What do I do with all the chicken poo?

[clucky3255]

Well I know Boise gets pretty cold in winter, but probably not like Maine! This is my first year of chickens so we shall see! But yeah, it works great! My uncle built me the coop, he's a contractor....I told him he could probably make some good extra money selling chicken houses!

I have only 2 chickens and I do what they call the "deep litter method" It has been working great. Basicly, you put in like a 9 inch layer of hay or wood chips ( I use Hay) and when it starts to get stinky you add another 6 or so inches ( about once every 2 or so months) and it composts in place and compacts down. All the poo falls through the fresh hay to the bottom. You clean it out about once a year. Rake off the top layer of loose hay and push it to the side and then shovel out the bottom stuff, about 6 inches or more down to where the earth is hard packed. Put the loose hay back down when you are done and top off with another layer of fresh hay. I put mine straight into my garden beds, mixed it in with the existing soil and waited a week and then planted and my veggies grew great. Or you can add it to your compost pile if you are worried about burning your veggies. Google it for exact details.

also, I live in CA, where it stays pretty dry so I'm not sure how this method would work if it rained frequently..... might be a whole lot stinkier!

put the poo im the dumpster were it bealongs

poo does not belong in the dumpsterr!!!! it belongs in the compost pile so you can recycle it and use it as good fertelizer! that is the green way to do it sunshine ducky! LOL

this is a very helpful thred!

 

[LakeBird]

poo does not belong in the dumpsterr!!!! it belongs in the compost pile so you can recycle it and use it as good fertelizer! that is the green way to do it sunshine ducky! LOL

 

[ChickInDelight]

I free-range. The nighthouse has a sand floor and needs so little maintenance, I feel guilty. I also have ducks housed for the night. I built the house out of pallets, and often leave the roof open in hot weather. Mother Nature is the best! I also have an auto-waterer with drain. Once, when the area around the waterer smelled, I hosed down the sand floor. I put straw or hay down in the winter, but only use a bale or two per year.

 

[bruceha2000]

I also tried some leftover cat litter last week too and that works great. I only have 5 hens and I can go a month without cleaning the drawer. The run is all sand/dirt so I never really have to clean it, it just turns over when they scratch and dust in there. When I do change the litter, I have been piling it in the yard and will probably spread some of it next year after it winters over.

I don't think I'd put the cat litter used in the coop in the compost or the garden. I'm sure there are many types but all most likely have chemicals and clay that you don't want in your garden.

 

[sunshine ducky]

oh ok I get it now

 

[EpicBlueAcres]

I use sand inside the coop and shavings in the attached fenced yard, during the day when I'm home to supervise they free range. I have implemented a lot of these ideas since starting to follow this thread and they have all worked so well. I now have a useful place for my poo and mix it in with the laying boxes hay and some lawn clippings(got a smaller bag mower just for that reason) and I have had zero smell. THANKYOU ALL FOR SHARING YOUR TRICKS OF THE TRADE TO USE NEWBIES

 

[blondiebee181]

I don't think I'd put the cat litter used in the coop in the compost or the garden. I'm sure there are many types but all most likely have chemicals and clay that you don't want in your garden.

Oh yeah, I don't compost cat litter...I just wanted to use the rest of what I had up...I usually put wood pellets in the drawer and compost those.

 

[octoberh]

use grass it kills 2 chores at once

 

[chickenmarinate]

wow i cant wait to eat the eggs

 

[chickenmarinate]

check out my chicks