North Carolina

[dutchbunny83]

Hello! So I have been thinking about this wet chicken coop thing! Yuck! And was trying to think of something to absorb some of this excess water and I though about ground corncobs. Some use it as an alternative to cat litter because it biodegradable and I've known places to use them to clean up spills so it just just be swept up with a broom. So my question is that I know it would work but will it hurt my chickens if they eat it? Is it going tO be any worse to shovel and clean up than compacted poo mud and god only knows what else? and has anyone else tried this before?

I don't know about it working (first time hearing about this), but I don't think it would hurt them to eat it because my chickens and bunnies eat corn cobs all the time. When we eat corn I just throw the cobs out in the yard and the chickens peck the cobs down to almost nothing and then the bunnies chew up and eat the rest of the cob. Sounds like a good alternative. I use pine bedding or hay in my coop, whichever we have, but it doesn't (well hasn't yet) gotten wet inside.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

Hello! So I have been thinking about this wet chicken coop thing! Yuck! And was trying to think of something to absorb some of this excess water and I though about ground corncobs. Some use it as an alternative to cat litter because it biodegradable and I've known places to use them to clean up spills so it just just be swept up with a broom. So my question is that I know it would work but will it hurt my chickens if they eat it? Is it going tO be any worse to shovel and clean up than compacted poo mud and god only knows what else? and has anyone else tried this before?

I have not heard of anyone using the corn cobs but
I'd like to hear how it works out for you

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Hello! So I have been thinking about this wet chicken coop thing! Yuck! And was trying to think of something to absorb some of this excess water and I though about ground corncobs. Some use it as an alternative to cat litter because it biodegradable and I've known places to use them to clean up spills so it just just be swept up with a broom. So my question is that I know it would work but will it hurt my chickens if they eat it? Is it going tO be any worse to shovel and clean up than compacted poo mud and god only knows what else? and has anyone else tried this before?

Corn cobs (whole or ground) can cause serious blockages, plus if it gets moldy it can be lethal. Might be why you don't see people using it routinely.

 

[chris4kdz]

I have been using hay. To absorb the water. And rake it up and get rid of it. Also I get all the hay for free.

 

[sbrooks88]

I wasn't planning on leaving it long enough to get all moldy and gross. Yuck! Just when they aren't in the coop then shovel it all up near dark so they can retreat back to their comfy boxes and roosts. I don't want to hurt my babies but it just isn't fair them standing in mud up to their "knees" I've tried hay and it packs down and starts smelling really really bad before the day is out. Like it smells like rotten fish on top of chicken poop. And the pine shavings are mixed in with it and I have shoveled and shoveled and shoveled. My arms and back are killing me. maybe I should test it in a small spot first? I'm desperate guys.

 

[tammyfarms]

My chickens LOVE fire ants. At the start of the warm weather this year we had about 4 hills pop up in a matter of days, I watched as my group of 30 scratched, ran away, scratched, ran away, until they had the fire ants in a frenzy and then as a group they'd pick'em off until they were no longer hungry. After about two weeks of this, all the fire ant hills were gone. Now a few pop up here and there, but they quickly make a meal out of them and then hurry on their way. And month two broody mommas with 4 week old babies began teaching them how to do it too. So my chickens are passing on the tradition of fire ant snacking

I wonder if it takes one chicken to train the others to eat fire ants? I see you have a mixture of breeds and it sounds like they all eat 'em up! I MUST get some!

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

I wasn't planning on leaving it long enough to get all moldy and gross. Yuck! Just when they aren't in the coop then shovel it all up near dark so they can retreat back to their comfy boxes and roosts. I don't want to hurt my babies but it just isn't fair them standing in mud up to their "knees" I've tried hay and it packs down and starts smelling really really bad before the day is out. Like it smells like rotten fish on top of chicken poop. And the pine shavings are mixed in with it and I have shoveled and shoveled and shoveled. My arms and back are killing me. maybe I should test it in a small spot first? I'm desperate guys.

Hmmmmm.... Try getting some of the pelleted bedding they sell for horse bedding. It's compacted wood sawdust, and it swells up amazingly when absorbing water. And smells good. TSC carries it. One bag goes a looooonnnnnng way, so try a little first. I used it for chicks indoors for a while, but it puts off too much dust for indoor use.

I think I'll pick up a couple bags to have on hand myself! I'd forgotten about that stuff!

 

[sbrooks88]

Oh u r my new hero!!!! Ill have to go get some when I run to wilson todAy!!! Oooohhh yyyyeeeaaaa! Bye bye muddy chicken poop!!!! Yyyeeeessssss! Lololol!

 

[wildriverswolf90]

Today just plain flat out sucks went outside to tend to all my birds, and found that one of my cochin roosters, is staggering like a drunk, his come is dark, like a bruise, and he is all fluffed up with a droopy tail any ideas what could be wrong, or how to treat him? This little guy is my favorite, and I so don't want to lose him. I gave him a scrambled egg with nutridrench, and then continued about chores, as I came to the rabbit pens, I found my favorite, California doe, dead she was pregnant and due in roughly 11 days she had no wounds, plenty of fresh water and food, she was around 3 Years old. I'm so sad, I was really attached to her. today is not gonna be a good day.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Someone else recently had a staggering chicken. Who was that......April! I don't know if she's sorted that out yet, either.