Deep Litter Method.....

[chauqg]

Quote:
CHicken feed brings rodents, snakes come for eggs or chickens, predators come for the chicks or chickens. I whole heartedly recommend a floor that is at least 18" off the ground and is covered with 1/2" hardware wire on the joist under the floor sheeting (this gives free range birds protection and a nice sheltered area for storms, sun, etc.). Two days ago it was 70 degrees, yesterday it was snowing and hailing. The birds were free ranging and happy under the coop waiting for the sun!! Two cuft per bird is too little if there is a need to keep the birds in the coop for an unexpected period of time: treatment, isolation, weather etc. That lack of space will stress the birds beyond what caused them to be kept in the coop in the first place.

These recommendations are based on solely on suggestions from this forum & my related experiences.

Good luck!

 

[nvmycj]

nevermind.... found the answer..

 

[carolinasculpture]

Great! Thanks! I did the math wrong...I have planned planned for 4 sq ft...they have 2 now and are only 5 weeks old. Thanks for the help. I feel I can now build with more confidence that I am doing the right thing for the chickens. Will build off the ground and do DL!

 

[darkmatter]

Collecting "free" deep litter for my sub-ground level dirt floor deep litter composting pit:

And a picture from last winter of success:

 

[colebarnhart]

Dark Matter does it ever get too hot inside the coop with the composting? I was talking with a friend the other day and he said that good composte will get up to 140F and will burn your hand if you stick it in the pile, haven't tried it myself, but just wondering what you've experienced? Thanks

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
No, it doesn't get too hot inside the coop, I too, have stuck my hand deep into the mulch and had to pull it back due to the composting heat. In the summer the windows are open and the coop is shaded, it never gets above ambient outside air temperature. In the winter, the windows are closed but I have ventilation under the eaves on the low and high sides of the roof. In the winter as humidity builds up, it starts up the composting process adding to the body heat of the chickens------the rubber tub for water which I keep raised above the mulch on concrete blocks rarely freezes while the outside tub is a solid block of ice.
This process works fine for me, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you too have the composting pit part below the wooden portions of the coop confined by a rot proof foundation.

edited to add: My deep litter compost pit in the coop will hold 18 inches deep of litter, I fill it up and it with the chickens help of turning it over works down and I add another layer until fall/winter curtails collecting mulch with the mower.

 

[Amiga]

Thanks for the inspiration! Our method has turned out to be much less bioactive in the coop itself, but still a pretty good system. I have quite a pile of wood shavings under a couple of layers of straw, about four or five inches. I rotate the straw out every few days, putting it on the bedding in the fenced pen area, which is where the real composting takes place. It draws worms and other creepy crawlies for the ducks to enjoy.

 

[BuffOrp82]

Ok, so I'm new to owning chickens and I'd like to try the deep litter method for my coop. My chicks (4 Buff Orps and 2 Golden Comets) are currently still in the brooder and I want to have the coop ready for them. I will be using pine shavings and DE, but I have a few questions:

How thick should the first layer of shavings be?

Do you mix the DE in with the shavings or sprinkle it on top? and how much DE do I use?

How often should I turn the litter? Daily? Weekly?

When I add more shavings and DE again, how much of each to use?

Sorry if these are basic questions but I just want my ladies to be happy and healthy and I've read quite a bit about this method but still didn't find the answers I was looking for...

 

[Amiga]

Ok, so I'm new to owning chickens and I'd like to try the deep litter method for my coop. My chicks (4 Buff Orps and 2 Golden Comets) are currently still in the brooder and I want to have the coop ready for them. I will be using pine shavings and DE, but I have a few questions:

How thick should the first layer of shavings be?

Do you mix the DE in with the shavings or sprinkle it on top? and how much DE do I use?

How often should I turn the litter? Daily? Weekly?

When I add more shavings and DE again, how much of each to use?

Sorry if these are basic questions but I just want my ladies to be happy and healthy and I've read quite a bit about this method but still didn't find the answers I was looking for...

Welcome! I have some Buff Orpington ducks

Though obviously not chickens, I can share a couple of things. I do spot pickup and turning daily. I use a long handled cultivator. It takes maybe 10 minutes for about 100 square feet. I don't use DE but I know others do.

 

[Triple Willow]

Has anyone tried DL using sawdust?