Deep litter method

[Arielle]

One of my coops is still have a problem with the smell. Mostly the problems is because of the lack of ventilation, IMO. Need to replace the pop door, changing it from a solid plywood door to a rat wire door. Finding the right balance is a challenge.

 

[iwanaplae2]

My coop has plenty of ventilation. And I stir up the bedding once a week, then add fresh bedding over the top. It gets really "fluffy" when I do this...but by the next day the girls have it pretty well packed down again. I'm still having issues with smell. It smells like wet poop. There aren't any leaks...so I got nothing. I read on another site about sprinkling ag lime in there to control the smell. but doesn't that kill the bugs? Is that even healthy for the chickens?

 

[Beekissed]

Can you show us pics of your ventilation and describe what "plenty" means to you? It's very subjective and what books describe as adequate ventilation is not adequate by far if one is using deep litter as an option. The lime you can use is a sweet lime and not caustic, so it should just absorb and deodorize without creating an unhealthy coop environment. Just be careful when you spread it as it can really get in the lungs if you aren't careful and even in the eyes. I'd lay down a layer and then lightly mix it into your bedding so that it isn't lying on the top where the birds have to step on it and breathe it too heavily. If you have that much moisture, it won't stay powdery or dusty for long.

 

[iwanaplae2]

Thank you. I will post pics in a little bit.

 

[iwanaplae2]

Can you show us pics of your ventilation and describe what "plenty" means to you? It's very subjective and what books describe as adequate ventilation is not adequate by far if one is using deep litter as an option. The lime you can use is a sweet lime and not caustic, so it should just absorb and deodorize without creating an unhealthy coop environment. Just be careful when you spread it as it can really get in the lungs if you aren't careful and even in the eyes. I'd lay down a layer and then lightly mix it into your bedding so that it isn't lying on the top where the birds have to step on it and breathe it too heavily. If you have that much moisture, it won't stay powdery or dusty for long.

ok here ya go...pics of what I call plenty of ventilation:

Lets start with the only vent that gets full sun, so we leave it on covered for now. The top of the south side


the nesting box door has gaps



on the west side of the coop, we have two of these on either side/above of the clean out doors. The corrugated plastic blocks the wind and rain, while still allowing airflow


Same deal inside the run, again two of them but lower at floor level



North end of the coop. This is the back slop of the roof, so the top is covered didn't want the water running into the coop


Our lovely warped clean out doors that don't close right, just enough to keep the girls in



Oh and inside the coop, in all four corners, you'll find this... The girls can't get into the corners, so I don't worry about them getting hurt. But it is definitely another source of air circulation. Hubby wanted to block them off I said no



Last but not least...the bedding is dry...but stinky. Only has flies on warm days. But on rainy days smells like wet poop...

 

[Beekissed]

I knew the meaning of plenty of ventilation sometimes gets lost in a lot of ways when others keep telling folks they shouldn't have any drafts in their coops. The ventilation you are showing is not near enough to support a good deep litter year round, even in the winter months.

Here's a pic of a coop that would have adequate ventilation for deep litter.....




Great job on those pics and explanations, BTW....those are the best I've seen yet in the past 5 years on this forum of someone showing and explaining the vents and pics. You've already got some good vents cut out and ready for helping in this situation but should loosen the coverings on them a good bit....unfastening the lower screws on those plastic corrugated panels and placing a spacer to allow for them to be gaped open but still down enough to shed the rain and deflect direct wind would serve to allow some good airflow without creating a breeze.

You'll really need that this winter anyway to move that humidity out of the coop. The cooler air coming in at the bottom will sort of create a convection of warm air off the composting litter up past your birds as they roost, sending the humid air from the litter and their breath out the top of the coop...I'd leave that top vent uncovered as well. I can't say enough about good airflow in a winter coop to decrease humidity and germ stasis in a coop. The cold is not the enemy of chickens, humidity is and particularly cold humidity.

It would be neat if you could try it before you try the lime and let us know what happened and how this worked or did not work so that others can get a handle on adequate ventilation for their winter..and summer..coops.

 

[iwanaplae2]

I knew the meaning of plenty of ventilation sometimes gets lost in a lot of ways when others keep telling folks they shouldn't have any drafts in their coops. The ventilation you are showing is not near enough to support a good deep litter year round, even in the winter months. Here's a pic of a coop that would have adequate ventilation for deep litter..... Great job on those pics and explanations, BTW....those are the best I've seen yet in the past 5 years on this forum of someone showing and explaining the vents and pics. You've already got some good vents cut out and ready for helping in this situation but should loosen the coverings on them a good bit....unfastening the lower screws on those plastic corrugated panels and placing a spacer to allow for them to be gaped open but still down enough to shed the rain and deflect direct wind would serve to allow some good airflow without creating a breeze. You'll really need that this winter anyway to move that humidity out of the coop. The cooler air coming in at the bottom will sort of create a convection of warm air off the composting litter up past your birds as they roost, sending the humid air from the litter and their breath out the top of the coop...I'd leave that top vent uncovered as well. I can't say enough about good airflow in a winter coop to decrease humidity and germ stasis in a coop. The cold is not the enemy of chickens, humidity is and particularly cold humidity. It would be neat if you could try it before you try the lime and let us know what happened and how this worked or did not work so that others can get a handle on adequate ventilation for their winter..and summer..coops.

Thank you so much for your advice. I will get hubby right on that.

 

[armorfirelady]

I love my hoop coop especially for its ventilation but if I ever moved to more acres this coop would be on my wish list

 

[Beekissed]

Mine too! I love my hoop coop too but I miss my old red coop I used to have, though I would love it to have this design instead.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

I'm being told that I can deep litter method in my tiny 3' by 3' coop that houses three 8lb birds.

I tried this several times but after just a few weeks, I can't possibly add any more shavings to absorb the tennis ball sized "bombs" the hens drop at night. And I can't build up more than a few inches or they wouldn't be able to get out the pop door.

I was told that coop is not well ventilated enough. Well, if I leave open all the vents and doors, then they'd have no protection from the wind and rain as the roost bar is right at the high of all the vents and windows.

I really don't care to deep litter method. I signed up to clean out my coop every week or two when I signed up to get chickens.

I'm just frustrated at the information or lack there of that is out there and when someone tells me something like this and then doesn't explain how on earth I'm supposed to do it.

What are your thoughts? Can one really deep litter method in a tiny coop like mine?