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Keep Your Birds Healthy, Your Shed Dry, and Your Profits Up

Wet litter is one of the most costly and overlooked problems in Australian poultry production. From footpad dermatitis (FPD) to high ammonia, poor feed conversion, carcass downgrades, and increased disease risk, wet litter directly hits your bottom line. Yet many growers still rely on imported chemical treatments — like sodium bisulfate-based PLT from the USA — which come with volatile pricing and supply risks.


Wet litter is one of the most costly problems in poultry production. ChickenKoop Refresh, a WA-mined attapulgite clay and diatomaceous earth blend, keeps litter dry, binds ammonia, reduces FPD, and improves FCR — naturally, safely, and domestically sourced.
Wet litter is one of the most costly problems in poultry production. ChickenKoop Refresh, a WA-mined attapulgite clay and diatomaceous earth blend, keeps litter dry, binds ammonia, reduces FPD, and improves FCR — naturally, safely, and domestically sourced.

Enter ChickenKoop Refresh — a natural, locally sourced solution made from Western Australian attapulgite clay and freshwater diatomaceous earth. This proprietary mineral blend absorbs moisture, traps ammonia, and keeps litter dry and friable — protecting bird welfare and boosting production outcomes without chemical inputs. It’s safe for birds, fully RSPCA-compatible, and suitable for conventional, free-range, and organic systems.


Why Wet Litter Costs You

Poultry litter absorbs moisture from manure, drinker spill, and condensation. Once moisture rises above 30–35%, decomposition accelerates, ammonia levels spike, and litter quality collapses.


Footpad Dermatitis (FPD) is the most visible cost:

  • Lesions from wet litter can lead to paw condemnation or downgrading — accounting for nearly 99% of lost paw value.

  • Research shows controlling litter moisture can reduce FPD by up to 40%.

  • In economic terms, untreated sheds risk AUD $16,000–30,000 per flock in lost paw revenue.


Ammonia — the invisible profit thiefAmmonia (NH₃) comes from microbial breakdown of uric acid in moist litter. High ammonia:

  • Reduces body weight by up to 17% at 50 ppm

  • Worsens feed conversion ratio (FCR)

  • Causes respiratory and eye damage in birds

  • Exposes workers to health risks

Even a small drop in FCR compounds across a flock, increasing feed costs significantly. For a 40,000-bird shed, unmanaged ammonia can cost AUD $150,000+ per year.


How ChickenKoop Refresh Works


Attapulgite Clay:

  • Needle-like crystalline structure binds ammonia ions and odour molecules

  • Non-swelling — litter stays loose and aerated

  • Chemically inert, thermally stable, safe for birds


Diatomaceous Earth (DE):

  • High porosity absorbs moisture rapidly

  • Keeps litter dry via physical desiccation

  • Provides incidental pest control (mites, lice)


The Blend: Together, these minerals:

  • Control moisture at the source

  • Trap ammonia and odours

  • Maintain friable litter structure

  • Reduce FPD and improve bird welfare


ChickenKoop Refresh vs Imported PLT

Feature

PLT (Jones-Hamilton, USA)

ChickenKoop Refresh (WA)

Active ingredient

Sodium bisulfate (chemical)

Attapulgite + Diatomaceous Earth (natural)

Mechanism

Acidifies litter, converts NH₃ → NH₄⁺

Absorbs moisture, binds NH₄⁺, traps VOCs

Bird safety

Safe, but irritant cloud during application

Completely safe with birds present

RSPCA/Organic

Generally compatible

Fully compatible

Supply

Imported, USD-priced

Domestic, AUD-priced

Environmental footprint

High

Low

ChickenKoop Refresh can replace chemical amendments in organic and free-range operations or complement PLT in conventional sheds to extend efficacy and reduce chemical usage.


Economics — What You Stand to Save

A typical 40,000-bird shed (6 flocks/year) can see:

  • FCR improvements saving AUD $25,000–150,000

  • FPD reduction protecting AUD $38,000–72,000

  • Disease reduction saving AUD $5,000–15,000

  • Ventilation energy savings AUD $3,000–8,000


With application costs of AUD $800–2,000 per flock, ChickenKoop Refresh pays for itself many times over.


Supply Security: Local Minerals Matter

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of global supply chains. Imported PLT is subject to USD pricing, shipping delays, and customs. ChickenKoop Refresh uses Western Australian attapulgite clay (24M tonnes) and DE (3.5M tonnes) — enough to supply Australian poultry farms for generations, domestically sourced and AUD-priced.


Natural, Safe, and Market-Friendly

Consumer demand for transparency and welfare-certified poultry is rising. ChickenKoop Refresh:

  • Supports RSPCA, organic, and free-range systems

  • Reduces chemical inputs for clean-label production

  • Protects workers with zero chemical handling risk


How to Use ChickenKoop Refresh

  • Pre-placement: 500–1,000 g/m², 24–48 hrs before chicks

  • Wet litter carry-over: 1,000–1,500 g/m²

  • Mid-flock maintenance: 250–500 g/m², especially around drinker lines

  • Spot treatment: 500 g/m² on wet zones as needed


Available in 10L retail tubs, 500 kg bulk bags for large-scale operations.


Measuring Success

Track:

  • Litter moisture %

  • Ammonia ppm at bird height

  • FPD score at processing

  • Body weight and FCR

  • Mortality rates


Ready to Try?

ChickenKoop Refresh is available for farm-scale trials. Compare treated vs untreated sheds, monitor ammonia, litter moisture, FPD, and FCR — then see the difference in profits and bird welfare.


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