The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

@Sally8 who knew those shows would help in figuring out who's doing what in the coop
I think Edie's sister needs an invite to lunch lol

 

[Leahs Mom]

Went out to get in the car this morn to go to work and heard hawks whistling. They sound like an old fashioned "dog whistle" to me.

I tried to locate them...saw a group of hens at the wood edge not moving much but usually when there is a hawk they are under the wooded area. I kept watching and then saw one fly over and sit on the fence right by them. I was not prepared do do much harm or scare them, but I went sprinting back there and it flew off.

Gathered everyone into the run since I kept hearing the hawks whistle so I know they were nearby but I just couldn't site one. I'll let everyone out again later and maybe stake out for awhile and see what I see.

 

[armorfirelady]

LM sure wish I could send you my LGCs I have here. They are nesting in my yard so I haven't seen a hawk since probably March. I'm hoping they stick around till the snow flies again

Eta correction haven't seen a HAWK not a crow lol

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks, AFL. You know, there are a bunch of crows around but I'm not sure where they are nesting exactly. I see them in the trees, flying around, and sometimes even chasing a hawk. Just don't know where they live.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

I have a question that's probably been covered, but I couldn't find it with a cursory search and I'm feeling too lazy today to dig any further. So please forgive me and love me anyway.

I want to use deep litter method, but my coop has a linoleum floor. Is there any chance that will work? What techniques or practices will help me to be successful?

Thank you for your wisdom, insight, and tolerance.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I have a question that's probably been covered, but I couldn't find it with a cursory search and I'm feeling too lazy today to dig any further. So please forgive me and love me anyway.

I want to use deep litter method, but my coop has a linoleum floor. Is there any chance that will work? What techniques or practices will help me to be successful?

Thank you for your wisdom, insight, and tolerance.

you will need some dirt to start off with. grass clippings once dry are great too. We use pine tree trimmings and they work nicely but we did have some trouble when we were using only the pine shavings. Newspaper or shredded junk mail was an epic fail when added to the litter. kitchen scraps worked wonders. Start off with a thin layer of litter and add to it. Too deep and the lowest layer does not get dryed out enough. Don't let ducks get their waterer in the coop.

 

[Kassaundra]

I've posted pics somewhere on this thread and a few others. Here is one of the threads I posted it on (easier to find it on the inventions thread then this one)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/631861/diy-thread-lets-see-your-inventions/2250

page 226, post 2256

 

[hoosiercheetah]

you will need some dirt to start off with. grass clippings once dry are great too. We use pine tree trimmings and they work nicely but we did have some trouble when we were using only the pine shavings. Newspaper or shredded junk mail was an epic fail when added to the litter. kitchen scraps worked wonders. Start off with a thin layer of litter and add to it. Too deep and the lowest layer does not get dryed out enough. Don't let ducks get their waterer in the coop.

Okay. I've got a pretty thin layer right now, probably only two inches if I raked it all even. I had read about adding kitchen scraps, but I've been nervous about it. I know in my compost pile, the scraps will often sprout mold before they decompose nicely. Of course, in my compost pile I don't have chickens picking and stirring, either. I have two huge pine trees, so dried needles and bark shavings are readily available. I'm sure I can find a place to shovel up some dirt from the yard, but it will be mostly clay. Maybe I should mix some bagged garden dirt in with it?

Ducks won't be an issue. ;-)

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
We let the chickens do our composting here. But if you moved some of the started compost pile into the litter it would be the starter instead of dirt. The key we have found is to have starter in the coop. We use dirt or leave some of the older litter in there. After this past winter we cleaned out the entire coop's litter and added new with a bit of dirt. It is much better. The deep litter once frozen is not great smelling so no point in using it as starter.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

We let the chickens do our composting here. But if you moved some of the started compost pile into the litter it would be the starter instead of dirt. The key we have found is to have starter in the coop. We use dirt or leave some of the older litter in there. After this past winter we cleaned out the entire coop's litter and added new with a bit of dirt. It is much better. The deep litter once frozen is not great smelling so no point in using it as starter.

Makes good sense. Next time I stir my compost I'll see if there's anything at the bottom I can use. I just started the pile last summer, and over the winter it froze solid, so there hasn't been a lot of breakdown.