Incubators Anonymous

[DMRippy]

I have been using shredded paper in my brooder but not sure I would want it in my coops. It gets really wet really fast & draws flies which become maggots in about 2 days. So unless you are changing litter EVERY DAY I wouldn't suggest it. Maybe try sand on the floors of the runs & straw, hay, shavings or paper just in the nest boxes.

NO... not in the coops or runs.... just the brooders maybe the nest boxes that can't get wet. Thanks for that heads up. I have thought about sand but how often do you have to change it? or just scoop it everyday? I need easy and to last more than a week. I read about some pellets, but when they get wet they are saw dust and they would eat that right?

 

[Nsampsel]

Haven't tried the pellets. I use sand in my runs & just rake it when it looks yucky. Would assume the same would work on coop floors.

 

[ki4got]

i used to use corn cob bedding on my caged birds for bottoms and nest boxes. you might look into that.

 

[DMRippy]

i used to use corn cob bedding on my caged birds for bottoms and nest boxes. you might look into that.

That may be the answer! It looks like it might be a bit higher than flakes, but I only need it in the brooders. The little guys just don't stir up the litter enough. There is a layer of poop and then clean (sort of) litter under. Maybe a thin layer of this would be a better answer. TSC here I come!

Still open to other ideas!

 

[gabrielle1976]

I read in a book recently about doing your coop floors so that they basicly compost themselves and if you do it right they breed fly predtors so you dont have to worry about flies and it only needs worked on a few times a year or so . It seems like a good idea from what I remmber it just takes a good balance of bedding and there has to be enough air circulation so it dosnt get soggy and moldy but needs to stay damp enough to compost you could try googleing information about it and I will try to hunt down the book so I can refrance it for you. Hopefully I havent taken it back to the libary yet , I checked out like 6 books on chickens and I read and took 2 back already.
I really wish I could have hatch a few of your cuckoos Im so sad non hatched I really wanted some and I had a lady that wanted some as well I wish I had money to buy some more eggs from you but its gonna be tight the next couple months.

 

[DMRippy]

I read in a book recently about doing your coop floors so that they basicly compost themselves and if you do it right they breed fly predtors so you dont have to worry about flies and it only needs worked on a few times a year or so . It seems like a good idea from what I remmber it just takes a good balance of bedding and there has to be enough air circulation so it dosnt get soggy and moldy but needs to stay damp enough to compost you could try googleing information about it and I will try to hunt down the book so I can refrance it for you. Hopefully I havent taken it back to the libary yet , I checked out like 6 books on chickens and I read and took 2 back already.
I really wish I could have hatch a few of your cuckoos Im so sad non hatched I really wanted some and I had a lady that wanted some as well I wish I had money to buy some more eggs from you but its gonna be tight the next couple months.

The name of the book would be good. I don't do anything really in my runs. My runs are MOSTLY creek rock and it seems to be self maintaining. My breeding pens get really wet when it rains so that is something I need to address.... SOON.

My cuckoos are supposed to be sold. Waiting for her to come pick them up any time.

 

[ki4got]

The name of the book would be good. I don't do anything really in my runs. My runs are MOSTLY creek rock and it seems to be self maintaining. My breeding pens get really wet when it rains so that is something I need to address.... SOON.

My cuckoos are supposed to be sold. Waiting for her to come pick them up any time.

do a search for 'deep litter method'. it works for some, but not an option for me, since my primary coop is my horse trailer. i don't want to rot out the floors.

for pens and runs, a good alternative i've been looking into is sand or pea gravel. put a good base of rock, then smaller gravel then sand on top, and you can scoop it with a kitty scoop or similar tool.

our base layer around here is mostly clay, so very few things drain well. what i have been doing so far is recycling the shavings from the baby brooders into the pens. the penned birds have a field day digging around to find all the uneaten food (plenty of that with my babies LOL) and in the process mix the new and old shavings. then when it starts to get a bit deep (aka over the 2x4 frame) we simply move the pen, bring in the tractor and scrape it all back down to where it should be. (about once a year)

 

[gabrielle1976]

Storey's guide to raising chickens by gail damerow. Composting litter under the routine management section. I'm reading city chicks right now and I say read that if you like gardening we well we chickens they have some really cool ideas on how to get the chickens to control pests weeds etc as well as till for you and a bunch of other stuff

 

[Arielle]

Donna, how about straw?? The pine shavings-are these kiln dried or fresh? Kiln dried are usually not pungent.

 

[Arielle]

THis morning my blue Americana/EE chicks started jumping out of their eggs. I totally lost track of the days --I though today was the 23rd! HA HA not! At last check, 10 chicks are out, and a goodly number are blue! yeah !!!!!! Today is day 20!!!