Deep litter question

tjmings · Oct 31, 2015

I just added about 6 inches of pine chips to my 8x12 uncovered run. Girls aren't too impressed as they loved digging around in the dirt. I am in Florida and where I live we have very little grass or leaves. That being the case, what should I add periodically to the run? Just keep adding pine chips? Also, the run is attached to a coop and smaller run. Coop is elevated with the run below. That has become a mixture of dirt and chips. It is currently very dusty in there. Hard for me to get under there to do much with it. Not sure if I should try throwing pine chips in there and maybe moistening with some water to get the dust down? They love laying around in the dirt so I'm not sure if it would be ok to just keep this area dirt....but then how to maintain all the poop??

1muttsfan · Oct 31, 2015

Deep litter method is a way to use bedding inside of your coop, not in an outside run. There is no reason why you cannot put bedding in your run, especially if it is muddy, but most birds really like to scratch around in the dirt.

oldhenlikesdogs · Oct 31, 2015

I do deep litter in my run, I use mostly grass clippings spread not too thick and fall leaves, some shavings, and hay and whatever scraps and weeds, any sod dug up for gardening and old mulch my husband likes to dig out. It eventually forms a spongy bed of light soil which can be harvested for the garden or just left and added to as needed.

Ol Grey Mare · Oct 31, 2015

1muttsfan said:
Deep litter method is a way to use bedding inside of your coop, not in an outside run. There is no reason why you cannot put bedding in your run, especially if it is muddy, but most birds really like to scratch around in the dirt.

Not entirely accurate - a good, deep layer of organic materiel in the run is very beneficial and will, in fact, break down quite nicely in the process. Many folks use this approach quite happily. Organic materiel can be shavings, lawn clippings, straw/hay, leaves, scraps from cleaning out the garden at the end of the season, etc. The resulting product once it has broken down and had chicken waste added to it while it was in the run can be used for gardening....keeping things moving full circle. It's a very natural variation on the DLM theory and replicates what takes place on the forest floor, etc.

aart · Nov 1, 2015

True Composting Deep Litter is True Composting Deep Litter no matter where it is.

Here's a great description and video about it:
Here's a great description of contents and how to manage organic 'bedding' in a run or coop...and there's a great video of what it looks like.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037998/muddy-run-help-please#post_16017992

Deep litter question

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tjmings

Chirping

1muttsfan

Up Northerner

oldhenlikesdogs

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Ol Grey Mare

One egg shy of a full carton. .....

aart

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