The Middle Tennessee Thread

[jlynnp]

Last year I started out with an 8x8 coop with an attached 12x8 run but they also free range during the day. We added a 12 X 16 coop this year with a 16 X 6 run this year and also have a 4 x 4 coop which I have not started using yet, I am thinking about using it for a breeding pen for a few of the Langshan and possibly switch Silver Laced Wyandotte at some point when they start laying. We also have a 12 x 25 foot Turkey pen and will be reworking a 8 x 60 foot dog run to be used for Turkey as well. Good thing I have 3 - 8 x 60 ft dog runs I may need to rework a couple more.

 

[ncanaday]

How's everyone doing?

 

[ncanaday]

What products are you all using on the coop floors?

 

[Gentry1350]

What products are you all using on the coop floors?

I've been using sand in my new coop (for the last six months). I like it pretty well, but I don't really have experience with anything else to compare to....

 

[Wilebaum]

What products are you all using on the coop floors?

I like the pine flakes you can get at TSC.

 

[cree57i]

Sand for the summer definitely. I had straw this winter, pine shavings last winter. I think I am just going to keep sand this coming winter. Straw seems to bring buggy things and mice.

 

[RedRidge]

What products are you all using on the coop floors?

Pine pellet horse bedding... it is awesome and only needs scooped out about once a year.
Hay in nest boxes.
NEVER use straw, it harbors mites.

 

[Gentry1350]

Pine pellet horse bedding... it is awesome and only needs scooped out about once a year.
Hay in nest boxes.
NEVER use straw, it harbors mites.

Questions...
1) how large are your coops vs. how many birds? I know you have a "few", I don't really do projects or have breeding pens--just several yard ornaments (which has lately grown to several dozen, YIKES! )
2) do you put down pellets once and forget it for the year, or put down a base layer and add a little throughout the year ?
3) do you supplement with anything...PDZ, DE, etc?
4) do you have any wetness or fly problems?

I'm having a problem with my chick situation....I've got too many. They have taken up residence in my "feed room" front section of my coop which has a sand floor. Well, HAD a sand floor. It's now a chick-feed-floor! I'm going to be integrating a brooder into the inside of my coop this weekend and am wondering what to use for the brooder part....I don't think the sand is going to work. I'm going to have to use something else---Koop Clean (if I can find it), pine shavings, or pellets. I don't think I will ever have this many babies at once again...so I will continue to use true chick feeders for future batches of babies. I just had to switch to a big girl feeder because I have so many--hence the wasted feed problem.

 

[Gentry1350]

Plus, I'm getting 100 quail eggs within the next several weeks and haven't decided what to use in their brooders.

So far, my husband is being pretty cool and supportive, but I'm thinking of selling a few birds to help avoid an "intervention"....

 

[Gentry1350]

Has anyone used Koop Clean?

If so,
How did you like it?
Where did you buy it?

From what I understand, it's about double the price of pine shavings, but you use much less once you get it going...which would make it more economical in the long run...plus it's cleaner and cuts down on odor, fly problems, health problems, and all that other good stuff.

I was thinking about using it for my quail brooder boxes and grow-out pens, and in my nest boxes for the big chickens.