing a true composting deep litter.... no, you wouldn't use a poop board.
...and you'd use more than just pine shavings on the floor.

The term 'deep litter' is often misunderstood and misapplied.
I've always liked this explanation:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-method-with-this-coop.1075545/#post-16440037

Had a look at this and it is helpful. I was hoping to do deep litter - as in composting as I go along, but so far it seems like more of a deep bedding situation that I'm setting up. High carbon, vs manure/nitrogen. So far I only have pine shavings in there, about 6-8" worth. I'd love to see it composting but maybe that isn't all that easy on a wood/lino floor? Any thoughts?
I could definitely scoop the board and add to compost, keep adding pine shavings or hemp to the coop to keep freshish and clean out once or twice a year, adding it all to my run to further break down.

 

[aart]

So far I only have pine shavings in there, about 6-8" worth. I'd love to see it composting but maybe that isn't all that easy on a wood/lino floor?

No, best to have dirt contact....and it needs moisture too..and a mix of materials.
I prefer to keep coop dry...so do poop boards and pine shavings on floor.

 

[MiaS]

No, best to have dirt contact....and it needs moisture too..and a mix of materials.
I prefer to keep coop dry...so do poop boards and pine shavings on floor.

Okay, it seems that is what I'm doing too - even if not quite correctly So far I maybe just have a bit more poop on the floor than I might have with the PDZ, since I've been incorporating the poop board stuff into the floor material. So far all is very dry. I've just been going in with a rake every few days to fluff it all up and mix in any droppings.

 

[MiaS]

I have 3 sizes of grit on hand:
View attachment 1894174

Left is chick and middle is "hen" size (I consider it pullet size) from my local feed store bulk bins.
Right is hen size, Scratch & Peck brand.

Mine looks just like clean sand

 

[Don 27]

Its 36 $ including taxes for a 40 libs bag it's organic I would rather organic. It's not a bad price but it adds up. And I have to buy it every month. I figured there might be a better deal out there but so far this is what I have. As for the company name on the feed bag in not sure. I can go out and look at the brand name tomorrow if you want.

 

[townchicks]

Wow, those are crazy price differences. I've been using sweet pdz in my poop tray, but honestly, I'm not sure I'm going to get more when this is gone. I throw the scoopings into my compost pile, but the PDZ doesn't seem to really break down. I have deep litter in my run, so when I used pine shavings, those just got tossed into the run. The pdz does save time for me, though. Maybe I'll feel differently when the 3 new girls join the other two, however. Seems weird that you can't get the same grit though. You could try throwing a few shovelfuls of dirt into the run once a month for them to pick out small rocks. My doves get a sandlike grit, though, and their seed mix is as big as anything in chicken scratch, so it must be doing the trick. If you are only feeding chicken feed, they don't really need grit for that.

 

[aart]

Its 36 $ including taxes for a 40 libs bag it's organic I would rather organic.

Well, organic costs more. Your choice.

but the PDZ doesn't seem to really break down.

No, it won't break down...it's a mineral, like rock or sand...but it won't hurt anything as far as I know. I wouldn't dump a ton of it in there, but just the coated poops shouldn't be too much...depending on the overall volume of your compost pile.

 

[MiaS]

Wow, those are crazy price differences. I've been using sweet pdz in my poop tray, but honestly, I'm not sure I'm going to get more when this is gone. I throw the scoopings into my compost pile, but the PDZ doesn't seem to really break down. I have deep litter in my run, so when I used pine shavings, those just got tossed into the run. The pdz does save time for me, though. Maybe I'll feel differently when the 3 new girls join the other two, however. Seems weird that you can't get the same grit though. You could try throwing a few shovelfuls of dirt into the run once a month for them to pick out small rocks. My doves get a sandlike grit, though, and their seed mix is as big as anything in chicken scratch, so it must be doing the trick. If you are only feeding chicken feed, they don't really need grit for that.

The PDZ is zeolite, a mineral so though it is used to amend garden soil it will not readily break down in your compost.