Deep Litter and cleaning......

[Wil781]

This is my coop and pen for 3 hens that we assembled from an 8x12 shed, the smaller section is just a 4x8 dirt area that they dust bath in all covered in HC. Any way the covered shed area has pine straw and dried leaves, how often should this be cleaned? It has only been in use since June and every once in a while I throw another bale of pine straw in, it doesn't smell and the chickens love scratching in it. How often should I change this out? When I do clean it out should I add it to the enclosed dirt area to help build up the dirt out there?

The red box is 8 x 3 1/2, it has roosts and a nesting box, I use shavings in the nesting box and PDZ under the roosts. Is this sufficient for 3 girls over the winter? We are in Alabama so doesn't get really cold for any length of time.

 

[Birdsong 82]

8 x 3 1/2 it’s more than enough to make to make 3 girls happy. But one thing I might suggest which is as helpful in the winter as it is the summer is maybe more ventilation areas. But they’ve got quite the nice set up

 

[Birdsong 82]

As far as cleaning the run if you go with the deep litter method doesn’t really need to be cleaned. That method works for some areas and not for others but seeing as it’s been working for you for about 2 to 3 months now I would just keep rolling with it

 

[Aceoky]

Looks good, if it's not broken no need to fix it IMO

 

[Wil781]

As far as cleaning the run if you go with the deep litter method doesn’t really need to be cleaned. That method works for some areas and not for others but seeing as it’s been working for you for about 2 to 3 months now I would just keep rolling with it

Thank you for reply! I can't free range because we are in a rural area and people let there dogs roam so I just want to be sure they have enough room, so far have had no problems with them pecking at each other or any aggression. I feed them fermented feed and dry crumbles, and I sprout and grow fodder, things like lentils and clover and alfalfa so they do get some greens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your coop size is good for your climate and flock size.

I clean out my deep litter maybe once a year? Once it's broken down enough that it no longer offers good drainage, I remove some of it for my gardens or compost. I don't remove all of it, I just clear out the sections that look most broken down, then add more materials (in my case, wood chips are the base material), and let the chickens redistribute the litter.