Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

Quote: True...but I don't believe that is one of them.

 

[robyn8]

Hi
They do have wooden roosting bars about 18 in off the ground but they seem to sleep on the bars and also in the pine shavings. The coop is over 6 ft in height so I though the bars were low enough that the venting wouldn't put a draft in them but I think in the storm we got sat-sun they got a breeze in there. Some snow blew in. Should we just block the triangle side window that seems to be where the breeze blows from or both? We do have a large rectangle vent that runs the length and is I think 8 in high. That vent has an overhang so nothing can blow in from that vent.
Thanks so much for all the help! It was colder last night but not as breezy I think. Roosters comb looks the same so no progression last night and girls all still look great.

 

[robyn8]

Also there are no signs of condensation so I think we are ok moisture wise. I think the deep bedding is dry enough with what we've been doing.

 

[robyn8]

One more question...
I've been doing deep bedding with pine shavings. We're at about 6 in now I think. I turn weekly and add more shavings as needed. I really like this method. No smell looks clean. I'm wondering though is straw is better at keeping the body heat in there. Or does it even matter since most chickens roost on bars. Mine seem to sleep either on the shavings in a big pile or huddles together on the roosting bars.

 

[RaZ]

Deep litter is more like 2 feet deep. I prefer straw over wood chips because the straw stems are hollow and trap a bit of air that helps insulate from the ground cold. Wood chips seem to hold dampness more than straw but it could be that my moisture meter doesn't read straw as well.

Anywho, I still have the wood chips as a base (on cement) but I've added a few bales of straw on top of that after fluffing it up. Overall, I am done with wood chips. Especially since TSC now stores the bales outside where they get wet and stay wet.

 

[robyn8]

Thanks again Raz! Maybe I'll start adding straw on top and see if we like it better.

 

[1muttsfan]

I use pine shavings only for deep litter with no issues.

That is just a lot of ventilation. Close the upwind side completely, usually northwest around here, and put baffles up along the downwind side. Just because snow and rain don't blow in doesn't mean there is not a draft.

What size wood is your roost made of? Sometimes birds prefer a wider roost, such as a 2X4 laid horizontally.

 

[robyn8]

I truly appreciate all the help here! I thought we followed the recommendation for venting but I guess we messed it up.

The roosts are I think 1.5 in dowel rods. I read about 2x4s after we already built the coop. We can switch the rods out for 2x4s but is there a reason to? They do use them just not all the time. Is there a benefit to having them sleep on roosts instead of in the shavings?

 

[poultrymaster]

I truly appreciate all the help here! I thought we followed the recommendation for venting but I guess we messed it up.

The roosts are I think 1.5 in dowel rods. I read about 2x4s after we already built the coop. We can switch the rods out for 2x4s but is there a reason to? They do use them just not all the time. Is there a benefit to having them sleep on roosts instead of in the shavings?

There is a better chance they'll get frostbite on their feet if there isn't a roost b/c if there is one their feet will clench around the bar. I also heard that the deep litter method makes things warmer because the decomposing waste makes heat. I use the deep litter method,too and it works for me. What I do to my coop in the winter is I just cover it with a tarp. It's easy and works for me.

 

[RaZ]

I truly appreciate all the help here! I thought we followed the recommendation for venting but I guess we messed it up.

The roosts are I think 1.5 in dowel rods. I read about 2x4s after we already built the coop. We can switch the rods out for 2x4s but is there a reason to? They do use them just not all the time. Is there a benefit to having them sleep on roosts instead of in the shavings?

A 2x4 with the wide side up allows the bird to roost over its feet. A round dowel doesn't let this happen very well. I use a 2x6 since my birds are pretty big. They can jostle for position a little better IMO. Some still roost all over the coop with one or two sleeping on the floor at times.
I really don't have an issue with the wood chips. I've used both fine and coarse chips over the years. I'm just disappointed with the wet chips this year.