The Deep Litter Method/Winter Coop Cleaning

The past few winters, I would trudge down in the cold and ice to clean out the coop every other week or so.  I would remove all the straw bedding, then sprinkle DE (diatomaceous earth) and replace the straw with new bedding.  The old soiled bedding would sit, partially frozen, in our compost pile until spring.  I didn't enjoy doing it, it didn't seem practical and I knew there had to be another way.

There is another, better way: it's called the Deep Litter Method.  I had read about this, but never tried it. It is an almost-forgotten old-timers' method that allows manure and bedding in the coop to accumulate and decompose inside the coop all winter, then in the spring you clean the whole thing out and have beautiful compost for your spring garden.

It basically consists of turning over the soiled bedding, adding a new layer, and allowing the chicken droppings to decompose on the floor of the coop all winter, while creating heat to keep the coop warm naturally. As a further bonus, as in composting, beneficial microbes grow that actually help control pathogens, making your chickens less susceptible to diseases.  (Using the Deep Litter Method helps prevent coccidiosis by not allowing the parasite eggs to develop.)

Then you just clean the whole thing out in the spring and dump it into your compost pile.  It sounded easy and practical.  So last fall I decided to give it a try.  

First I had to give the coop a good cleaning. Here's what I do on a regular basis to keep the coop clean and smelling fresh. And the best part - its all natural.  CLEANING YOUR COOP THE NATURAL WAY

Now for the deep-cleaning.  I use this same cleaning routine every fall.  I pick a nice, warm sunny day to do my twice yearly cleaning.  First I shovel out all the soiled straw and sweep out the coop as best as I can.

At this point, Quality Control will come and make their inspection.

                           

If the linoleum needs to be replaced, I rip it out at this point.  Then I fill a bucket with warm water, Dawn dishwashing liquid and regular store-brand vinegar.  I have a pair of rubber gloves and a scrub brush, as well as a larger long-handled scrub brush.

I have a recipe for a Homemade Orange Peel Vinegar Cleaning Spray that I use for intermittent cleaning of the roosts and walls as needed HERE.

It combines the antibacterial and disinfectant properties of vinegar with the insect repellent properties of cinnamon and vanilla and the solvency of the orange peel for an all natural spray.

I also use a Coop Refresher Spray to refresh the coop in between cleanings. Also all natural and easy to make, you can read more HERE.

Next the entire coop gets a good scrubbing with the detergent/vinegar mixture - floor, walls, roof, nesting boxes, roosting bars - getting into all the corners where mites might hide.

Then I hose off the inside, rinsing it well, and prop open the roof and nesting box cover to let the inside dry completely in the sun.  I love my coop design with the hinged roof because it is super easy to clean.

If needed, I next cut a new piece of linoleum and staple it down over the plywood floor.

The nesting boxes get nice new floors also.

A new layer of straw goes down. Note: if you are using the Deep Litter Method, DE should not be used since it will kill the good microbes and also isn't beneficial to have in your composted soil.  [Here is more information about DE] Also, with the Deep Litter Method, you should use pine shavings as your bottom layer.

 Of course the girls have to come check it out !

This is also a good time to check the exterior of the coop for loose screws, hinges, shingles, etc. and make any repairs necessary before winter.

Now for the Deep Litter Method:

Starting with the 6" layer of pine shavings on the floor, each morning I turn over the litter so the soiled bedding from the night before ends up on the bottom. I continue doing that each day, adding straw after that as needed to eventually build up to a 12" deep layer. Nothing is removed but rather turned over to expose new straw. (You can also use dry grass clippings, leaves, pine needles, or a combination of bedding types)

Chicken manure is very high in nitrogen.  Mixing it with a source of carbon (either straw, shavings or dry leaves) will balance the mixture and hasten the rate of decomposition.  It is important that your composting material contain oxygen, so turning is crucial. Fortunately the hens will help you with that part, especially if you get in the habit of tossing some scratch into the coop for them before bedtime.  They will learn to scratch through the litter to find the scratch when they wake up in the morning.  You can also turn the material with a rake. The turning and introduction of oxygen will reduce the chance of ammonia buildup.

After just a few weeks, the droppings, shavings and straw will start to decompose and you will end up with a fine dirt on the bottom that looks like this.

Continue in this manner all winter.  Early in the spring, sweep the composted litter into a wheelbarrow and toss it into your compost pile.  Then scrub down the entire coop as described above, let it dry and replace the bedding with a 6" layer of straw.  Through the spring and summer, I remove the soiled straw and it goes into our compost pile for the following spring's garden.  I only replace straw as needed to maintain a 6" base.  The Deep Litter Method is not appropriate during the warmer months since it does generate quite a bit of heat in the coop which you only want in the winter.

Here is what you will end up with come spring.  

A few caveats before you try The Deep Litter Method:  Your coop must have good ventilation (which is very important regardless of whether you use this method or not, to keep the humidity levels in the coop down to prevent frostbite) and if you smell even a hint of ammonia, you need to clean the entire coop out, add DE to absorb the vapors, put down new straw and start over.  Ammonia fumes can cause eye and sinus irritation in your flock.

As I mentioned, last winter was my first time trying the Deep Litter Method.  I was very impressed.  My coop didn't smell, there was no ammonia scent at all, and the coop consistently stayed 10 degrees or more higher than the outside temperature due to the decomposing litter and the chickens' body heat.  I will definitely use this method every winter going forward. It is inexpensive, easy and you end up with perfectly composted litter each spring !

Click here for PDF plans to build the coop pictured here

Everyone is welcome at Fresh Eggs Daily! To make sure you don't miss any of the tips and tricks, fan questions, giveaways or unending stream of cute photos join us on facebook at Fresh Eggs Daily and Ducks Too and be sure to sign up to follow our blog via email, Networked Blogs or Google Connect.

Reference Sources:
http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/Chicken_health_benefits_of_deep_bedding/
http://www.plamondon.com/faq_deep_litter.html
http://www.waldeneffect.org/blog/Deep_bedding_for_chickens/
http://avianaquamiser.com/posts/Deep_bedding_temperature/

Nutrena Re-usable Egg Carton

Please help me welcome our newest sponsor Nutrena.  I have been feeding my girls Nutrena layer crumble for more than a year now since our local feed store started carrying it and they not only love it but they are all healthy, happy, good layers.  

And what's really exciting is the news that Nutrena Poultry Feed has a new promotion starting March 1st and running through May 31st where you can get a free re-usable egg carton when you buy 3 bags of their poultry feed.   Here's the link for complete details:

http://www.nutrenaworld.com/nutrena/products/poultry/reusable-egg-carton/index.jsp

Nutrena Poultry Feeds sent me a free sample of the egg carton so I could try it out and let you know what I think….


Well, I really love it!  I love that is dishwasher safe so it can be really well sanitized. I love that it's made out of recycled plastic AND is recyclable.  I love the green color and the fact that it's perfect for camping or transporting eggs to a friend. 

I love that it latches shut securely...and I love that my duck eggs actually fit into it also.  

The lid doesn't shut over the duck eggs but at least I can store them in the frig inside the carton.

If you are already feeding your chickens Nutrena feed then you know what a quality product it is and how much they like it.  Now is a great time to stock up and get your re-usable egg carton.  If you aren't currently feeding your chickens Nutrena feed, now is a great time to try it out.   I don't think you will be disappointed in the feed or the egg carton.


Fresh Eggs Daily on Facebook

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Maple Syrup and Blueberry Sauce

My husband and I love Maine. We would move there in a heartbeat if he could find a job there. We love the cold snowy winters and the crisp fall days with the beautiful foliage. We love the warm summer days and cool summer nights. We also love blueberries, lobster and maple syrup. This easy recipe combines blueberries and maple syrup...and uses lots of eggs.

This is a deliciously easy recipe to make for a special breakfast. Since you assemble it the night before, you just have to pop it in the oven in the morning. And you would swear you woke up in Maine !

Bluebery Bread Pudding with Maple Syrup and Blueberry Sauce
(serves 4)

Six 1" slices day-old round loaf (homemade or bakery) white or country bread
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 Cup fresh or fresh or frozen Maine blueberries
6 Eggs
1 Cup heavy cream
1/4 C maple syrup
1 t. cardamom
1 t. vanilla bean paste

Cut bread into 1" cubes. Place half the cubes in a single layer in a buttered 8" baking dish. Cut cream cheese into 1/2" cubes and space evenly over bread cubes. Top with blueberries and remaining bread.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs, heavy cream, maple syrup, cardamom and vanilla. Pour over bread mixture, pressing down with the back of a spoon or spatula to soak all the bread evenly.

Cover pan with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, remove from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350. Bake covered for 45 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake an additional 30 minutes until top is golden brown.

While pudding is baking, make Blueberry Sauce and heat some additional Maple Syrup. Serve warm with Blueberry Sauce and Maple Syrup drizzled over top. Add an optional dollop of heavy cream whipped with sugar, cardamom and vanilla.

Blueberry Sauce

1/2 Cup sugar
1 T cornstarch
1/2 Cup water
1/2 Cup fresh or frozen Maine blueberries

Combine sugar, cornstarch and water. Boil in small saucepan, whisking to combine, for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Add blueberries and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring gently until berries burst.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

This recipe is shared at Strut your Stuff Saturday, 

Weeds 101

Chickens love weeds....

So do ducks...

Sour and Impacted Crop

As many of you know, Yvette lost her beloved hen Lily to sour crop this past January.  Even with the help of her vet, she was not able to save Lily. 

This prompted her to research sour crop in an effort to try and prevent it from happening again - or to be able to successfully treat it the next time if it does happen.  We hope that you will find this post informative.  If it saves even one chicken, Lily's death will not have been in vain.  It is so hard to lose a pet, and a chicken is no different.  

____________________________

Sour Crop ~ What it is & how to identify it.

The chickens' crop is located beneath the neck and just to the right of the center of the breast area.  When chickens eat, the food goes directly into the crop, which will become engorged until the food continues through the digestive system.  The entire digestive system is roughly twelve inches long with the mouth at 1 inch, the crop at 3 inches, the stomach at 5 inches, the intestine between 6-11 inches and the rectum at 12 inches. If there is an infection or blockage anywhere along the digestive tract, the chicken can end up with a stopped-up crop.

The process of fully emptying the crop can take several hours, and generally happens overnight, depending on the amount of food ingested.  Each morning, the crop should be empty, and the extended crop should not be present.

(normal full crop in the evening)

Sour crop is caused when the crop does not fully empty.  This may cause the contents to become fermented, resulting in a bacterial / yeast infection within the crop.  Long grasses, excessive amounts of bread and pasta, moldy feed and inadequate amounts of grit can all contribute to sour crop, as can the chicken inadvertently swallowing pieces of plastic, rubber bands or other indigestible substances.

As with most things, prevention is easier than a cure. Prevention of sour crop includes limiting access to long or tough plant fibers, adequate fresh water with apple cider vinegar added several times a week (in a ratio of 1T/gallon of water) and plain yogurt on a weekly basis, as well as providing plenty of grit to aid in digestion.

Sour crop can also be a side effect of any illness that causes dehydration. Unfortunately crops swollen with food will draw even more water from the bloodstream, leading to further dehydration and more food backup. Therefore liquids are extremely important in treating sour crop and clean, fresh water is a necessity in the run at all times.

(normal full crop in the evening)

Sour crop is best identified in the morning.  If the crop is extended and feels squishy, not hard, then the crop has not emptied as it normally should.   You also will notice a ‘sour’ smell coming from the beak of the chicken and in some cases a foul-smelling liquid may also leak out of the chickens mouth.   Your chicken may show signs of being lethargic. She may isolate herself – not eating or ‘scratching around’ as normal chicken behavior.  She may vomit and her skin may appear red instead of pink.


(Note: a hard crop can signal impacted crop which is a slightly different issue, also caused by large items in the crop that can't pass through the digestive system.  Impacted crop can be treated by lubricating the crop/digestive tract with vegetable oil in an eyedropper through the mouth and massaging the crop to try and break up the blockage, or in extreme cases actually slitting the crop open with a scalpel and removing the blockage. An impacted crop can actually press against the windpipe of the chicken and suffocate the hen.) 


If you suspect sour crop, isolating your chicken in a warm,quiet area, massaging the crop in the direction of the head trying to induce vomiting, encouraging yogurt, olive oil and water with apple cider vinegar is a great way to start. 

 If after several days of home remedies the crop still seems abnormal, it is probably time for a visit to your vet.  There are several options that can be considered for treatment, including fluid injections and/or antibiotics, however it’s best to seek direct advice from an Avian Veterinarian.

The pharmacy at the
 Virginia Beach Veterinary Hospital

Many thanks to Yvette for doing all the research and writing up this information to share with you.  

Sources: The Poultry Pages/DowntheLane.net and Poultry.allotment.org.uk  

Here is a wonderful resource for more information:
http://www.chickenvet.co.uk/health-and-common-diseases/digestive-problems/index.aspx#impacted_crop

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Product Review: Nature's Best Organic Feeds

I admit that although I try and raise my chickens as holistically and naturally as possible, I haven't been feeding them organic feed.  They get Nutrena Layer Crumble into which I mix a bunch of other good stuff, including DE and probiotic powder, to make their Breakfast of Champion Layers.  It does get a bit costly to purchase all the additives and then time-consuming to mix them into the feed, but I think it gives the bagged feed a nice boost.

All my chickens are healthy and happy and good layers, but organic feed is certainly something I have tossed around in my mind more than a few times over the years, although never really pursued it.  That is, until now.

One of our local feed stores now carries the Nature's Best line of organic horse feed and said they could order some chicken feed for me if I wanted (find a Local Dealer near you).

So I started to research organic feed a bit and have decided to give it a try.  After all, the healthier our chickens, the more nutritious their eggs.  Organic farming uses natural methods such as crop rotation and vinegar, instead of traditional pesticides, herbicides or fungicides which really appeals to me.

In conjunction with my new-found decision, I would like to introduce you to our newest sponsor Nature's Best Organic Feeds. I am very excited to have them sponsor our blog since I know a lot of you DO feed your chickens organic feeds and Nature's Best is now available around the country at many feed stores.

Nature's Best is the brand of feed that Martha Stewart feeds her horses, donkeys, chickens and geese. I feel confident that she can afford to feed her animals the VERY best - and the fact that she has chosen Nature's Best Organic Feeds speaks volumes for the company.

~photo courtesy of marthastewart.com~

Nature's Best Organic Feeds graciously agreed to donate a bag of their organic chicken feed to my girls to try.  The feed contains a mix of organic corn, wheat, oats and other grains, as well as Diatomaceous Earth, limestone and Probiotics, plus vitamins and minerals.

It is a bit more expensive than non-organic feeds but since it already has DE and probiotic powder in it, that will save me a bit of money since I won't have to purchase and add those supplements myself.  Organic feed may look the same as non-organic feed, but is less likely to contain pesticide residue and is also higher in complete amino acids and antioxidants.

All incoming organic ingredients are tested for GMO’s and if they get a positive reading, Nature's Organics will reject those grains. This insures the customer is getting certified organic ingredients. No other process in the feed industry like organic certification traces the grains all the way back to farm and has paperwork to prove it. Nature's Organics will provide any of their customers with their Feed Mill Organic Certification and the Organic Certification for the Organic Feeds. 

They proudly identify each bag of organic bag feeds with the USDA Organic symbol. 

Nature's Best Organic Feed is part of Kreamer Feed, Inc., a family business located in Pennsylvania started by George Robinson in 1947 and now run by his children.   They carry a full line of chicken feeds, for all stages of your chickens' life, including Starter, Grower/Developer, and Layer feeds, as well as Scratch Feed, Barley, Flax Seed, Oyster Shell and Granite Grit.

They have been making organic feeds for over 20 years and have extensive experience in manufacturing these products. They have their own poultry farms of organic broilers, organic turkeys and organic layers and the rations they recommend have been proven “down on the farm” before they ever sell these feeds to anyone else.

Nature's Best Organic Feeds recently sent me a bag of their layer pellets to try.  I was eager to see the girls' thoughts on not only switching feed brands but switching from crumble to pellets.

The bag arrived and I opened it up, interested to see the difference in feel, smell and appearance from non-organic feeds. The difference was immediately visible.  I could see little specks of all different color and texture grains. The feed smelled very fresh and almost like something I would pour into a bowl, cover with milk and eat myself. Almost....not quite, but almost !

But the real taste test was yet to come...the girls had to give it a try.  I set up two identical feeders side by side, filled each with a different feed and let the girls at them.  As you can see, it was pretty much a split decision !  I was actually very surprised that they would immediately take to a brand new feed - as well as the pellets, since they are used to crumble.  But they dove right in.  The ducks especially seemed to prefer the Nature's Best feed - I wonder if it contains some ingredients that they particularly like ? 

In the end, about the same amount of both feeds was left.  Although Praline couldn't resist going back for one more mouthful of the Nature's Best Organic Feed !   

I love that the feed is organic since we're eating the girls' eggs and the more healthy they are, the better for our health also. I also love that the feed already contains DE and probiotic powder which would eliminate the need for me to add it separately.  And the girls have spoken  -well sort of !

The decision to feed organic feed or not is certainly a personal one for each chicken keeper. We each need to weigh the cost/convenience factor against the GMO/pesticide factor and decide what works for us, our flocks and our families. Nature's Best Organic Feeds certainly makes the decision alot easier.

 Check out Nature's Best Organic Feeds for yourself. Their website has alot more information, including a complete ingredient list and list of distributors.  Ask your local feed store if they can order some for you if they don't regularly carry it.

If you already feed organic feed or have been thinking about it.... and please consider Nature's Best Organic Feeds and tell them we sent you !

Follow us on Facebook !

~Follow Nature's Best Organic Feed on Facebook~