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Virginia | I raised turkeys for 20 years. I quit raising them and switched to chickens. We completely renovated the buildings, enclosing them, tunneling, cool cell the whole nine yards.
I have talked to other growers, searched on agtalk, and talked to dealers about litter windrowers. I recently purchased (last week) a kmc model 6410 litter windrower. I looked at the lvi models, lewis brothers, and creekview. The kmc seemed the most well made, heavy duty, and I liked how it could be pulled either 3 point, or 2 point hitch.
Everyone has there own opinions but to me, the kmc was the best machine. The kmc was also the most expensive, but it eliminated needing a litter pulverizer. It saves another trip through the house, and all the hooking and unhooking of equipment. It's like anything I guess, you get what you pay for.
Now I'm posting this because there is not much info out on the internet about litter windrowers. This may help some other poor soul determine what to buy. I'm pulling this in 2 point hitch mode, using a weighted up new holland workmaster 70 tractor. It's 62hp on the pto, and is 4wd with a loader. It has fluid in the rear tires also. I would not go any smaller then this tractor. My litter is around 4 inches deep with another 1.5-2 inches of cake on top. 62 hp did the job, but some more would be nice. I'm going to have a mechanic buddy of mine turn up the pump a little to gain a few more ponies.
I made 2 windrows in the houses, 1 on each side of the building pretty much under each feedline. I windrowed last Friday, then today I flipped the windrowes, and plan on leveling on Wednesday then top dressing some shavings on Friday. The steam was flying this morning flipping them so I think I'm getting a good heat.
What impressed me was how quick it is. I used to windrow raising turkeys, using my skidsteer and it took nearly all day to do a house. Now I ran deeper litter then, but still it took forever. I had never operated one of these machines until last Friday and I'm impressed. My barns are 50x700 and it took me less than a hr a house to windrow, and about the same time to flip them today. 1 hour a house. I'm impressed. Whether the other machines would do it as fast, I can't say but I'm 100% confident in recommending the kmc model 6410.
I hope this post may help someone if your looking for a windrower.
Also in the picture I'm including there is a lewis brothers spreader. It's a low profile hydraulic driven spreader made to use in a poultry house. They are awesome. I used to have one, and like a dummy sold it, so I bought another. It's hard top dressing in a building with a regular spreader, they are just awkward.
If anybody would like pictures of the windrows in the house, or pictures of it and tractor hooked up let me know. I can take some tomorrow and add them. I thought I had some, but must never had taken them.
Edited by central va farmer 1/21/2025 03:22
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Kmc model 6410 litter windrower
