Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[brahmabreeder]

Kitty litter? Would of never thought to use that. That wouldn't cause their feet feathers to get weird would it?

 

[thedragonlady]

Kitty litter? Would of never thought to use that. That wouldn't cause their feet feathers to get weird would it?

No way, it would make their foot feathering weird. I kept all my Silkies on it for years, and had outrageous foot feathering.

 

[brahmabreeder]

Thank you! I'll go ahead and try it in one pen and see how it goes. Seems like you wouldn't need to change all the bedding out as often as with shavings. Just kind of pick out the dirty stuff and every now and then toss in some new.

 

[Arielle]

My bag of cat litter says pine shavigs as the only ingredient.

----------------
Attended the Northeast COngress today.

Over 3300 birds. Wall to wall cages. A good variety of turkeys, ducks and geese. ANd ofcourse so many bantams . . . .

No LF speckled sussex , just 2 darling SS bantams.
1 cornonation sussex rooster
No other sussex

6 BUckeyes, 1st and 2nd jason Paige's

many black astraulorps and lots of silver laced wyandottes

Finally saw a langhsham

ANd a long talk with Walt. One that I keep replaying in my mind-- so much information.

Jan Brett's new book is wonderful-- a work of art. AN heirloom book.

Sorry I missed the cooking section. TOo much to see.

Learned in a tour that the Nankin was helped by Dr Hawes-- only wish I had developed an appreciation for chickens long ago.

 

[3riverschick]

could you tell by type if the Speckled Sussex bantams were Overton or Skytop?
http://www.reocities.com/skytopbantams/sussex.html
The bird Lily is Gary Overton strain , even more extreme bottle shaped bod. stunning type.
Best,
Karen

 

[hellbender]

Thank you! I'll go ahead and try it in one pen and see how it goes. Seems like you wouldn't need to change all the bedding out as often as with shavings. Just kind of pick out the dirty stuff and every now and then toss in some new.

If you haven't put down the litter yet, you might consider putting down a goody bit of diatomaceous earth (food grade) with bentonite clay added. It's much cheaper than the regular white type and it will help to absorb moisture and keep down the mite and lice population...just a thought.

Also reduces ammonia problems for birds that don't get out every day in bad weather.

http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/AN12367.htm

 

[thedragonlady]

Thank you! I'll go ahead and try it in one pen and see how it goes. Seems like you wouldn't need to change all the bedding out as often as with shavings. Just kind of pick out the dirty stuff and every now and then toss in some new.

If you are bedding big pens, sand is cheaper. To keep good foot feathering, you must scoop every day, using either one.My husband made me a scoop out of a dust pan on a stick. He cut out the bottom , and pop riveted 1/2 hardware mesh in the bottom. It now takes me 15 minutes every day to scoop my main 20 x 20 covered run, and 4, 10 x 10 covered runs.I use a kid's rake to rake droppings and feathers into the scoop, and just shake the sand out.

Interesting fact about chicken litter mixed with sand. It does not burn plants like litter mixed with shavings does.My hydrangeas love it , as does my asparagus bed.

 

[brahmabreeder]

If you haven't put down the litter yet, you might consider putting down a goody bit of diatomaceous earth (food grade) with bentonite clay added. It's much cheaper than the regular white type and it will help to absorb moisture and keep down the mite and lice population...just a thought.

Also reduces ammonia problems for birds that don't get out every day in bad weather.

http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/AN12367.htm

I have that in the shed. I *think* I added it the last time I cleaned it out. I'll go ahead and do it again.

My bag of cat litter says pine shavigs as the only ingredient.

----------------
Learned in a tour that the Nankin was helped by Dr Hawes-- only wish I had developed an appreciation for chickens long ago.

Nankins are another breed I would like to have but I have my eye on so many other breeds..... Trying not to get too many. I'm thinking three breeds tops.

 

[brahmabreeder]

If you are bedding big pens, sand is cheaper. To keep good foot feathering, you must scoop every day, using either one.My husband made me a scoop out of a dust pan on a stick. He cut out the bottom , and pop riveted 1/2 hardware mesh in the bottom. It now takes me 15 minutes every day to scoop my main 20 x 20 covered run, and 4, 10 x 10 covered runs.I use a kid's rake to rake droppings and feathers into the scoop, and just shake the sand out.

Interesting fact about chicken litter mixed with sand. It does not burn plants like litter mixed with shavings does.My hydrangeas love it , as does my asparagus bed.

There are three 'stalls' in the 6*8 coop they are in, which is the one I plan to do this to. I might be getting rid of my two goats after fair this year so that would open up another coop(12*12). I also have another 6*8 and a 8*8. Only the first one is used for breeding pens the others will be grow out pens. I plan on putting two breeder pens in my goat barn and then having my 2 #11 keipper cages stacked in the corner next to them.

 

[thedragonlady]

There are three 'stalls' in the 6*8 coop they are in, which is the one I plan to do this to. I might be getting rid of my two goats after fair this year so that would open up another coop(12*12). I also have another 6*8 and a 8*8. Only the first one is used for breeding pens the others will be grow out pens. I plan on putting two breeder pens in my goat barn and then having my 2 #12 keipper cages stacked in the corner next to them.

My buffs all have sleeping boxes too. They are bedded with straw over Sweet PDZ. Most roost, some do not. I use PDZ on the poop boards too. Droppings are picked up every day from the straw and poop boards, so everything stays dry and clean. In SC, we don't have to close our birds in as much as you do in Ohio, and the PDZ zaps any ammonia.Good stuff;. I spray coops and birds with permethrin 4 x a year for mites and lice, as I found that diatomaceous earth did not eradicate them in this climate.