Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Coyox]

I love spring like weather, however I hate what it does to both the coop and the birds behavior. I cleaned out and replaced wet pine shavings but had to use a bucket because the ground was bare and the tractor would have torn up the yard. Then I had four plucked polish, two bloodied that I had to blue kote. One rooster had the other by the head. The Guineas were chasing the turkeys and the turkeys were chasing hens and then a hen refused to let the ducks in the coop. They do fine when stuck in the coop in cold weather and then start fighting the minute there is nice weather. Birds are crazy. Oh and only three girls out of 50+ are laying.

I have a question about this--- This is my first year keeping chickens and of course I spent forever making sure I could do a very proper and clean deep-litter method. Now Michigan is warm and wet and to be honest, I'm not sure if it's going to get cold again which mean deep litter is more bad than good.

You guys think we're gonna get snow again? I'd like to clean it up in there ... But Im not sure if I should wait for it to be less wet? It's kind of a strange situation.... any tips would be good. The coop is pretty dry and clean right now but Im worried if this wetness keeps up it wont be.

 

[chickflick]

Check your weather.. Forecast calls for snow for Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday. It's only January. There will be more snow

 

[1muttsfan]

While your bedding is unfrozen mix a bale or two of clean shavings into the bedding already there. I take the opportunity during the thaw to shovel out the wet stuff from underneath the perches, and then mix some new bedding in with the rest to get it all through the remainder of the winter

 

[aart]

If you want a truly composting deep litter....better just to lay some dry stuff on top and not mix it in.

 

[Folly's place]

Don't overthink the litter; best advice already given, so just relax, add some more stuff, and do the annual (semi-annual?) cleanout in spring. Some sunshine would be nice! Everything here is WET, and more rain coming. At least my birds aren't fighting (yet) and I'm not setting up breeding pens until later. Maybe much later. Mary

 

[Coyox]

Thank you everyone for the helpful answers!

Right now I'm doing the no-stir method and just putting draw stuff on every 3-6 days... Seems to be working pretty well and the coop stays a good 5 degrees or more warmer than outside. I guess my biggest concern was the free rangers bringing in more water and mud is something bad happening? But again, I'm new to this and probably overly paranoid. It just seems way easier than it should be

I shall go ahead and keep the deep litter until mid Spring then!

 

[1muttsfan]

Litter does not compost much, if at all, in the winter - too cold. Any bedding you mix in will be moistened by spring.

 

[Coyox]

With the 60 degree weather we've been having in the south down-river region, you'd be surprised! I checked just yesterday and had a good inch or two of real compost.

 

[chickflick]

Wouldn't that mean there is too much moisture in the coop?

 

[bigmrg74]

Check your weather.. Forecast calls for snow for Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday. It's only January. There will be more snow

Winter is coming.... Back...