The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[chickiemomy]

Quote:

Quote:
Remember to also add some Stall DRY to your manure prior to dumping it as it reduces the odour of the manure while binding

nitrogen and phosphorous that plants thrive on. This gives you a more compost able drier product for spreading in your garden.

From the PDF I'm reading about the product I use.
THX - good to know - I'm using PDZ - which is different from DE - is a mineral - zeolite. I use it in the run - on top of sand. Started this summer & I think it helps for reduced fly attraction - easy to clean up with kitty scoop. But even tho the run is covered & on the high side of our yard - every thing got sooo damp these last several weeks, I did break down & bust up a straw bale in the run. couldn't see letting the chicks have dampness all day. They come in just soaked when they're out foraging - don't know why they take it??? Been stirring the straw up a bit to get some dry available for them.. Coop seems to be staying dry enough with pine shavings - it's off the ground by 30 inches. But they don't choose to spend daylight hours there much - 'xcepting for laying & the free offer crumbles.

I'm with Jendodd -- this PNW wet really sucks

 

[chickiemomy]

Quote: what a cutie!! - yep think I'd worry a litle about terriers & chicks - aren't they supposed to be hunters of little critters??? Like the no-shed poodle crosses tho! We have a german shephard rescue who's about the most laid back dog - with the chicks & the cats anyway. beware if you're 2-legged come to the front door tho! he's a good protector he is!

 

[chickiemomy]

Quote: x2!

 

[delisha]

Such great ideas from every one in the last few days!! What a great way to share information! It is wet and damp here in Wisconsin too. I have to use straw straw straw. Than that takes forever to break down. I do not have a smell though. This is my first year trying deep litter. I will let you know if I stay with it. I sure enjoy the lack of work, and I look forward to all that loveliness in my garden.

I did take a movie of my crazy broody mom today but for some reason it will not upload. I will have to take another movie tomorrow. It was so warm today. Above freezing and all the snow is almost gone. The ducks loved it when I filled a pool.


She is normally so loving, right now she would take my face off.

 

[lalaland]

Such great ideas from every one in the last few days!! What a great way to share information! It is wet and damp here in Wisconsin too. I have to use straw straw straw. Than that takes forever to break down. I do not have a smell though. This is my first year trying deep litter. I will let you know if I stay with it. I sure enjoy the lack of work, and I look forward to all that loveliness in my garden.

I did take a movie of my crazy broody mom today but for some reason it will not upload. I will have to take another movie tomorrow. It was so warm today. Above freezing and all the snow is almost gone. The ducks loved it when I filled a pool.


She is normally so loving, right now she would take my face off.

she sure has that flat pancake broody look!
hey, I'm close to eastern wis - gonna look up racine to find out if you are on the other side or what

 

[Leahs Mom]

If it gets humid - like it is here today - I do a thorough stir like Mumsy does. It brings up the dry from the bottom and gets things fixed. Then, if needed, I add a little dry shavings to the top.

When things get too deep, I take out some out to the garden from time to time then put in a little fresh dry shavings on the top. Kind of like the ff - take out a bit of the composted litter and add in a little new litter...then let the kiddos stir it up.

 

[delisha]

Aoxa,
Your poodle is adorable. I love it when a dog tries to feed others.
Mine ignores them unless it comes to food. She battles them for rights to the feed dish and gets an attitude when I call her off their feed. She would kill chicks, just for the sport of it. They are to close in size to little mice for her to resist.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Probably a little south..but close to directly across..i am north of Chicago, South of Milwaukee

 

[JeffOeuf]

I've been wanting to try rice hulls since before I got chickens, but cannot find them. Where do you get yours?

Feed store....but it is a little regional. Like a lot of bedding type products, if it has to ship very far, it is no longer economical. Check with your feed store, they may be able to get it, even if they don't carry it normally. A bale will change bedding in my coop about 3 times and costs about $12. And, it's ORMI certified.

 

[Bulldogma]

I did take a movie of my crazy broody mom today but for some reason it will not upload. I will have to take another movie tomorrow. It was so warm today. Above freezing and all the snow is almost gone. The ducks loved it when I filled a pool.

She is normally so loving, right now she would take my face off.

LOL! Zombie pancake chicken. Looks like she means business! What eggs is she cooking under there?