Chicken coop litter with bacteria: pros and cons, rules of use

The aerobic bifidobacteria included in the preparation effectively process bird excrement, generating heat and eliminating bad odors.

It is enough to introduce these hardworking bacteria into the permanent litter of the chicken coop so that the birds feel comfortable even in the most severe Epiphany frosts.

Due to the decomposition of organic matter, the fermentation substrate based on living biobacteria warms up to 35 degrees or more, performing the function of a natural heater.

All deep, permanent bacterial mats work on the same principle; you just need to regularly loosen the top layer of sawdust as you trample it, so that oxygen penetrates into the lower layers.

Review of bedding options for a chicken coop with bacteria

Preparation for chicken coops BioGerm (Germany). It is a light brown powder. Designed for keeping chickens on deep, permanent litter. In addition to bacteria, the product also contains special fragrances that eliminate unpleasant odors. Consumption of the drug - 100 grams per 2.5 sq.m. BioGerm is applied in two layers: part of the powder is evenly distributed onto sawdust or small shavings 20-25 centimeters thick, spilled with water, then another layer of 20 centimeters is added, the rest of the preparation is added and moistened with water again.

After just a couple of hours, the chickens can be released onto the finished base. The service life of the drug is up to two years. A kilogram package of Bioherm costs 4 thousand rubles.

Fermentation litter "Netto-Plast" (China) is a modern biological product based on fermented lactic acid and photosynthetic bacteria. Effectively processes bird droppings, while releasing a large amount of heat (temperature on the litter surface is 25 degrees).

Direction of quails

Today there are two types of birds: meat and egg. Meat quails, also called broiler quails, are used to produce dietary meat. They quickly gain weight, but the meat remains tender and tasty. When breeding broilers, they should be provided with proper nutrition, which mainly determines their weight before slaughter.

Egg-laying quails gain weight gradually, but even adults will never weigh as much as broiler quails. Many people feed quails, mistakenly assuming that this will provide an abundance of both eggs and meat, but excessive consumption of feed leads to obesity in the bird, and its egg production decreases.

There are universal breeds that have similar meat and egg productivity, but the universal quail does not produce as much meat as a broiler. The same goes for eggs. If you need to get both meat and eggs, then it is better to keep some of the quails for meat, and some for egg. They are kept in different rooms because their diet is different. This problem can be easily solved when kept in cells.

Currently, there is a huge species diversity of these miniature birds. Every year, thanks to the work of breeders, new species appear. We will consider only those varieties that are most popular.

Characteristics of the operation of litter with bacteria

For regular, traditional deep litter in a chicken coop, sawdust and straw, as well as any other organic waste, plants and herbs, are enough. However, keeping it on such litter has a significant drawback: when chicken droppings penetrate it, a process of rotting and fermentation occurs due to the development of anaerobic bacteria. As a result, ordinary 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 odor appears in a chicken’s home.

In order to prevent such consequences, you need a specially developed biological preparation with bifidobacteria, which is able to convert waste into compost and stop the rotting process. However, bacteria for bedding in a chicken coop require a special approach and conditions, which include:

1. High-quality ventilation. Without it, the chicken coop will be overly humidified due to the heat generated by the bacteria. Condensation attacks the ceiling and walls, so moisture must be eliminated.
2. High-quality choice of material for building a chicken coop. So, such bedding for chickens is not suitable for chicken coops made of wood and similar materials, because the action of bacteria will be directed towards them. It is better that the room is lined with plastic material. When building a new chicken coop, it is better to use stone.
3. Loosening the litter. This should be done regularly to prevent the death of bacteria.
4. The litter must be changed according to the instructions. Fatty humus leads to the appearance of worms, so the litter will not work properly.

Using bedding with bacteria for a chicken coop is not difficult, but it requires a person to be careful and rational.

Moscow black quail

The main breed used in crossing to obtain Moscow black quails was Japanese quails. In addition to Japanese quails, white and black English birds, representatives of the Pharaoh breed, were used for crossing. The bird received this name because it appeared as a result of the work of breeders at the Moscow Poultry Institute. From white quails, the birds took on a white color, but there may be black spots on the body. Some individuals look like tuxedo quails. They have a white chest and black back.

This is perhaps the largest meat breed. With proper maintenance, even at home, the weight of the bird before slaughter is 550-600 g. Despite the low egg production rate, it is worth noting that the weight of one egg is 12-13 g. The breed is unpretentious, easy to care for and breed.

The main advantages of using bedding

Keeping chickens on high-quality deep litter and their advantages can satisfy even the most demanding poultry farmer.

1. The fermentation substrate is able to generate a larger volume of heat, which frees the farmer from the need to artificially heat the perches. According to user reviews, keeping chickens on biological litter is comfortable. Regardless of the time of year, the warm litter maintains the same temperature (38°C). It follows from this that the chickens will be in a constant satisfactory atmosphere and will not catch infections, diseases, or frostbitten paws.
2. Bacteria for bedding in the chicken coop occupy all the excess space in the bedding and the poultry house, thereby preventing pathogens from penetrating inside. Thanks to this, there is less pain in the chickens, a more comfortable atmosphere is maintained, and the unpleasant animal odor is not expressed.
3. There is no need to use additional room for chicken droppings. During the normal process of raising birds, regular cleaning of the house and bedding is necessary. All cleaned out secretions must be somehow neutralized or disposed of. Bacterial fermentation litter does not require this, since after just a few months it turns into compost for fertilizing garden soil and farm fields.
4. You no longer need to change the litter frequently: once every few years is enough - that’s how long you can use a standard biological substrate.

The main disadvantage to using bedding in a chicken coop is the cost. The price of such pleasure is much higher than when buying sawdust and other waste to build a substrate with your own hands. However, it should be noted that the drug is consumed very slowly: for 1 sq. m of chicken coop, only 1 g of deep substrate with bacteria is enough.

Use of biological litter

Fermentation deep litter for chickens has not yet gained sufficient popularity in the CIS countries, but it already has a sufficient number of positive, useful opinions from users who answer the question of how to use litter with bacteria.

1. Whatever substrate you choose, it is important to thoroughly clean and disinfect the house. It is best to choose a time when preparations for frost are underway or the livestock is changing. The fermentation substrate should be laid in the fall; this is the most optimal option.
2. You need to treat the barn, feeder, drinking bowls, and ceilings with your own hands using special disinfectants, for example, lime. This is important, because high humidity can cause wood to rot and metal to rust.
3. For the floor of the chicken coop you will need a regular layer of sawdust and other organic mixtures. The thickness of the bedding layer should not be thinner than 40 cm, since due to the lack of need to change the substrate, it will be trampled.
4. The prepared litter from 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 in the instructions, as well as how many net grams are needed for 1 square meter. m poultry house.
5. If the instructions require it, the substrate is poured with liquid. After several days, the product with bacteria is used again for additional watering.

It is necessary to ensure that the bacterial mat is saturated with air. In the absence of oxygen, bio-bacteria will not be able to carry out normal life activities and will die inside the sawdust substrate. To prevent this, you should constantly loosen the substrate and dig it up with a shovel or fork. It is advisable to repeat digging every 3 days.

The temperature of the chicken coop should not be lower than 1°C at the time the bacteria are placed in it, otherwise they will not be able to begin 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. For the fermented litter to be beneficial, all that is required of the farmer is to regularly dig up the top layers of organic waste and change it periodically. Then a dry, warm and comfortable atmosphere will be provided in the poultry house.

Deep bird bedding. Bacteria for bedding in the chicken coop. Bacteria for bedding in the chicken coop.//Honest review. The result of litter with bacteria in the chicken coop, a month has passed.

Features of choice

Before purchasing young animals, you should pay attention not to photos and descriptions of quail breeds, but to real reviews from people. In regions with cold winters, birds that are resistant to frost should be bred. Otherwise, keeping birds at home will become much more difficult. The room with quails will have to be heated around the clock, which will entail considerable financial costs.

Before choosing chicks, it is worth taking an interest in the achievements in the world of breeding. Every year, new species appear that are adapted to specific climatic conditions, have higher productivity characteristics, in contrast to existing species, and are suitable for keeping at home. If it is difficult to understand which breed to give preference to, you can draw a table for clarity, the columns of which will be egg and meat productivity, and maintenance features. This will make making a choice much easier.

When choosing decorative quails, you should look at photos and videos of representatives of the breed. You shouldn't be content with just photographs. In the video you can hear live birds singing, and the timbre of the voices of representatives of different breeds is different.

You can buy both live quails and their eggs in stores, but the latter will have to be placed in an incubator. If this is not available, preference should be given to live chicks.

Purpose of bacteria

Manure and droppings that collect in chicken coops release ammonia into the air. As you know, ammonia is a poisonous gas. Due to the increased concentration of gas, the health of the birds becomes worse, and weight gain decreases sharply. Powerful ventilation, which ventilates the room up to 10 times per hour, helps reduce the adverse effects of ammonia. But in winter, additional heating is necessary, because due to frequent ventilation, the temperature in the chicken coop becomes lower. In this regard, the cost per unit of production increases .

Since daily cleaning is carried out in the premises where birds and animals are kept, this also threatens financial costs, which negatively affect the cost of production. When using litter containing bacteria in a chicken coop:

• Cleaning is done once a month or seasonally. It depends on the breed of livestock and birds.
• Electrical energy consumption becomes less, since ventilation performs one function - maintaining the required level of humidity. And air purification from ammonia in enclosed spaces occurs with the help of bacteria.
• Biobacteria heat sawdust to +35 degrees. This allows you not to use heaters in autumn and spring.
• Fertilizers do not emit unpleasant odors and do not pollute the environment.
• Fermentation bird litters with bacteria do not cause allergic reactions, so they are harmless to people and animals.

History of quail breeding

Where the tradition of quail breeding came from is not known for certain. There are two versions. According to the first, the Chinese started doing this. The second indicates the Japanese.

Each version has the right to life. But it is worth noting that the Japanese made the greatest contribution to the selection of quails.

In 1945, after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japanese breeders were faced with the task of finding food products that could cleanse the body of radionuclides. Research has revealed that these are quail eggs.

Other facts also emerged. It turned out that they have a beneficial effect on the development of children's mental abilities. This information became the impetus for the adoption of a new law: quail eggs should be a mandatory part of the menu of every little Japanese.

Over time, scientists from other countries also began breeding new breeds of quail and improving their characteristics.

The principle of operation of the litter

Simple bedding consists of straw and sawdust.
With such a substrate, various microorganisms develop in chicken droppings, and then it begins to rot, releasing unpleasant odors. Because of this, birds often get sick and sometimes die. Specially developed preparations containing beneficial biobacteria prevent the process of decay. All preparations (Netto-plats, Biodor, Animal Farm) contain the same live biobacteria, which work on the same principle. By interacting with oxygen, they process droppings into valuable compost. The only difference between them is the brand. Therefore, how high quality the drug turns out to be depends on the price and integrity of the manufacturer.

Required conditions

The rules for medications specified in the instructions must be strictly followed. This will help microorganisms do their job more efficiently.

• Bacteria begin to work only when the room temperature is positive. Therefore, in the cold season it is increased, and the temperature on the floor should not be below zero.
• Before laying the bird litter, leave it in a warm room for several days to warm it up.
• Bacteria are activated only in the sawdust layer. It should be about 15 cm thick. The thicker it is, the longer it will take to warm up.
• To save natural sawdust, you can add chopped straw or seed husks. Bacteria cannot grow in additives; that requires wood. Therefore, the amount of additives should not exceed more than 30%.
• Large sawdust will not have time to be sufficiently saturated with manure, and small sawdust will quickly be trampled, which threatens poor bacterial growth. The most suitable are medium-sized sawdust (no more than 3 cm long).
• The layer thickness specified in the instructions must be strictly observed. This figure shows to what level the bedding layer is compacted by animals. For example, in order for the thickness of the compacted layer to be 20 cm, the thickness of the layer of fresh sawdust must be more than 30 cm.
• Bacteria are evenly poured onto the litter and mixed. Thick litter consists of several layers. The layer of sawdust is alternated several times with a layer of bacteria, mixing them each time. At the same time, the material consumption per 1 square meter remains the same.

Characteristics of egg varieties

6 types

There are 6 egg breeds of quail: Japanese, Hungarian, English black and white, marbled. The difference between them lies in external signs and productivity.

Japanese

Famous quails of the egg breed. They are considered the standard by which other quail species are measured.

The weight of quails is 120 g, that of quails is 150 g. They begin to lay eggs within a month of life. During the year they produce 250-300 eggs, each weighing up to 12 g. The egg-laying period is a year. Afterwards, egg production drops by 1.5-2 times, and then stops.

Among the advantages: unpretentiousness, strong immunity, rapid weight gain. Gender differences among the “Japanese” appear at 20 days of life: males are brown, females are light ash, speckled.

Disadvantage: You won't get much meat from them.

Hungarian

Representatives of the Hungarian breed have white feathers. Sexual maturity is reached at 35-40 days. Within 365 days, they produce 300 eggs, weighing 10-11 g.

It is impossible to determine the sex of quails. You can notice the difference when the females begin to lay eggs.

English black

Quails of the English (British) black breed are distinguished by a dark shade of feathers and beak. The eyes are light.

Compared to the Japanese species, they have a higher carcass weight. However, they are not raised for meat, since the carcass looks unpresentable due to its bluish tint - a consequence of the dark color.

Egg production - 280 pcs. per year, the weight of the egg is 11 g. But in order for the quails to lay eggs well, they are housed in cages: for 3 girls - 1 boy, no more.

Disadvantage: low level of fertilization and survival of chicks - 80% each.

English white

A promising breed suitable for cultivation on an industrial scale. Used in breeding for breeding hybrid meat quails.

The advantages include the white tint of the feathers, due to which the carcass has a pink commercial tint, as well as unpretentiousness in maintenance. In 365 days, one English white laying hen produces 280 eggs weighing 11 g.

Disadvantage: you can find out the sex of quails only at one month. The difference between males is a convex gland near the cloaca of a pink hue. It is absent in females.

Read more in the article “Black and White English Quails”.

Marble

The appearance of these quails and their characteristics are similar to the “Japanese”. This is not surprising since the marbled look is derived from the Japanese.

But marbled quails look more attractive. They have a light ash color, reminiscent of a marble pattern. Egg production - up to 300 eggs weighing 11 g.

Benefits of quail eggs

Quail eggs weigh 5 times less than chicken eggs. They have a thin but strong shell. Sometimes you have to try hard to break it.

100 g of quail eggs contain 12 g of protein, 13 g of fat, 0.5 g of carbohydrates and 153 calories. They contain many vitamins and minerals and acids needed by the body.

Quail eggs:

• improve brain function;
• strengthen the nervous system;
• have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• treat stomach ulcers;
• help get rid of toxins and heavy metals;
• increase hemoglobin levels, which is important for pregnant women and children;
• normalize the condition of hair and skin;
• help in the treatment of tuberculosis, asthma, diabetes.

An important property of quail eggs is their ability to slow down the development and growth of cancer cells.

Bacteria Care

Sometimes the efficiency of bacteria becomes less effective or they stop reproducing altogether. To prevent this from happening, you need to properly care for them:

• Time . It takes time for the bacteria to start working, so don’t rush too much and loosen the top layer.
• Humidity . Bacteria do not tolerate increased humidity well, although they release it in large quantities during work. The power of the installed ventilation equipment and the location of the supply and exhaust openings must correspond to the design features of the room.
• Dryness . On hot summer days, the litter should not be allowed to dry out. Dry droppings are moistened with plain water.
• Number of birds . When placing birds in a chicken coop, you must adhere to the rules. Too many or too few birds stocked per square meter of litter will have a detrimental effect on the bacteria. When there are many birds in a room, they trample down the bedding, which stops the air supply and kills bacteria. To prevent this from happening, you need to dig regularly. In addition, it will be difficult for them to cope with the processing of large amounts of litter. There is much less litter if there are few birds in the coop. In this case, the bacteria will starve and sometimes die. The problem can be corrected by adding litter. The norm for planting chickens is no more than five heads per 1 square meter.
• Digging . Digging of the litter is done depending on its appearance. During work, not only the top crust is dug up, but also the entire layer.
• Feeding . The bacteria must not be allowed to starve. Therefore, they are constantly fed. A tablespoon of bacteria is mixed with a kilogram of sugar and left for about two hours. After digging, the litter is watered with the prepared solution.
• Chemical substances . It is forbidden to treat the litter with chemicals to kill rodents and insects. For bacteria it is poison.

Meat-oriented quail

The following meat breeds are popular:

• Pharaoh;
• white English quail;
• Texan;
• Moscow black.

Pharaoh

Quails of this breed are characterized by a brown color. At the same time, the feathers on the breast are slightly lighter than the feathers on the rest of the body. Males, like females, have light stripes. Females have speckled spots on their breasts. As a rule, at the time of slaughter, the weight of a quail is on average 400 g. Males weigh 50-70 g less, although, according to the breeders involved in breeding this breed, the female should weigh 500 g.

This low rate of meat productivity may be explained by the fact that pure breeds are not sold in some regions. Another reason may be an improper diet. However, even a weight of 400 g for quail is a good indicator.

The advantage of this breed is that the cubs have good health. When placed in an incubator, chicks hatch from at least 85% of the eggs. Accordingly, breeding quails of this breed is not difficult. As for egg productivity, it is about 250 eggs per year.

White English Quail

You can guess that miniature birds got their name due to their color, although there are sometimes spots on the head and back of females. In addition to the fact that white females weigh about 350 g at the time of slaughter, they lay large eggs. The average weight of one egg is 15 g. It happens that eggs weigh 20 g. As for egg productivity, it is 250 eggs per year. This indicator is similar to the egg production indicator of the pharaoh. The meat productivity of males is about 270 g.

The peculiarity of this breed is that small birds are constantly hungry. You need to create a diet based on the fact that one quail requires about 40 g of nutritious feed per day. The advantage of the breed is that almost all individuals gain weight well. At least 10% of the livestock is subject to culling. It is also worth noting that representatives of this breed are quite strong and do not have an easy-going character. They often show aggression towards both humans and other members of the breed.

The disadvantage of representatives of this breed is that 15-20% of chicks are born with deformities.

Texas quail

Another popular meat quail breed is the Texas quail. What attracts me first is the appearance of the birds. They have thick feathers, a massive back and a wide chest. The color is often white, but Texas quail are sometimes found with small speckles that are spaced far apart. The presence of adjacent spots indicates the presence of non-purebred individuals in the family.

Meat production for females is 400 g, and this is just an average. Males do not weigh much less. It is also worth noting that Texas quail carcasses look attractive due to their light meat.

Why do you need bedding on the floor of a chicken coop?

The need for bedding arises in winter, when the birds' paws begin to freeze on the bare floor. It is organized with a mound of dry crushed material of organic origin: straw, hay, sawdust, seed husks. Without bedding inside the chicken coop it is impossible to organize a warm floor, even if it is made of boards.

If beneficial bacteria are additionally populated into a thick layer of organic matter, their vital activity will be accompanied by the release of heat. Additional heating of the chicken coop will prevent the occurrence of colds in birds. The chickens will feel comfortable. Egg production will remain at the same level.

How do bacteria work in a chicken coop?

Regular bacteria-free bedding is useful as long as it is not contaminated with droppings. Cleanliness does not take long to maintain. Droppings caught in dry organic matter begin to ferment due to putrefactive bacteria. Dirty litter must be urgently changed, which leads to high costs.

Important! Regular litter contaminated with droppings is a breeding ground for pathogens. It does more harm than good. The chickens are starting to get sick. Sometimes there is a loss of livestock.

Specially colonized bacteria also process droppings, but without the process of rotting. Additionally, they generate heat inside the chicken coop. Bacterial or fermentation litter forms compost that is completely harmless to the health of chickens.

In order for the colonized bacteria to act, they are provided with the proper conditions:

• Effective ventilation. Bacteria require oxygen. In addition, the process of their life activity is accompanied by the release of a large amount of dampness along with heat. Lack of ventilation will lead to increased humidity levels inside the coop.
• Poultry house material. Bacteria process all organic matter. This also includes wood. When using fermentation bedding, the floor and walls of the chicken coop should not be covered with boards. It is better to make the floor stone or concrete, line the walls with plastic, but do not forget about laying insulation on all structural elements.
• Bacteria live as long as oxygen is allowed. The litter is loosened with a pitchfork, preventing its compaction.
• After the end of its service life, the litter must be changed. Recycled organic matter becomes fatty humus. Inside such a mass, optimal conditions are created for the life of worms.

Important! The temperature inside the organic fermentation layer reaches + 50 °C. On the surface of the litter the temperature is constantly maintained up to + 27 °C.

The large heat release partially solves the problem of heating the chicken coop. Additionally, ammonia released by droppings is eliminated indoors.

What is the depth

There are a number of serious requirements for bedding material:

• flowability;
• excellent absorption and long-term retention of moisture and odors;
• looseness.

Depending on the thickness of the layer, the litter can be thin or deep. The latter is often called irreplaceable.

Deep litter for chicken coop

The concept of irremovable does not mean that organic matter will forever lie on the floor of the chicken coop. The litter is considered winter. The floor has been covered with organic matter since September, when the weather is still sunny and dry. The layer thickness is 30-50 cm.

Completely remove organic matter from the chicken coop in the spring after the frosts have ended. Throughout the winter, the bedding layer works for the benefit of the birds. During loosening, the droppings mix with loose organic matter, move, and generate heat. When the thickness of the layer begins to decrease, add a new portion of filler.

Advice! Spent deep litter will make an excellent nitrogen-containing fertilizer.

Thin

A thin layer of bedding material is used in the chicken coop in the summer. Its main purpose is to create comfort for chicken feet. The bird will step on the soft mass without making contact with the concrete or stone. Additionally, the thin bedding makes it easier to clean up litter, as it does not stick to the floor surface. The organic layer is replaced 2 times a week in summer.

Estonian homemade

This is another breed common among poultry farmers. High productivity and early maturity are the main features that distinguish Estonian quail. The parent breeds for this variety are English White, Pharaoh and Japanese. Among other things, the advantages of “Estonians” include ease of care. This breed was approved in 1989 as an egg-meat breed. Its main distinctive characteristics include:

• rounded body shape;
• short neck and tail;
• the front part of the back is raised in the form of a hump;
• ocher-brown color of plumage with dark stripes;
• brown mandibles and cheeks in males, light gray in females;
• the presence of three yellowish-white stripes on the head of males;
• the presence of dark specks in the area of ​​the crop and chest in females;

One Estonian quail can lay up to 275-285 eggs per year. Females begin laying eggs at the age of 37-40 days. The weight of adult individuals is 170-190 g.

The advantages of the Estonian breed, in addition to high egg production, include excellent hatchability in incubators and survival of young animals.

How to choose litter for a chicken coop

The most common organic material is sawdust. They absorb moisture well and are well raked out of the chicken coop. Birds in sawdust love to take baths.

Dry peat is considered the best option. The natural material is an antiseptic and, together with moisture, perfectly absorbs odors. The disadvantage is the high cost of the material if you have to buy it. It is convenient to harvest organic matter for poultry farmers whose plots are located near peat bogs.

Dry moss is an excellent moisture absorber. As a last resort, dry leaves from trees will do. Hay and straw are also used for bedding, but both materials do not absorb moisture well.

As for fermentation bedding preparations, they all act the same way, since they contain the same bacteria. The difference is the name of the manufacturers and the price. The main thing when choosing is not to fall for a fake.

Division into four groups

As was said at the beginning, all types of quail are divided into groups: egg, meat, meat-egg and decorative.

Quail egg breeds are a good option for those who know the value of quail eggs. You won’t get meat from these birds; the main thing here is that they lay eggs. In properly organized conditions, the annual egg production of one hen reaches 280-300 pcs.

Meat quail breeds are large in weight and the intensity of its gain. With proper fattening and an appropriate microclimate, the weight gain is 300-500 g.

Meat and egg species of quail are universal and are more suitable for breeding on private farmsteads. On an industrial scale, the first two varieties are most often bred.

The peculiarity of decorative quail breeds is their attractive appearance. Them, and not for receiving products.

Let's look at a detailed description of the breeds.

How to use it correctly

Rules for using fermentation litter are specified in the manufacturer's instructions. They usually involve performing similar actions:

1. The deep substrate is laid in the fall. Before the procedure, the floor and all equipment are disinfected. Slaked lime is considered the best disinfectant. The powder is scattered on the clean floor. Drinkers, feeders, perches, and the lower part of the walls are washed with lime mortar.
2. The floor of the chicken coop is covered with loose organic matter. The thickness of the layer is about 40 cm. You cannot make it thinner, since the organic matter will still be trampled down.
3. Bacteria are produced in granules, powders and liquid. Regardless of their shape, they are populated inside a loose substrate. The dosage is indicated on the packaging of the biological product.
4. If the instructions require that the substrate be moistened after the bacteria have colonized, the organic layer is evenly watered with water from a watering can.

As the organic matter settles, it is loosened with a pitchfork or rake. There must be a constant supply of oxygen inside the fermentation substrate, otherwise bacteria will not be able to develop. Typically, the frequency of loosening is once every 3 days.

Immediately after the start of bacteria, a positive temperature is maintained inside the chicken coop. Waste processed into compost will settle in the bottom layer. The upper layers are loosened and new organic matter is added. When all the substrate has become compost, it is raked out for replacement.

How long is it enough?

Advertising from many manufacturers promises up to 3 years of operation of the litter. In practice, it is impossible to create conditions close to ideal for bacteria inside a home chicken coop. After about a month, the process weakens. The organic matter is colonized with a new portion of bacteria, but only half the norm. With the onset of spring, all the substrate is cleaned from the chicken coop.

Advice! The fermentation substrate is in demand by chicken coop owners who have problems with waste storage. If there is a lot of space, and hay or sawdust is not in short supply, then the floor inside the chicken coop can be covered without introducing bacteria.

Description of decorative varieties

Chinese painted

Quails have an original appearance. Their colors include blue, light blue, green, red, and yellow.

These are small birds with a pleasant voice. They live in small groups. They don't fly. In 2-3 weeks, the female lays up to 7 eggs.

Californian

American crested quails have an attractive appearance. But this is the only advantage of birds - keeping them in captivity is problematic.

“Californians” find it difficult to adapt to new conditions. They must be kept in an environment as close to natural as possible. Females lay 9-15 eggs in 3 weeks.

The best manufacturers

There are few domestic drugs on the market. Bacteria from foreign manufacturers are more common. According to reviews, the best biological products are:

1. Baikal. The domestic biological product is sold in all garden stores. The bacteria make the substrate dry and warm, ideal for broilers and layers.
2. BioGerm. The German biological product is produced in light brown granules. In addition to bacteria, the product contains special additives - fragrances that block bad odors inside the chicken coop.
3. Netto-Plast. The Chinese biological product contains lactic acid bacteria, as well as synthetic enzymes. The action of the product is considered rather weak. Heat generation is limited to a temperature of + 25 ° C, but this is enough to keep laying hens. It is convenient for bacteria to colonize the chicken coop substrate in the summer.
4. Bioside. The domestic drug is an analogue of the Chinese drug. Once the bacteria have colonized, there is no need to water the substrate. The heating temperature of organic matter reaches + 20 °C.

Biological products work on the same principle. There is no point in looking for expensive imported analogues. The main thing is to avoid buying a fake.

The video shows deep litter:

Reviews of bacteria for the chicken coop

Valentina Tikhonovna Ignatenko, 43 years old, Voronezh Tried to colonize Netto-Plast bacteria. At first the drug began to work, but after a month the process slowed down. I had to add a new portion, but I didn’t have any. I considered such a substrate expensive for my chicken coop, since you also need to buy sawdust along with the preparation. Sergey Ivanovich Saenko, 52 years old, Rostov region This is the second season I have been using the domestic drug “Baikal”. Laying hens are comfortable in a small 2 x 3 barn. The underlay serves as additional heating in winter. By spring, a lot of dampness accumulates just under the bottom layer. You have to thoroughly dry the chicken coop.

Population of NPO "Complex"

These quails were obtained by breeding “inside” the pharaohs. Specialists from the experimental factory of NPO Kompleks managed to obtain a highly productive meat-egg breed. Quails of this population gain very large live weight in a short period of time. The weight of females can reach 180-200 g, males - 150-170 g. One laying hen, under very good conditions, lays up to 260 eggs per year. The coloring of the quails from the population of NPO Kompleks is exactly the same as that of Japanese quails.

Baikal EM-1 application

The strains of beneficial microorganisms contained in Baikal EM-1 after preliminary preparation (in a nutrient solution) activate the activity of beneficial microflora, accelerate the processes of humus formation, and to some extent, due to the competition of the nutrient medium, suppress the reproduction of pathogens of fungal and bacterial plant diseases.

A solution based on EM preparations is used to create more favorable conditions for plant growth, increase general immunity, reduce the growth of pathogenic microflora, water the soil or any organic residues (in a compost heap or a layer of organic matter in beds): to accelerate the decomposition of peelings, peels, green mown grass and hay, small branches, straw, tree bark, tops. As a result, nutrients in the soil become more available to plants.

Attention:

• On open ground, all treatments should be carried out before frost (soil temperature not lower than 10°C).
• Only moistened soil can be watered with Baikal EM-1 solution.
• Use only fresh solution and pay attention to shelf life.
• High-quality Baikal EM-1 has a pleasant yeasty smell, slightly sour, leavened, but not vinegary, not sour, not putrid, and not tart!
• Do not buy a drug that has been in the store for more than 4 months from the date of manufacture.
• After preparing the working solution (dilute the concentrate with water), it must be used immediately and not stored.

Baikal EM-1 instructions

Packaging from LLC “EM-Cooperation”
Dilute EM preparations only with water that does not contain chlorine! The acidity of the EM preparation (pH) is 2.8-3.5.

Consumption rates for finished concentrate

The Baikal EM-1 solution, which is available as a liquid concentrate in white plastic bottles with a capacity of 100, 250, 500 and 1000 ml, cannot be added without dilution! It already has a nutrient medium for microorganisms - there is no need to add molasses, sugar or honey, just dilute it with water:

• to treat seeds before sowing, dilute the contents of the bottle 1:1000 and soak the seeds for 30-60 minutes
• To prepare the soil, dilute the contents of the bottle 1:1000 and thoroughly water the soil at the rate of 3 liters of working solution per 1 square meter. m of land: 7-10 days before planting in spring or immediately after harvesting
• for leaf spraying of young seedlings, dilute Baikal EM1 in a ratio of 1:2000 and spray the leaves every 7-10 days
• for leaf spraying and watering of mature vegetative plants, dilute the EM preparation in a ratio of 1:1000 and spray or water every 10-14 days; It is useful to treat plants that are in unfavorable conditions (hypothermia, change of location, signs of diseases in alternation with fungicides, etc.), the application rate is 2-3 liters per 1 sq. m. m of land
• to accelerate the decomposition of organic residues, dilute microbiological fertilizer in a ratio of 1:100 and water the compost heap at the rate of 5 liters per 1 square meter. m, keep in mind that the solution lingers in the upper 15-20 cm of the processed organic matter, i.e. it is advisable not to water a large pile with a large amount of solution, but to lay it in layers, alternating them with watering the EM preparation, then be sure to cover it with film
• To prepare greenhouses for planting, the manufacturer recommends diluting Baikal EM1 in a concentration of 1:100 a week before planting vegetables and spilling the soil at the rate of 1 liter per 1 square meter. m of area, in the fall you can water the soil after harvesting

How to breed Baikal EM-1

If you are preparing a solution for indoor flowers in a small amount, it is easier to use a medical syringe: for a dilution of 1:1000, take:

• 1 ml of the drug per 1 liter of water (1:1000)
• 5 ml of the drug per 5 liters of water (1:1000)
• 10 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water (1:1000)
• 100 ml per 10 liters of water (1:100)

At a concentration of 1:100, you can prepare the soil in pots, similar to greenhouse treatments: 10 ml of Baikal per 1 liter of water.

This should be done in such cases: if you have flooded the plant, the roots have rotted, you take the plant out of the pot, inspect and remove the rot, rinse the root system in a solution of a fungicide, for example, phytosporin. And scatter the soil in which the plant was growing on a tray and place it in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 200°C. Then pour into a basin, cool to room temperature and first moisten with boiled water (until slightly damp, but not damp), then water with Baikal EM-1 solution (at the rate of 2 ml per 1 liter of water). Leave for about 1 month at room temperature, covering with film, but not too tightly, and periodically moistening with a spray bottle - the earth should not dry out! After 4 weeks, other plants can be planted in this soil again (adding other components if necessary).

If you need to dilute a large amount of Baikal’s working solution, you simply dilute the contents of the bottle in a container of suitable volume: a basin, bucket, watering can, bathtub or plastic barrel. Avoid using galvanized containers.

Properties of meat and egg varieties

General

Meat and egg quail species are universal. They provide both meat and eggs. There are four common varieties: tuxedo, red cap, Estonian, and Manchurian golden.

Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of each breed.

Tuxedo

The breed was so nicknamed for the unusual appearance of the birds. Their chest area is white, and their back is painted black. A small ponytail completes the look. They appear to be wearing a tuxedo.

Representatives of this species have a good weight indicator: 220 and 210 g for quail and quail, respectively. In a year, you can get about 270 eggs from one hen, weighing 11 g. The first clutch occurs at 6 weeks. Her fertility rate is 90%.

Disadvantages: inability to determine gender before puberty. This type of quail is not suitable for growing on large farms, since the egg laying rate is the lowest among other generalist quails. Read more in the article “About the tuxedo quail.”

Little Red Riding Hood

Red cap quail were selected with the participation of the Manchurian golden species. They came to Russia from Germany.

Little Red Riding Hood is a purely Russian name given to the breed for the red head of quails. In other countries they are called differently: in Ukraine - golden phoenixes, in Italy - Italians.

Among the advantages: weight of quails - 450 g, quails - 330 g, annual egg production - 280 eggs weighing 12 g. The birds have a calm character and high clutch fertility - 95%.

Estonian

A universal breed, suitable for cultivation on an industrial scale and at home. The second name for these quails is kiteverse. They have a number of advantages that distinguish them favorably from representatives of other quail species:

• egg fertilization reaches 92%;
• unpretentiousness to living conditions;
• weight grows rapidly in the first 2 weeks of life;
• egg work lasts up to 1.5 years.

Quails of the Estonian variety have distinct gender characteristics. The head of females is uniformly gray-brown. Males have three yellowish stripes there.

Manchurian gold

A distinctive feature of the breed is its light color, with yellow and brown specks. In the sun it shines gold.

The weight of quail is 200 g, quail is 20-40 g less, the carcass is an attractive light shade. You can get about 280 eggs per year from one laying hen, each with an impressive weight of 15-16 g. You will find more information about the species in the article “Breed of Manchurian Quails.”