Deep Litter Method.....

[Judy]

Quote:
But it sounds to me like it's a different process on dirt vs. on a solid floor. Like you get the composting on dirt but not on other floors. I wonder if we should be differentiating between the two.

 

[Judy]

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I'll bet the ancient wood in those wonderful floors is harder than linoleum! Ever try to drive a nail or screw a screw into it?

 

[Giddyup]

I'd like to try this method - has anyone tried it with ducks in the coop? I imagine they are just too messy for it? The coop is a "duplex" so we can split the ducks off again if need be.

 

[Dawn419]

Quote:
But it sounds to me like it's a different process on dirt vs. on a solid floor. Like you get the composting on dirt but not on other floors. I wonder if we should be differentiating between the two.

My bolding....

ddawn,

Good point about the differentiating about the DLM vs. type of floor.

The funny thing for me learning about the deep litter method here on BYC was the fact that I was doing it 20+ years ago (and didn't even know it at the time), when I got my first mixed flock of older standard chickens. The existing coop on the property had a dirt floor and I just piled it thick with hay (as I didn't have a home computer) and was going by my ex-husbands farming family members' help.

I got back into chickens (Bantams this time) in 2007, so our coops are smaller and have wood floors covered with linoleum (for ease of cleaning).

The major difference that I've noticed between wood/linoleum floors and dirt floors with the DLM is that the litter (shavings/straw or hay) doesn't break down and compost itself with the wood/linoleum like it did on the dirt floor. I just started adding some green materials aka lemon balm (which is taking over my flower beds) to the litter mix (mostly pine shavings but also dried leaves) just to see if I can get any "composting" happening on the linoleum covered floor. If nothing else, the coop smells really nice since adding the lemon balm "weedings". Aromatherapy for chickens???

Dawn

 

[tail_feather]

Hello all! This is an awesome thread! I have a couple of questions. Can you mix in seven dust with the DE? Seems like that would help with the mites and lice when they dust themselves. All of my stalls in my barn have dirt floors, from what I gather, the DLM is most effective on dirt floors. (right??) Another question, My stalls are 12x12, each going to be its own separate coop, How many standard chikens (orpingtons) would you place in there comfortably? Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[patandchickens]

I think I've said before a couple places, there are really three different things (at least) that people on BYC prefer to lump all together into the term "deep litter method".

One is the old-timey 'real' version, where you start with a bit of bedding on a dirt floor and just keep adding more gradually as the poo accumulates (possibly picking out the very worst spots, but usually not) until the cows don't fit into the barn no more and then you clean it all out and start over. This version produces meaningful warmth from composting, also can make the air more humid than you want, and while it works pretty good while the bedding is accumulating the stench when digging it all out is just out of this world.

Another is the same sort of thing done on a 'clean' floor (wood, cement slab, vinyl flooring) where you won't get anything like as much composting going on. IME with horse barns, the humidification of the air is less and the stench is not *quite* as amazing when cleaning it out, but it's similar in other respects.

Note that with both of the above, you start with only a 'normal' depth of bedding; it only deepens b/c you are adding more and more clean bedding on top as time goes by.

Finally, a lot of BYCers seem to use "deep litter method" to mean "I use a lot of bedding" but still clean it out on a regular basis, like weekly or monthly or every coupla months. This gives you none of the advantages of either of the other things, with the exception that yes there is deeper litter for birds to dustbathe in and snuggle down in on very cold winter days. It also goes through a lot more bedding.

I am not saying any of these is right and any is wrong, they are just different ways of doing things with different advantages/disadvantages.

Unfortunately I do not think there will every be any reliable semantic distinctions made between these things, on BYC, so it's just up to the reader to look at what's actually being said and categorize it accordingly.

Pat

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Sevin is not entirely harmless. I would not use it on a routine unneccessary basis nor in a dusting box.

Another question, My stalls are 12x12, each going to be its own separate coop, How many standard chikens (orpingtons) would you place in there comfortably?

Will they have a run at lest 2-3x the area of the stalls, or will they be in the stalls full-time? If the stall is their entire world, most people here would not do more than 10-12 chickens in a 144 ft space, and myself I'd prefer less. If OTOH they have a spacious congenial outdoors, and it will be reasonably congenial all year round, most BYCers would say you could have as many as 36 chickens in a 12x12 stall (I would stick with a lot less myself).

Remember, more room is always better. It has many advantages and no disadvantages, and reduces the chance of problems like picking/cannibalism developing.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[sueg6255]

I am stupid. What is DLM

 

[tail_feather]

Thanks Pat, My flocks may have to alternate which days of the week they go outside during breeding season, but in the winter months they will all be roaming together. I was planning on putting 10 to 12 hens and a Roo in each stall, but was kind of concerned about that being too many. And that is the absolute Max amount that I would do anyway. I believe everybody needs "elbow room"

Can anybody think of any other harmless powder you could use to mix with DE to help control mites/lice?? Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

D eep L itter M ethod

Pat