Many farmers quite often face disease problems in birds, ranging from joint diseases to freezing of chicken coops in winter. Plus, no one likes the smells and the need for regular replacement of bedding. To make the life of poultry farmers for the better, a bacteria-laden chicken coop litter has been developed.
Bacterial chicken coop litter
Due to the fact that it contains the right amount of aerobic bacteria that can cope with the processing of chicken feces, it neutralizes the unpleasant odor, and also solves the problem of lack of heat. In order to choose the necessary and high-quality material, it is enough to compare reviews of litters and find out about its main characteristics.
Characteristics of the work of the litter with bacteria
For normal, traditional deep bedding in a chicken coop, sawdust and straw, as well as any other organic waste, plants and herbs, are enough. However, the content on such a litter has a significant drawback: when chicken droppings penetrate into it, the process of rotting and fermentation occurs due to the development of anaerobic bacteria. As a result, common chickens and broilers can be affected by serious diseases, which are often followed by death. In addition, it is because of pathogenic microorganisms that an unpleasant and pungent smell appears in the chicken dwelling.
In order to prevent such consequences, a specially developed biological preparation with bifidobacteria is needed, which is capable of converting the discharge into compost and stopping the decay process. However, bedding bacteria in a chicken coop need special treatment and conditions, which include:
- High quality ventilation. Without it, the coop will be overly humid due to the heat generated by the bacteria. Condensation attacks the ceiling and walls, so the moisture must be removed.
- A quality choice of material for building a chicken coop. So, such a bedding for chickens is not suitable for chicken coops made of wood and similar materials, because the action of bacteria will be directed to them. It is better that the room is sheathed with plastic material. When building a new chicken coop, it is better to use a stone.
- Loosening of the litter. This should be done regularly to prevent bacteria from killing.
- Change the bedding according to the instructions. Oily humus leads to the appearance of worms, so the work of the litter will not be appropriate.
It is not difficult to use a litter with bacteria for a chicken coop, but it requires a person to be careful and rational.
Key benefits of using bedding
Keeping chickens on high-quality deep bedding and their benefits can satisfy even the most discerning breeder.
- The fermentation bed is able to generate more heat, which frees the farmer from the need to artificially heat the perches. According to user reviews, keeping chickens on biological bedding is comfortable. Regardless of the season, the warm litter maintains the same temperature (38 ° C). From this it follows that chickens will be in a constant satisfactory atmosphere and will not catch infections, diseases, and will not freeze their legs.
- Bacteria for litter in the chicken coop take over all the extra space in the substrate and the house, thereby preventing pathogens from penetrating inside. Due to this, there is less pain in chickens, preservation of a more comfortable atmosphere, and lack of expression of an unpleasant animal odor.
- You don't have to use an additional room for chicken droppings. Regular cleaning of the house and litter is required during the normal rearing process. All purified secretions must be somehow neutralized or placed. Bacterial fermentation bedding does not require this, since after a few months it turns into compost for fertilizing garden and vegetable soil and farm fields.
- You no longer need to change the litter often: once every few years is enough - this is how much you can use a standard biological substrate.
The main disadvantage for using bedding in a chicken coop is cost. The price of such a pleasure is much higher than when buying sawdust and other waste for building a substrate with your own hands. However, it should be noted that the drug is consumed very slowly: for 1 sq. m of a chicken coop is enough only 1 g of a deep substrate with bacteria.
Use of biological bedding
Fermentation deep bedding for chickens has not yet gained due popularity in the CIS countries, however, it already has a sufficient number of positive useful opinions from users who answer the question of how to use the bedding with bacteria.
- Whichever substrate you choose, it is important to thoroughly wash and disinfect the house. It is best to choose the time when preparation for frost is underway or when the livestock is replaced. The fermentation pad should be laid in the fall, this is the best option.
- You need to handle the barn, feeder, drinkers, ceilings with your own hands using special disinfectants, for example, lime. This is important, because at high humidity, wood can begin to rot and metal rust.
- For the floor of the chicken coop, you will need an ordinary layer of sawdust and other organic mixtures. The thickness of the bedding layer should not be thinner than 40 cm, since due to the absence of the need to change the substrate, it will be worn down.
- The prepared litter of waste and sawdust is filled with bacteria, which can be small granules, liquid solutions and powders. How this or that enzymatic substrate works is described by the instruction, as well as how many net grams are needed for 1 sq. m of the poultry house.
- If the instructions require it, then the substrate is poured with liquid. After several days, the agent with bacteria is used again for additional watering.
Make sure that the bacterial bed is saturated with air. In the absence of oxygen, bio-bacteria will not be able to carry on their normal life and will die inside the sawdust substrate. In order to prevent this, you should constantly loosen the substrate and dig it up with a shovel or pitchfork. It is advisable to repeat the digging every 3 days.
The temperature of the chicken coop should not be lower than 1 ° C at the time bacteria are placed in it, otherwise they will not be able to start active work. The work of bacteria will lead to a complete transformation of the substrate in a few years. At the very beginning, the compost will be under the litter. When it completely turns into humus, you need to change the substrate. All that is required of the farmer for the fermented litter to be beneficial is to regularly dig up the top layers of organic waste and change it periodically. This ensures a dry, warm and comfortable atmosphere in the house.
Deep bedding for birds. Bacteria for litter in a chicken coop.
Bacteria for litter in a chicken coop. // Honest review.
Bacterial litter result in chicken coop, a month has passed.
Examples of products from well-known manufacturers
The fermentation substrate is presented on the Russian market of goods in small quantities, however, many of the foreign and domestic goods are distinguished by their quality and ease of use. When using any deep eco-friendly substrate, the same sequence of actions and the same result is observed, the main difference of goods is only in cost and shape. Consider the best manufacturers, as experienced users say.
- Baikal is a domestic product that is suitable for growing layers and broiler chickens. Baikal is easy to find in garden shops in any city. The instruction for the product indicates the required consumption of the product, and after using it in an organic stand, there is a dryness and a warm atmosphere, there is no pungent and toxic odor, the soreness of the birds and, accordingly, their death is prevented. The enzymatic substrate from Baikal has a lower cost than the products of imported representatives, which is a huge advantage.
- The drug of German production "BioGerm", which is a light, beige-brown granules. The product is filled not only with enzymes, bacteria, but also with special fragrances that eliminate any unpleasant odors in the house. Before the complete introduction of the drug, it is distributed over the entire substrate, after which it is poured with liquid and the action is repeated after a few days. For 1 sq. m of a chicken coop is enough only 30-40 g of bacteria. Bioherm has been serving the farmer for a couple of years.
- The Chinese fermentation bedding "Netto Plast" is an analogue of the German preparation. Net includes synthetic enzymes and fermented milk / bifidobacteria. Compared to the German representative, Plast is not so strong in heating the product, as it keeps the temperature only up to 25 ° C. But when keeping hens in a regular chicken coop, especially in the summer, this will be enough. In order for the bacteria to start working, it is enough to mix them with the substrate with a shovel. In this case, additional periodic watering is not required. A kilogram of the drug can fill 10 sq. m chicken coop. The cost of the product is much cheaper, and the service life reaches 3 years.
- The Russian drug "Bioside" is also capable of producing results for 3 years. This product works on the principle of the Chinese counterpart and does not require additional water for mixing. The floor surface warms up within 18-20 ° С. It is necessary to loosen the surface every few days to fill the preparation with air.
Despite the huge difference in price, the use of domestic and foreign goods is similar both in terms of efficiency and duration, so there is no need to stop searching for the ideal drug after finding an imported overpriced product in the nearest store.
Thus, the litter bacteria in the chicken coop make the life of the poultry farmer much easier, because they can turn waste into compost and rid the chicken coop of bad odors. Using such a bedding at home is not only justified, but also very useful. The litter in the hen house has a huge number of positive reviews, based on which we can conclude that the product really helps to improve the conditions for keeping chickens and chickens.