Deep Litter Method Explained! Plus What to Put in Your Run. Santa Fe Modern Chicken Coop
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 22 сен 2019
- An extensive explanation about the deep litter method and how to do it and why it works so well. Matt delves into the particulars with Bethany, a horticulturist and farm manager who is working on the property that is home to this beautiful and very modern chicken coop in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Find out how composting work and how your henhouse is working as a composter.
They also discuss what you need to put in your run for your flock, especially if you cannot free range, while Matt goes over the features of this beautiful chicken coop.
This coop has the egg hutch bumped inside the henhouse to preserve the clean lines of the coop. It has storage underneath the henhouse and has a big storage closet on the side as well.
It has a 10'x24' run with an 8'x10' henhouse. It has shiplap siding, two double doors, a rain barrel poultry water system with a water bar, as well as our regular features of a deep litter henhouse, half inch PVC coated hardware cloth and polycarbonate windows that open and give tons of ventilation in the henhouse.
Check out a short video on the building of this coop too: • Inside Look Behind a C...
#walkinchickencoops
#carolinacoops
#customchickencoops
carolinacoops.com/
919-794-3989
Subscribe to get notifications of our new videos!
Check out our website to shop coops and options and shop for accessories! carolinacoops.com/shop/
Check out resources, blogs, & FAQs and join our mailing list: carolinacoops.com/
Instagram: carolinacoo...
Facebook: / carolinacoops
Pinterest: / carolinacoops
Houzz: www.houzz.com/pro/carolina-co...
Twitter: / carolinacoops 
Животные
Went to Puerto Rico twice for business a few years ago. Saw un-refrigerated eggs in the store. Started doing research cause this grossed me out. Found out the horror story behind factory farming and that like no other country wastes the energy keeping eggs cold when it is not needed at all. Now I got about 50 chickens and get fresh eggs everyday. They eat lots of stuff out of the woods along with a good feed twice a day using organic feed. You will not believe the difference in taste. These home laid eggs are simply better. We never put them in the fridge as long as they are clean If they get covered in poo we wash them. When you wash them you remove the protective coating that the hen puts on. So, then you have to refrigerate the eggs. Keeping a nice clean nesting place will keep your eggs clean. So, you don't have to wash them.
We agree and say it all the time.
Such a worthwhile conversation to behold cheers. Two questions:
1 What to expect regarding flies with the deep litter method?
2 What to do regarding feeding does that happen atop the deep litter or elsewhere? Feed, snacks etc - related to the first question too?
Thanks!
@@lisavincenti4688 Hi Lisa. For your first question, we find the hemp bedding really absorbs the odors and helps dry out the droppings, so flies are not attracted to it, like they would be for pine shavings for example.
For the second question, the deep litter bed is in the bottom of the henhouse, because a lot of chickens' defecation takes place at night when they are roosting. They don't eat in the henhouse, but instead the food and water is in the run section of the coop. As for attracting flies with feed, it's mostly kitchen scraps or fresh fruit (chickens love melons) that will attract flies, but as long as you give your flock enough for them to finish in a day, it won't attract more flies or other predators to the coop. Hope that helps answer your questions. Thanks Lisa!
Amen my friend! Do not wash your eggs, just leave them on the counter. Free-rangers are the best, if you love a true egg. Mine roost 9 feet off the ground in a tree like wild birds. Oh! I just heard a large hoot owl outside...see ya!
I agree with you. I'm from Puerto Rico, and if you go to the fresh market; we call it Plaza del Mercado, you'll see fresh produce, and nothing is refrigerated.
I am SO GLAD she went back and correct herself. That's a good woman right there. I was like Wait wait wait! 🤣
This was a great session. Thanks so very much. I’ve been wanting chickens for 20+ years and I think I may be getting them soon. I’m learning so much!
I luv this video ❤ Two very knowledgeable experts sharing their knowledge!
Men, I do like all your videos! Now I'm seriously considering getting a chicken coop from you.
Horticulturist, in other words; gardener/farmer. I'm a product of that, I studied in Puerto Rico in a high school/vocatinal school that you do Horticulture studies and regular curriculum. Now I'm self-sufficient, and I grow my own food back home. There is nothing more rewarding than eating fresh, no pesticide food from your own garden.
Anyhow, God bless you, your family, and your team!
At 14:20 she explains aerobic and anaerobic composting exactly backwards. Aerobic is in the presence of oxygen, when you're stirring it up mixing oxygen in. Anaerobic is when oxygen is not present...when you're adding layers without stirring, mixing or turning.
Chickens tend to scratch and dig so that's gonna stir and turn, so I think the aerobic methods gonna work better in a deep litter coop...
I see at about 18:20 she realized she had said it backward. I still say with chickens the deep litter method is still gonna be an aerobic process...and it might not generate a lot of heat but it is gonna produce some. As a chicken keeper I'd say help out the process by helping stir up any areas the chickens are neglecting that might be getting compacted...or sprinkle a bit of scratch around and they'll likely turn it for you...
yes it was driving me nuts! totally backwards but the right ideas, just swapped.
it happens easily when talking on camera. You know what you're talking about but you just mix em up without realising...
@@gerrymatheson4020 I was thinking the same thing about the scratching around
@@Tsuchimursu It happens to me regardless of the presence of a camera. 😅😂
Plus with the solid roof you can use rain water catchment to help water the chickens too
A lot of helpful information. I will be checking other videos.
I started off with the Hemp bedding you sell for my coop and it’s been awesome. Last month I ran out and had to clean out fully a small tray liner. I cant get very deep w the deep method layer. So I switched to the wheat straw I had on hand and added pine shavings to the bottom of the hutch before the straw and a little bit on top. I immediately began smelling ammonia! It’s gotten pretty bad so I’m cleaning every few days in the hutch. However, I just placed an order for more of your fine shaved hemp so I think we will all be happy again soon. The hemp vs straw experiment is night and day. I hope to never use hay or straw again. Hemp is magic! No ammonia smell at all!
Thank you so much for comments. We would love you to write a review about that for us on Google, trustpilot, or our website.
@@CarolinaCoopsVideos sure. Happy to.
Hay wasn't good in my first chicken house. I used pine shavings and lots of it. I'm just learning about hemp bedding. (I believe we will be getting chickens again this year and im so excited!)
I grew up in Ireland and my mom and grandmother used to buy our eggs from the Eggman. Him and his sons would drive around once every two weeks and check in with everybody to see if they wanted eggs he would sell them by their tray. You would get 30 eggs in a tray. If the egg man came to the house and you didn’t have any cash, he would still give you the eggs and you just pay them double next time. Great system kind of miss it. Your eggs you knew where they were coming from and they were free range to sew an awful lot of people used to buy their eggs from him . in our house, and in my grandmothers house, we always put the tray of eggs on top of the fridge. They were out of the way and safe I’m never seeing eggs inside a fridge until I came to North America.. even in the supermarkets in Ireland and the UK, the eggs would be on the shelf. The only time you would see eggs in the fridge is if you whisk some up and you were going to use it a little later on weed sitting in the fridge but other than that our eggs were always shelf stable. PS I never saw white eggs till I came to North America either all of our eggs were brown unless you got some duck eggs which had a blue tint. Even though I am living here years I still cannot buy white eggs. It just looks wrong to me. I have to buy a nice brown egg lol.
@@living2day617 yeah white shelled eggs are weird lol.
This is a really helpful video!!! Thank you for creating this!!!
You're welcome. Thank you for your comments and for watching
Watched every last minute of this video... great information
Thank you Jamie! That's awesome to hear.
Great info. I learned so much on this video. Incredible.
Thank you
❤👍She is talking my language!! Loads of great info! Love the drawers, very cool! 💚too see an update on this one!! ♻️💚👍
Wow!! This has been the most educational video you've done, I'm pumped thank you
Thank you Deborah. We really wanted to delve deep into deep litter (pun intended) to show people how great it is and will little effort. Thanks for the compliment and for watching.
@@CarolinaCoopsVideos lpa
I love it. Top notch. I have a similar climate so put sand under the deep litter method. I use yard leaves, grass clippings, all kitchen scraps. Also, NO FLOOR IN THE COOP. Chickens don't need a floor. Just a dry draft free space with controllable ventilation.
She's right about compost. moisture is lacking in the desert South West.
Exactly!
you can also use leaves and pine needles for FREE. works great.
Great video !!!
Thank you Jane!
Omg this is my dream coop ❤️❤️
The reason that I decided to get chickens was a British show about how eggs are collected, sold and kept in a bowl on the counter, all without refrigerating. They explained the reasoning and facts. That was a wakeup call. They also explained how the US does the opposite and why we have the issues we have, like salmonella. I made the choice then to get my own chickens and enjoy them and the eggs they produce. I will no longer support big chicken business for a variety of reasons. Love this coop and learning about deep litter!
Loved hearing how you were lead to Chickens!
SOOOO HELPFUL... Thank you
You're so welcome!
I've so been enjoying the vid's but this was the one that got me to subscribe. Thank you for the info in a good, fun, and positive way. =D
Thank you so much for subscribing! We hope to do more videos that will educate people about all aspects of chicken keeping.
I used a laser pointer to teach my chickens how to use the water nipples.
Love the video on Dream coop!
I like the egg box being inside better
There are many nice features about your hen house but I have to say the storage drawers are excellent!!
Nicely done!
How about the same type of drawer design for the bedding area. When cleaning needs to take place you would simply extract the drawers and dump the material on the garden or flower beds, etc. etc.
I am a zone organizer and I would really love to have supply storage for my henhouse there. I don’t wanna have to truck across the lawn to the shed or to the garage or wherever to get my materials to deal with my head house.. so when they put that open space underneath the house, I just think that’s wasted I’d rather have my bedding or my feed or whatever underneath the hen house. I’m older and mobility is an issue for me. I also love the idea of the food hopper and the automatic watering bar.
Lots of info. Explaining HOW it works. Thnx
Thank you!
Nice coop. You mentioned not having a flat roof over the laying area to keep poop off, but the roost poles are running over the top of the slanted roof which may defeat the purpose.
Yes that is why the roof of the egg box is slanted and why we always prefer to bump out the egg box to a egghutch but sometimes like in this case it’s not what the customer wants. Thanks for watching.
This chicken coop, I probably can live there too.
Elderberry bushes are awesome to to plant around chickens coops or runs
Why?
THIS WAS AWESOME!!! Newbie here. Getting my coop soon, so I've been gathering my information. I'm sold on the deep litter method!!! Question about the barrel water system. With that barrel being exposed to the sun and heat, would that not product bacteria or fungi growth in the barrel? And how often would it need to be cleaned out. I looked at your site and say the water pipe set up but no barrel. I'm interested in learning more to maybe add one to my coop. Thank you for the rich information and passion for what you guys do!
We advise to clean out the rain barrel each season. Our system is circulating, so if you run the pump a couple of times of month it keeps the water fresh. Also the barrel won't grow any algae since its opaque. If the barrel is exposed to direct sun, we suggest putting a shade cloth over it to keep the water from heating up in the hot months. Hope this helps.
Wonderful!!! Thank you so much for the reply! I appreciate it 😊
Amazing conversation, not only about about chickens and coops, but also about a better environment and healthy food production, love it :-)
Thank you so much. We are glad you enjoyed it all.
If I could afford these coops... 😍
$$$
I've commented on other videos & I realize this video is a few years old but I can't get over how fantastic your coops are. They are remarkably well designed & built.
Thank you for your kind words Don. That's a huge compliment for us because we take such pride in our craftsmanship and design.
Elderberry bush’s are good too
I fucking love this video
I've seen a few of your videos and your reputation is epic. I'm learning a lot and am just trying to get prepared so I do it right. May I suggest you get some lapel mics - your audio in this one is nasty. Get one for yourself of course but one for each other person in the shot. RODES is a quality brand, (you want one with a wind sock) and SHURE is another brand; I think they're both at big box stores.
An intelligent, forward thinking vid. I learned a lot, cuz we’re adding chickens to the garden. The scientific comments were very helpful, and probably manageable for laymen.
they were wrong
nvm they got it right the second time
I'm in love
with the chick or the coop in this video
@@asifi8423 the girl.... well both ....I guess
@islanti and the problem is ...
Has a great rear form when she picked up that and tossed that bail into the coop...
I'm building my first Coop and love the idea of using the HDPE. Can I substitute it with White Corrugated Twinwall Plastic Sheet to save money? Thx Jim
Great video, so much to take in.
Is there a video to correctly do the step by step deep litter method?
We have videos on cleaning it out and videos showing us putting in the hemp, but honestly don't over think it. Just put in about 4-6 inches of hemp to start, adding more if it starts to smell. You can turn it every month or so to get the good stuff on the bottom that has broken down. Don't add DE, just don't overdo it with the hemp, because you want a good ratio of poop to hemp to help the process of it breaking down. When it's time to clean it out, you can leave some stuff from the bottom to help jump start the new stuff with beneficial microbes, but you don't have to. Hope that helps explain the process.
How many chickens are going to be living in this beautiful coop?
"Food production manager" . . . what a world we live in! lol
When I was a little boy my aunt had chickens and she would scramble eggs and feed them back to the hens… I always thought it was weird😮😂
Ha! Chickens love scrambled eggs and it's actually a great source of protein when they need some extra nutrients.
can you hook up a filter to the system they have water filtration systems that you can use for garden hoses will your rain barrel system fit with those
There probably isn't enough pressure for that to work. But you can use your hose (with a water filter) to fill the rain barrel, or if you use rain water (with a gutter system) that water would not need to be filtered. Thanks for watching.
not that I’m the type that gets hang up on terms. But I do think this is more of a composting way with oxygen. Since the hemp fibers are not compacting at least by the looks of it now. The heat part would be introduced. By the right carbon and nitrogen ration and moister. but critical in this case the MASS. You would need to make a really deeep litter box to get to a hot composting situation so in other words. This is like you say save to use and is not going to be a heat generating process what is a good thing like you say in your videos. If you want to do Hot composting to speed up the composting process that can be done after it’s removed from the chicken coop. Also anaerobic (with out air) would not be ideal it will make your composting smell and will happen when it would be very wet and there for there is a lack of air. And for my understanding could also have some harm full effects if you would be in that location. So in case you do have that sir it a bit up. Or use a different bedding material. Or maybe look if there a roof leak? Or the material is just compacting to much so losing it back up can help. Ad let the material absorb the moister
I live in Salmon Arm, BC and it goes down to -30C which is -22F. The combs start to kind of freeze at -15C/5F. My rooster got a large blister this year and it popped. Blood everywhere. Dont heat?
Nice coop nice worke and nice partner
Thank you.
That is a great looking chicken coop. I am starting to build one now......and was thinking of using grass clippings from when I mow the yard for my bedding. It is all natural ... LOL ....... and does not cost anything. I already use it for my garden......so I thought I would use it for the chickens......during the summer I cut the grass once a week......so there is plenty to use. Any thoughts ?
I would only use the grass clippings in the run, that would be perfect there. not in the henhouse, the best option is the hemp bedding in the henhouse.
I've seen people use straw mats, their woven and square, fits in the box perfectly.
she is so cute .
a good 'ol country girl !
Yeah she's great!
My coop is 10x 20, on the ground. I use shredded cardboard for my Deep litter. Right on the ground, havnt cleaned my coop in almost 3 years no smell at all
Bethany is mighty fine and a brain, killer combo!
Wow!! So glad I found this video, extremely educational!! Subscribed!!
Thank you!
But the chickens scratch at the litter moving it around so wouldn't that make it aerobic?? I encourage my chickens to scratch around to mix it up and get air down to the bottom of my deep litter method, but I'm new at this so I could be wrong
👍👍
I use straw too
Bethany has the anaerobic and aerobic processes flipped. aerobic is with oxygen and anaerobic is without. deep litter, not adding oxygen is yes slower, but would be anaerobic if you are not turning it to add the oxygen.
She corrected herself.
Where's the best place to buy the hemp bedding?
Great video ✊🏾 It would be great to see more videos with experts and then maybe a follow-up video after a year or so.
Do a follow-up video, please.
What about cleaning it out into the run when the time comes?
Dont hate weeds, a lot of them have healing powers 😉
....cold climates like -22° F? I am in Canada where is gets really cold. No heater?
thanks for the video... i just bought a small ranchette in deming, new mexico and it has a goat shed with probably 4-5 inches of hay/alfalfa on the ground.... it also has lots of dried goat poop. from what i understand, the previous owner did not have goats so the poop is dry and probably at least a year old. i am remodeling the shed into a 25' x 10' coop-down from the original size....is the goat poop hay bedding good to use as the starter or should i clean it all out and start over...the base is plain dirt. thanks, richard
Is this to put in your chicken coop to start the deep litter? We're not sure what you are asking. But the goat poop is old and is fine to use in the garden now.
@@CarolinaCoopsVideos the goat poop is already mixed in with the straw or hay that is in the goat shed that I am remodeling into a chicken coop.... my question is basically is it all right if I leave it there on the ground where it presently is so I do not have to scoop it all out and I can just use it for the chickens when I buy them in March.... this way I do not have to buy any new straw or bedding we can use the old straw with a goat poop as the initial layer for the Deep litter method....
@@richardcadena7746 Thanks for clarifying, yes you can leave it there. Good luck with your remodel! Check out our other videos for some inspiration. Thanks!
@@CarolinaCoopsVideos I've checked all your videos..... very very nice looking coupes they give me lots of ideas luckily for me I already have a structure I just have to reduce it reinforced it and make it to bowl for chickens but yes I do love your coops thank you so much for your reply
To get heat, and aerobic composting, introduce small pipes vented to the outside into the bottom of the pile.
This is a common practice in various areas, where people stick hollow bamboo into compost piles to give oxygen to the center of the pile. These piles need not be be turned very often, or at all.
That would, of course, mean your bedding will turn into actual compost more quickly, and you'll have to add more carbon over time
In addition, since this is a small, flat pile the pipes would have to be either numerous, or perhaps multi port...i haven't experimented worth small piles shop I can only give you my theoretical opinion it might introduce drafts which wouldn't be good.
We appreciate your comments and expertise on composting!
We've had many customers wait 18 months to over 2 years before cleaning, so the deep litter method works great at composting in our coops, especially with the industrial hemp.
Our goal is to make it easy and effortless for our customers. Really a set it and forget it type of system. We do recommend it curing for a while before introducing it to the garden.
We recommend Hemp Fiber mats for the nest box, again sustainable and R2 value per inch when industrial hemp fiber is used as insulation..
Hi i live in chicago and i have serama What recommendation did you get for coop remember We have winters. -35
I am un kansas we get to 0 i built mine from and old bed abd use shutter made of plastic to cover the outside, my roof is clear so any bit of sun in the winter gets in. I ssid put i bulb inside a clay pot that covers a cinderblock, i use black bags of leaves in the fall pile up against thir run to gelp with wing and black plastic absorves heat, or some wrap it around all the way with plastic hardwear cloths and leave the top open
You keep talking about carbon so are we supposed to add carbon to the hemp bedding like maybe before we add a new layer or is the carbon coming from the hemp bedding ?
can i layer this on top of my shed floor, just plain old plywood flooring? or do i need to cover the wood before putting the hemp on the floor?
You can layer this on top as long as it's a thick layer, otherwise, you can treat the floor with linseed oil or a vegetable oil to make it less porous. This hemp is super absorbent, so your floor should be safe, provided you put enough down.
So 6-8inches then? Its a shed conversion, so it's approximately 100sq ft
What if you put something in there first, say top soil? and then add the hemp on top - beneficial?
You want to keep just the hemp because of its absorbency it will keep down the wetness and the smell from the droppings.
what about winter ventilation? if you seal the wind chill where does that leave the fumes?
Typically there is a roof vent, also the window opening into the run provides ventilation. Also when all closed up it’s still not airtight what your trying to do is minimize wind gusts that stress your birds.
Store your eggs in hydrated lime water for up to 2 yrs at room temperature. Be sure you use the correct hydrate lime
Can please you elaborate on this?
@@ajgintoli1581 2 cups of Hydrated Lime (not garden lime) in a bucket of water. place eggs into water (be careful not add too much water because eggs will displace and over flow). Put in a closet, kitchen floor, pantry and pull eggs out as you need them.
Don't forget...Do not wash the eggs. It doesn't work if you wash them off
Question: wouldn’t you have to keep newer eggs you’re adding daily to the bucket of water so as to know which are the older eggs and to use the older ones first? Could you please explain this part , that is, adding new eggs; or can you add newly laid eggs to the bucket of older eggs? Thank you
@@dorothyallen3614 Fill the bucket with lime (correct type) and water. Add Eggs, lid, and store. 6months later pull an egg out and cook it. No adding more water unless it evaporates to the point where eggs are sticking out of the water.... Search for Water Glassing.... ruclips.net/video/bTlcCvvUjl0/видео.html
wait.... you're saying i can fill a deep litter space at the bottom of my coop and not replacee it for YEARS?!?! OMG
The chickens turn the bedding when they scratch
One thing I'm wondering about is whether it would be okay to plant a couple of dwarf shrubs in the run to give them something natural to sit under and perhaps eat some buds or berries off it. For the sake of controlling moisture in the run maybe the shrubs could be in containers that are planted in the ground so that watering is confined to the container and runs out beneath it. Would plant roots allow animals like rats or moles to easily dig their way up into the run? What's your advice about this idea please? BTW I'm planning and brainstorming while saving to build a chicken home in the backyard. One thing I plan is to add a wired in "foyer" area so that if any of my 4 cats sneak around me to get into the chicken area I can put them out/shut them out with a wire door before opening the door that accesses the run. They'll not only want to eat the chickens but they'll be very jealous of them too--I'll have to find ways to make it up to them big time:-) Oh, one more thing, I intend to get heat friendly bantams because I live in So. Texas where the summers are vicious. What size roost bars do you recommend for these little hens? I've read as small as 1".
Hi there! I think it would be fine to plant some small shrubs in the run area and even better if they produce edible berries for the chickens! Planting them in containers seems unnecessary to me. Having plants inside of a covered run will of course mean more maintenance for you watering but you could always set up drip irrigation line (buried!) to the shrubs. My experience with chickens is that they will eat all the lower branches of shrubs within their reach so it may be tricky getting small plants established and you may want to bring in shrubs that are already a few years old. I don't think you need to worry about roots. I think your foyer area seems like an awesome additional safety precaution! I recommend planting lots of catnip on the opposite side of your property from the coop as both a distraction and means of appeasing your jealous cats!
@@EnvironmentalHarmony Thank you! I'll follow your suggestions including the catnip :-)
Keep in mind you will want to protect the shrubs until they take root. Chickens like nothing better than to dig up newly planted vegetation. You can always add wire fencing or bricks around the base (but leave room for water to get in too) until they root sufficiently.
Also, for bantams 1.5 inch roost bars, but they do fine on our standard 2.25 inch width roost bars
@@CarolinaCoopsVideos Thank you!
Florida has been humanureing for years. Treated and sprayed on City landscapes. My husband worked for them years ago, he said your using what? lol!
What a interesting video, Matt you really learned a lot about composting. I do think the Chickens will add a little bit of Oxygen into it.
Mine Love to kick everything to either sides.
I have a Question or two about the Height of the Roost bars, where those a little higher than your others, and what's a Safe height? Not sure if you remember because you have done probably a thousand different coops, but you had a Two part video where the couple actually had a Half Storage shed, Their Old Coop is what I have. I bring this up because it has 5 roost bars the top Two run front and back, and then 3 bars going horizontal , well I had a chicken crash down from the top bar on to horizontal one, her leg was never the same,( she mentioned) and it took days for the other girls to accept her again.
Your Coop has a advantage of the deep litter hemp to jump down into.
I have new girls, WO, and BA so I'm only using 2 Horizontal bars, plus the small vents where below the top bars ( design Flaw). I felt it was a good idea to use just two horizontal ones.
Thank you for mentioning "just putting out what table scraps they can eat" I think backyard chickens get a bad rap from towns, from people leaving out extra food at night.
Please Don't Retire in the Next few years, as we moving to NC, and I would like a Carolina Coop, with the Duck Dipper
Thanks again
It's not sold here and too much money to ship or I'd try it for my ducks. What's your shipping charge?
So if you live in upstate ny what should you do with with the coop to keep the chickens from freezing ..
Hi there. Chickens do better in cold temps than really hot temperatures. We never recommend heating the henhouse for many reasons. Mostly because its a huge fire hazard, and also because chickens need a consistent temperature because their bodies can't adjust to drastic temp fluctuations. Plus they have downy feathers and huddle for warmth in the winter. We do sell run storm shields which will block out snow and cold wind, which is much more detrimental to chickens. And of course, our windows close on our coops to keep out the cold, but it still has plenty of ventilation. Check out videos on our channel for Matt and his own coop in 10 degree temps. Thanks for watching.
I have 4 x 8 raised beds, chicken house is 4 x 8,to compost for garden should I just take it out & just let it rest a few weeks before sprinkling on my 4 beds
Yes, you should let it cure for at least a few months, especially the stuff from the top layer. Thanks for comments.
Where would I order the hemp bedding?
So appreciate all the good information! I wish Matt was my neighbor.
🙂
Thank you for your comments!
At least an 8 by 10 chicken coop , how many chicken's can you have to make it comfortable for them ?
That shirt though! Where can I get one!?
MATT, SAY YOU HAVE A 12 X12 HORSE STALL HOW MUCH HEMP WOULD I NEED PER STALL AND HOW OFTEN WOULD I NEED TO STRIP IT TO COMPOST? WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BF. I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING IT
Would it be okay to mix oak tree leaves into hemp? We have a ton of leaf fall. Should we only put them in the run?
Our suggestion would be just to use the leaves in the run, and the hemp in the henhouse. It will do a much better job of keeping the area dry which is what you want with the deep litter method.
Would a deep litter system work with rabbits? If so how much area per 10-12 lbs rabbit?
Derik Card I have rabbits it doesn’t work for them you have to clean it every 2 weeks
Beautiful house! (I mean, coop!).... Question! How do you attach the coop to that foundation? Is it bracketed down? Thanks!
The stone foundation has anchor bolts in it, so the crew can screw the wood base into those bolts. Check out this short video, it shows what we're talking about. ruclips.net/video/IIjUdBcy42Q/видео.html
Thanks so much for the quick reply! Anchor bolts! Love ALL the videos and the incredible craftsmanship:)
Such Awesome coops.. Total coop Envy. One thing on the deep litter system-- Bethany mixed up anaerobic vs aerobic And which uses oxygen.... Going to your website now to dream some more..
If you wash the eggs now you can’t store them as long because you can’t store them in pails with water glass method
So what about when they urinate in there? Will that effect the compost process?
Hi there. Chickens defecate, they don't specifically urinate. The hemp and the deep litter system is made to deal with the complete defecation that comes from chickens.
How will this method work in high humid zone? South Louisiana?
We have many coops down south and it works great everywhere.
Grammatically, the correct term is Horticulturist. I know, ’cause I are an edumacated one.
What makes a chicken coop able to do the deep litter system? Is something different in the design?
That's a good question. All our coops, custom or our production coops - all have our signature deep litter beds. They are 12 inches deep and lined with high density polyethelene. The deep bed allows the litter (we love industrial hemp) to build up and break down over time. The other features like the high density polyethelene (gives a waterproof barrier) and our drop down litter gate, make it super easy to clean out when you do decide to clean out your henhouse. Thanks for watching.
Carolina Coops Videos perfect! Thank you so much for the quick reply! Love your videos!
@@SamSreca Thank you!
Thank you for another awesome video! I’m looking into building my own chicken coop here soon. I’m going off the design of my families old coop. It was right around six foot by twenty-five to thirty foot with the storage room. I am going to be replicating the design. I will have the coop on a concrete pad. The chickens will be free range. I’m going to be buying some of your equipment like your bedding, watering system and the like. Are there any tips you could give me for the coop building? Thank you again and thank you in advance.
Have you ever added biochar to your deep litter?
HI, we don't add biochar or anything else to our deep litter. It's important to let the beneficial microbes do their work in breaking down the hemp bedding and droppings. We are guessing you mentioned biochar for odor control. That isn't necessary with the hemp bedding (as long as you don't overload your henhouse) because it's so absorbent and it keeps the litter dry and controls odors. Thanks for watching.
Freshly pulled bedding will still have fresh droppings and ammonia in it so when you remove it you still have to spread it out somewhere cool and covered to dry properly or lay it out INNTHE sun to cure.
When properly cured, you can run it through a shredder to break down any remaining solid droppings and also get a nice fine mix to the composting material as well.
Now it can be used in gardens or bagged and sold as fertilizer.
what about coconut coir
I asked earlier about feeding meat to chickens. If you feed them meat, how can you have eggs organic?
If you eat meat from organically raised animals then the scraps you give your chickens will be organic. Organic doesn't mean Vegan.