tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post1171429036314310852..comments2024-03-27T08:29:11.158-07:00Comments on Little Home In The Country: Carbonaceous Composting in the Chicken CoopLittle Home In The Countryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14542813650753976168noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-48670412313683348792015-10-19T00:32:19.945-07:002015-10-19T00:32:19.945-07:00In these testing monetary times, it's likewise...In these testing monetary times, it's likewise a brilliant way to become more independent. Wooden <a href="http://www.eggshellonline.co.uk/chicken-coops-and-houses-for-sale-uk.html" rel="nofollow">chicken coops</a> are perfect poultry houses for persons who need to raise chickens with a tight spending plan.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08462483592057186360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-39239459350202232292013-03-07T23:28:58.028-08:002013-03-07T23:28:58.028-08:00Thanks for the tip:D I've been reading and re-...Thanks for the tip:D I've been reading and re-reading Gaia's garden for about two years now. lol and also have now got Sepp Holzer's book on his austrian style of permaculture too. I am itching to get the original Permaculture: A Designer's Manual, but it's so pricey! :( bleh. <br /><br />We have put in our first swale and berm and are building the first row of hugel beds at a 45 degree angle off the swale, just down slowpe. It's a lot of heavy work doing it all by hand but I'm very excited to get the first beds done and covered and planted - hope to be there within the next two weeks...<br /><br />I'll go check out this blog you mentioned. :) thanks - <br /><br />We also have ducks here and I've been reading and listening to a fellow who builds duck ponds which he uses to drip irrigate his gardens/hugel beds. LOL love that! One thing is for sure, I'll never be bored! I may never catch up to all my ideas and visions, but I'll never be bored! lol.Beckyhttp://www.vegetablegardenhub.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-45401122422934187482013-03-06T04:26:05.523-08:002013-03-06T04:26:05.523-08:00Becky - LOVED your comment. Permaculture certainl...Becky - LOVED your comment. Permaculture certainly does give us lots to think about :) I recommend the book Gaia's Garden and because of your locale you should check out Throwback at Trapper Creek's blog. Must read!Little Home In The Countryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14542813650753976168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-28972709869209283942013-03-06T02:36:32.647-08:002013-03-06T02:36:32.647-08:00This is a great post! And the comments are helpful...This is a great post! And the comments are helpful as well. :)<br /><br />We moved in December (note to self, do not move in December when you live in Oregon!) But, it was as fate and luck would have it - we finally found our little piece of paradise - and we do love it...<br />But we had to move chickens and gardens and everything...<br />Big job!<br /><br />I'm kicking myself now that I didn't unload the bags of coop cleanout onto the new garden area when we arrived, but we've been so busy unloading and unpacking and - well, moving in... but now I've read this, I'm setting up the new composting area in the corner of the garden site right away for use later in the season.<br /><br />I was taken by your short paragraph:<br /><br />" In my study of permaculture, I've been intrigued by the concept of grouping functions and elements together that can mutually benefit one another. By creating a needs/yields analysis, we see that (among many other things):<br /><br />Chickens NEED heat and clean bedding (carbon) in winter but GIVE nitrogen. <br /><br />Compost NEEDS nitrogen and lots of carbon also, but GIVES off heat. "<br /><br />I've been studying and reading and I had really gotten stuck on the coop issue - as ours is a stand alone coop and not so big and so I do have to clean it out - and I think my brain is starting to really get this - I am going to spread some of the coop cleanings out in the areas the chickens have already been in (on the ground out of doors) since we arrive and lay in a layer of garden soil (I brought it all with me! No point leaving behind what you build, right?) and then seed it with the clover and peas and other field legumes etc I have to begin to turn this neglected mono-culture field grass back into a real eco-system for the girls to rotate through. <br /><br />I also think that in summer we really will not use the coop at all, as cute as it is, because they can easily be rotated through a large area with a minimal 'summer house' and that way we can really let the coop area regenerate over the summer season. <br /><br />Thanks for the great post. Gave me lots to think about! Beckyhttp://www.vegetablegardenhub.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-69488482185218072522013-02-20T17:46:15.443-08:002013-02-20T17:46:15.443-08:00Oh Goodness, its a process of my having to; plan a...Oh Goodness, its a process of my having to; plan and research(if you look at my blog, that in itself is a long process); then my husband doesnt have a job at the moment (there are none even for electrician's with 35 yrs experience) so there's the money factor; then i have to overcome there fears that its not all going to fail - hence my plannng. This month i have a chook course so i am hoping to drag hubby along. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12605358521258969537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-85810788560493405452013-02-20T04:24:32.327-08:002013-02-20T04:24:32.327-08:00Lynda, that sounds like a great plan. It's mu...Lynda, that sounds like a great plan. It's much better for the soil to have a break so keeping the hens off of one area gives the land a chance to recover and yes, you could easily plant fodder crops for the hens. When will you get your hens?Little Home In The Countryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14542813650753976168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-44772154739880995912013-02-19T18:09:33.284-08:002013-02-19T18:09:33.284-08:00Thanks so much for the info. I did a compost cour...Thanks so much for the info. I did a compost course over a few hours and had the general idea down but you have expanded my knowledge. Of course, its always good to learn from those who have gone before. Im still planning my coop and given that i have a suburban backyard was thinking i might have two separate yards (only 4 chooks) running off the coop (in the corner of the yard like an L shape so that when they are using one yard the other can be turned or have seed growing for them to scratch. Keeping it smelling fresh is going to be my biggest priority as i have a family sensitive to smell (autism) and 5 neighbours to pacify. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12605358521258969537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-37060271435058819232013-02-19T14:10:23.598-08:002013-02-19T14:10:23.598-08:00Yes, she has wonderful information doesn't she...Yes, she has wonderful information doesn't she? LOVE her blog - I have learned so much from her.Little Home In The Countryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14542813650753976168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-85492209779620647062013-02-19T13:44:20.106-08:002013-02-19T13:44:20.106-08:00Sherri I've just printed your post to rad at l...Sherri I've just printed your post to rad at lunchtime, you sure have absorbed a lot of permaculture concepts!Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14751315680374413649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-48178401306177297282013-02-19T11:49:21.936-08:002013-02-19T11:49:21.936-08:00I wish I had chickens, but till then, I read and w...I wish I had chickens, but till then, I read and wish.<br /><br />http://matronofhusbandry.wordpress.com deep beds her chickens (and cows). She uses straw for it. If you've got time, you might check out her posts on such.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-70794368889078944402013-02-19T11:38:14.502-08:002013-02-19T11:38:14.502-08:00That's a good point, Jaime. I have been using...That's a good point, Jaime. I have been using a pitchfork to lift up shavings from the floor of the coop to get the incorporation process going for the hens. It's easy to do and it seems help get that lower layer brought up so that the hens can mix it more thoroughly, but who KNOWS what we'll find once we clean out in spring! <br /><br />I will be mindful of adding carbon in smaller amounts, more consistently rather than huge quantities at once. Excellent tip - thank you :)Little Home In The Countryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14542813650753976168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598627963589889513.post-47965054244663039432013-02-19T11:27:15.692-08:002013-02-19T11:27:15.692-08:00We do a similar method using pine shavings, but I ...We do a similar method using pine shavings, but I discovered last spring that I wasn't quite doing it right. I think I added enough carbon, but too much at once if that makes sense. The top of the bedding was great, but the bottom was very compacted and stinky. I wonder if I didn't give the chickens enough time to turn the compost before adding a deep new layer of shavings. They smell so good, though, it's hard to show restraint ;) This year we've been adding less on a more consistent basis, so hopefully both of our spring clean outs are a lot more pleasant this year! <br />-Jaime<br />P.S. I'm loving all your enthusiastic, informative posts about all the wonderful things you're learning. Thanks so much for sharing it with us! Ngo Family Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15484243776589015749noreply@blogger.com