painting my coop

[jonalisa]

Earlier I said:
My understanding is that it is NOT okay to use in compost.
I believe I read that here.
I am on the road but I will try to find the source as soon as I get back.


OK, I am back. I did some searching and I may have to fall on my sword on this one. My apologies.
I know that back when I first became a member is when I initially started learning about the Deep Litter Method. I was all excited and planned it as my manure management method. Shortly thereafter, I started seeing posts and articles saying that the DE would negate the efforts of DLM by drying out the litter too much and by killing off beneficial nematodes and microbes. I cannot get my hands on the original source that led me to that final conclusion (and it was very specific, so I will continue to look for it), but there are plenty of posts that disagree - so there does seem to be 2 camps in that debate. Honestly, I haven't read much about DLM since then, so I really didn't know that there was more to this issue. Apparently, many people use DE in their litter with no perceived consequences.

After now searching the web and looking at some of my books, I would say that I am not 100% certain about it. There are some pretty compelling arguments either way.I would love to use the DE. I am also a beekeeper and have also read that if dusted near flowers, DE can be carried back to the hive on the bee and can kill a colony in a matter of days. So that's a concern for me.

Again, I'm sorry; it wasn't my intent to mislead anyone, I simply thought of it as something I had learned here that I believed because it made sense.

Cheers,
jonalisa

 

[aart]

I've read that too about DE and DL, someone documented 2 years with DL and found that adding DE greatly decreased the biodegradation of the litter.

If you think about it, it does make sense...DE is used for 'pest' elimination by scratching organisms exoskeleton and drying them out, but like all pesticides it is not picky about what creatures it kills.

I would guess that it could reduce the efficiency of deep litter...or it may not.

Here's the thread where I read it.


I've found that shavings and feces break down anyway. I use shavings in a dry coop (no added 'compost' or garden dirt or anything else that might comprise a true composting type deep litter) since last fall, it's rather surprising how the level lowers after time as the feces and wood breaks down into smaller pieces.

 

[jonalisa]

Thanks, aart. I appreciate the link.

My apologies to mixedflockmomma, for unintentionally steering your post off into a ditch.:O

Getting back on topic, I bought a used shed to convert to a coop, and I am planning on painting the inside with exterior latex with primer added in a semi-gloss. I bought it at Lowe's and it is Olympic brand... I have used Valspar but find it to be harder to paint with. I chose white to increase the lighting in the coop.

 

[mixedflockmomma]

No prob. I've been away anyway. My tablet is on the fritz. My thought was to find an easy and cheap way to make my coop easier to clean. I have since gotten a better scrapper and am using a water/vinigar mix along with elbow grease to clean it. I add de to pine shavings, if I can't get free hay. I don't use DL method. When I clean my coop each month or so, I rake out the bedding and move it to my compost pile.

 

[chiknhurder]

I use DE with pine shavings in my coop during the warm months and straw with DE during the cold months and compost all of it with no problems. Keep it moist, as you should anyway, and there will be no problems. DE does what it does when it's dry.

 

[aart]

I use DE with pine shavings in my coop during the warm months and straw with DE during the cold months and compost all of it with no problems. Keep it moist, as you should anyway, and there will be no problems. DE does what it does when it's dry.

That's why I don't like the idea of a true composting DL in a coop.....
.....the moisture needed for a good hot compost is not good for chooks as it adds to the humidity in the coop, especially in the frigid winters where I Iive.

I keep the shavings fairly deep and dry in the winter for insulation and a place for them to snuggle down during the day.

 

[chiknhurder]

That's why I don't like the idea of a true composting DL in a coop.....
.....the moisture needed for a good hot compost is not good for chooks as it adds to the humidity in the coop, especially in the frigid winters where I Iive.

I keep the shavings fairly deep and dry in the winter for insulation and a place for them to snuggle down during the day.

Same here Aart. I prefer a clean coop with dry bedding, especially since my coop has a wooden floor and I don't want moist material sitting on it. I also choose to bed with straw in the winter because it's hollow and traps air making it a better insulator than shavings. All of my composting is done outside the coop. I have several large welded wire rounds (think large tomato cage) that are 4 foot high and 4 foot diameter that the litter goes directly into from the coop. As I turn the piles, I remove the wire from around it place it next to the pile and closer to the back of the pen where I have a chicken garden area. By the time I've moved it to the garden area it's ready to use in the garden or load it into a lawn cart and take it where I need it.

 

[crazyfeathers]

My advice would be craigslist under free, we found lots of dairy board and put it on every inside wall in our barn, it not only brightened things up but it is easy to spray off if soiled. You could always put up a post and see what people have laying around, it can't hurt. Best of luck!

 

[aart]

Quote: I am just contemplating making one of these to process the winter bedding and using the same type movement to 'turn' the pile.
Just got chooks last fall and haven't had a compost bin/pile in years...want it as hot and fast as possible.
Do you cover yours at all to minimize moisture saturation from rain?

ETA: Apologies also to OP for high jacking thread....my coop is lined in hardware cloth, so painting was never even a thought.

 

[chiknhurder]

I didn't even realize that this thread was about painting so my apologies too. I don't have a problem with too much rain so I don't cover them. If there's one important thing I've learned about composting is the bigger the pile, the easier it is. If I have too much rain, I turn it more but usually I'm adding water. Right now I'm turning the piles 1 to 2 times a week but as I start adding more green stuff, I'll turn it more frequently.