Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[cuties]

I have had chickens for a year and half. I have 100% emptied the coop 3 times. Typically I keep mixing and addi g. But then it will get to a point where it is kind of just stinky. And doesn't seem to be clean when I add fresh pine chips. That is the point when I clean it all out. Most of the poo is cleaned out of the coop on a regular basis tho. Because we have sand under the perches that we scoop with a kitty litter scooper. So there is a lot less in the litter on the floor. Our chickies free range. In warm times they only go in to at night and lay eggs. Durring the day they sleep in the sun or under the pines. Now that cold is here, they stay in more. So cleaning out actually happens more in the winter for me. Hope this helps

 

[Celtic Chick]

They will thaw out sooner or later, Ang, and the composting will start then. One of the many ideas about deep litter is so the poop mixes in with all the shavings so the birds are not standing on just a stalagmite of solid frozen poo, which is really hard to try to deal with when in petrified/rock consistancy. In the spring, you clean out all the litter and put it on your compost pile.

You are definitely correct about everyone sharing their differing opinions on this forum. There is seldom one right answer. Each individual must do their research and decide for themselves which route is the best one for their particular situation. As for your situation, I am glad your birds are more active than you first thought. I think having another fecal test is a good idea also. Then you can decide what to do from there.

I don't think anyone said that using artificial lights was cruel, just not "natural" or perhaps stressful. I think the cold is equally stressful on a bird, so I provide a heat bulb for them if they care to use it. And it has been pretty popular with my flock these past few days. Brrrrr! I haven't caught them trying to mix any margaritas yet, but I'm sure that is coming.

 

[bigzio]

Morning To All....I wouldn't worry about it very much cuties. Total score is 100 points with 10 coming from the breast and 7 of those is for the shape and only 3 for color...so a minus 1 or 1.5 is minor in my opinion. The Columbian description is a white chest....but like I said, that's only 3 total points.

bigz

 

[Angiebubs]

Oops! I want to clarify: I clean out the coop more than my previous post made it sound! I clean it out in the spring when it warms up, a few times during the summer (I don't keep much bedding on the floor-the cement/dirt stays cooler that way) than another complete clean out late fall before I start the winter DLM.

CC: I completely over turn the bedding every week to 10 days-to help break it down.....and never had this issue last year. Maybe because it wasn't -12 in Dec? and had a chance to start the process before it ever got this cold!!! ARGH!

 

[irishrovr]

Oops! I want to clarify: I clean out the coop more than my previous post made it sound! I clean it out in the spring when it warms up, a few times during the summer (I don't keep much bedding on the floor-the cement/dirt stays cooler that way) than another complete clean out late fall before I start the winter DLM.

CC: I completely over turn the bedding every week to 10 days-to help break it down.....and never had this issue last year. Maybe because it wasn't -12 in Dec? and had a chance to start the process before it ever got this cold!!! ARGH!

I shovel out the poo on the floor where they (and I) walk around but leave it under the roosts and add more hay/straw/whatever to it. Right now I have a lot of frozen poosicles on the floor and under the roosts. It's gonna smell like a son-of-a-gun in there when it all thaws out! Though maybe the spills from all the tropical drinks will help neutralize the odor?? They tend to spill a lot when they have a conga line going on.

 

[Huntress78]

Oh gosh I hope I have a better experience than you did. But thanks for the advice

I like Jim's idea of straw over wire. If I were going to raise them again I'd try that. You might want to research in the gamebird/quail section here for more advise and if you have chickens read about Coryza and keeping chickens and quail separate. Good luck!

 

[chikenscratch]

I checked the flock out last night and they are active. Even the two hens that are going through a pretty harsh molt seemed alert. As far as the worms-This summer/fall when I was dealing with that sick hen, the fecal samples from the flock came back showing roundworms. The Vet stated they were there and should be wormed but it wasn't enough to worry worming until late fall during their molting. I may wait and send in another sample so I can find out for sure if its necessary or something I could wait awhile for.

As far as the light/heat differences of opinions: One thing I have always liked about this forum is, it is supposed to be about sharing and learning from each other. We all ask and learn from each other and than decide which direction to go for our own personal needs. There is no one right or wrong answer.

Another question for those of you that use the "Deep Litter method"?

My coop is about 12 x 24 inside....with 26 chickens. I currently have about 1-2 feet deep of pine shavings in most areas (Some areas more/some less). When I turn the bedding over, I am finding "poopsicles" under the roosts (Due to the cold temps). I know the concept is to continuously turn the bedding while adding fresh shavings so that it will all breakdown and allow some composting heat. How do you do that with the droppings freezing?

We use the DL method and I do not stir anything up in there on a regular basis, that is the chickens' job! I do add bedding on a regular basis and do a complete clean out once a year. The poop needs to be in there and if it is frozen, nothing is decomposing at all. Also, I would not use DE as it could kill of the bacteria that you are trying to encourage!

 

[momgille]

Another question for those of you that use the "Deep Litter method"?

My coop is about 12 x 24 inside....with 26 chickens. I currently have about 1-2 feet deep of pine shavings in most areas (Some areas more/some less). When I turn the bedding over, I am finding "poopsicles" under the roosts (Due to the cold temps). I know the concept is to continuously turn the bedding while adding fresh shavings so that it will all breakdown and allow some composting heat. How do you do that with the droppings freezing?

Every morning I go to the coop I throw a small amount of scratch in the coop and let the girls stir it up for me haven't had an issue with poopsicles. Chickens and birds in general are one of the few creatures that will eat the seeds that aren't digested out of another animals poop, or so I think I heard somewhere sometime, grosses me out to think of it though. Glad I wasn't born a chicken...

 

[RBerryChicks]

I shovel out the poo on the floor where they (and I) walk around but leave it under the roosts and add more hay/straw/whatever to it. Right now I have a lot of frozen poosicles on the floor and under the roosts. It's gonna smell like a son-of-a-gun in there when it all thaws out! Though maybe the spills from all the tropical drinks will help neutralize the odor?? They tend to spill a lot when they have a conga line going on.

We use the DL method and I do not stir anything up in there on a regular basis, that is the chickens' job! I do add bedding on a regular basis and do a complete clean out once a year. The poop needs to be in there and if it is frozen, nothing is decomposing at all. Also, I would not use DE as it could kill of the bacteria that you are trying to encourage!

I had read that about the use of DE, which is why we decided not to use it. A friend had give me a large bucket of food grade DE, anyone have a use for it?

 

[jvls1942]

CC, no thank you..

AngB ,, I don't turn mine over.. I just keep adding.. You are not going to get much composting during the winter.. too cold..

true food grade DE is white.. if it is off color it can be food grade, but not for humans..

You can use food grade DE for deworming, and for preventing worms .

If your nests are clean and you notice little spots of what looks like poo on the eggs, they might have worms .. .

...........jiminwisc..........