Deep litter method

[Stephine]

I need help getting started. I would like to do deep litter in the run. Right now it is just bare soil. The chicks are 13 weeks old and went out there a couple of weeks ago. So far most droppings seem to just disappear, but the soil is slowly getting hard and trampled. What should I throw in there to start? We are in CA, so no grass clippings (plus when we mow in the spring it is with a scythe and the cut weeds are much too big/long/scraggely to go in there). The only leaves we have are oak and we usually use them to make leaf mulch in a separate bin for the garden.
Also it has been hot here since they have gone out and I have had a mister on for them to make it bearable when the temperature goes over 90. The ground in that part of the run gets pretty wet.

 

[Intheswamp]

I need help getting started. I would like to do deep litter in the run. Right now it is just bare soil. The chicks are 13 weeks old and went out there a couple of weeks ago. So far most droppings seem to just disappear, but the soil is slowly getting hard and trampled. What should I throw in there to start? We are in CA, so no grass clippings (plus when we mow in the spring it is with a scythe and the cut weeds are much too big/long/scraggely to go in there). The only leaves we have are oak and we usually use them to make leaf mulch in a separate bin for the garden.
Also it has been hot here since they have gone out and I have had a mister on for them to make it bearable when the temperature goes over 90. The ground in that part of the run gets pretty wet.

It looks like there are a lot of agricultural fields from the west to the southeast of Sonoma. Maybe ride around and contact some of these operators to see if you can glean some of their fields litter material after they harvest. Also, check with your local municipal government and see if they have leaves and chips that they pick up that they let the public have.

I'm thinking you should be able to buy wood chips at ag supply stores (Tractor Supply, local farmers cooperative stores, feed stores, etc.,). You didn't give the size of run so I don't know how realistic it is for buying chips, though. I see there is a Tractor Supply store over in Petaluma.

Grass clippings, though they help some, aren't that great to add to the run. The spring mowing debris could be used if you were to break, crush, and bruise it up some. If you have much of it it might be worth renting a chipper/shredder for a day. Otherwise a machete or bush-hook might give you a good cardio-workout while you're chopping it into manageable pieces.

Leaves are great to use in deep litter. It's your choice whether you want to use them as-is for the garden or whether you want the chickens to process them for you. Basically any kind of dried garden/crop debris, except stuff from the nightshade family (potato/tomato) and avocados will help.

The condition of the soil in your run will only deteriorate more without the addition of a good amount of carbon material. When the manure-load gets too big for the soil then you will have odor issues. Getting a good layer of leaf/chip/etc material in the run will help many things...the chickens health, the surface condition, the probable odor issues, fly problems. The chickens will do a lot more scratching and will help keep this tilled up for you.

From the conditions that you described I highly recommend you continue to pursue using a lot of litter in your run. It will make a big difference now and in the future!

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Beekissed]

I need help getting started. I would like to do deep litter in the run. Right now it is just bare soil. The chicks are 13 weeks old and went out there a couple of weeks ago. So far most droppings seem to just disappear, but the soil is slowly getting hard and trampled. What should I throw in there to start? We are in CA, so no grass clippings (plus when we mow in the spring it is with a scythe and the cut weeds are much too big/long/scraggely to go in there). The only leaves we have are oak and we usually use them to make leaf mulch in a separate bin for the garden.
Also it has been hot here since they have gone out and I have had a mister on for them to make it bearable when the temperature goes over 90. The ground in that part of the run gets pretty wet.

Actually, those weeds will be a perfect addition to the run, as they create air spaces in the litter pack that promote good decomposition of the material. They will break down quicker than you can imagine once you get a good litter pack built up. I put big scraggly weeds in my coop each spring/summer and they just melt into the mix.

For now, if you can get your hands on something to use as a base....bark, wood chips, even wood shavings, etc. will be a good start but you'll need to have something around the base of your run to contain them, as the chickens will kick those right out on all sides if you don't have something to block that action. Then you can start building on that with your woody, weedy stems that you mow. The oak leaves are perfect and you can use all you can get there....why wait for leaf mulch when you can speed up the process by adding manure to it and letting the chickens turn it for you?

If you can use a variety of materials and particle sizes, it seems to make for better litter, more easily moved about by the chickens when they are hunting through it for bugs and worms. In the run you can build it as deeply as you wish, as they will just walk on top of all that spongy material wherein any excess water will be drawn towards the bottom, leaving the top pretty dry.

I pretty well scavenge all season long to add varying materials to my coop litter, the more variety the better. Come fall, it's mostly leaves but I also get a chance to add garden clean up items in there such as corn stalks, tomato, potato, squash vines, etc. If I get a chance for loose straw or hay, I add some in there. Never too much of any one thing except the leaves maybe...they break down so quickly they don't present a problem if you add a lot of those.

 

[Stephine]

Thank you!
The run is rather small because we are planning on having them free range as soon as they are big enough and our dog trained to watch them. So I have no problem buying material for the litter.
Good to know that the big stuff from our spring mowing will work, too. I will keep it in mind. All that is composting right now and the fields are dry so it'll have to wait till next spring.
My hubby is the gardener and I take care of the animals so getting my hands on the leaves is not as easy as it sounds. He studied horticulture with Alan Chadwick and everything has got to be just so. I will see if I can get some - we do have a lot of giant oaks on the property....
Should I just pile things on the soil as is or break it up first? Should I shovel some out? It is a tad higher than the surroundings right now. Should I leave a patch of bare soil for them to dig in or will it turn yucky soon?

 

[Latestarter]

If it's higher ground than surrounding, then yes, were it me I'd dig it out a little... at least to start. Once you get the DL going, you want it to build up over time as the stuff under the "top coat" will be glorious composted brown, rich, "gold" for your gardens. If you loosen the soil a little before you start, it will speed things up some, but have no fear, once the chickens get there little claws in there and start digging around for bits and pieces, they'll mix it all up for you just fine

If it's not mixed to your desired consistency, just throw in a handful of BOSS or scratch grains and sit back and enjoy the show! If that's STILL not enough, then I guess you'll have to resort to a pitch folk and turn it a bit yourself. Keep in mind, that in order for the chickens to do all the work, they have to be in there... If they only pass through on their way in and out for free ranging, they won't do "their job" as well.

As Bee said, don't be afraid to throw in sticks and small branches, freshly cut, or dried up picked up around your place. Also the weeds and just about anything else. It will all compost down eventually. Obviously the bigger the item mass wise, the longer it will take. A tree stump is not going to compost down in a couple of years, while dead fall leaves will be gone in weeks. While the larger items are taking some time, they are creating air space, which is very important to the health and well being of the compost. You want a good mix of big and small, green and brown material.

Don't worry about leaving "bare soil" for them, they will scratch out craters to dust bathe in. That's part of what turns the whole batch for you! They'll also be turning it looking for seeds, bugs, worms, etc. Eventually it will get deep enough that the worms will learn not to come too close to the "surface" and become reachable... The smartest will survive

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you!
The run is rather small because we are planning on having them free range as soon as they are big enough and our dog trained to watch them. So I have no problem buying material for the litter.
Good to know that the big stuff from our spring mowing will work, too. I will keep it in mind. All that is composting right now and the fields are dry so it'll have to wait till next spring.
My hubby is the gardener and I take care of the animals so getting my hands on the leaves is not as easy as it sounds. He studied horticulture with Alan Chadwick and everything has got to be just so. I will see if I can get some - we do have a lot of giant oaks on the property....
Should I just pile things on the soil as is or break it up first? Should I shovel some out? It is a tad higher than the surroundings right now. Should I leave a patch of bare soil for them to dig in or will it turn yucky soon?

Just pile it on and don't worry about leaving them any soil....this stuff will make new soil and they will find the soil when they want to dust in it. Don't bother to break it up first, as the worms will do it for you as this starts to work and the good nutrients flow to the soil below...they will move right up into the bottom of this composting litter and open up even more channels for absorption of moisture and nutrients.

Since hubby is the gardener and you are the flock master, then you should both be equally respected for your methods and needs for materials, right? You can tell him you are studying with the great so and so of the chicken world and everything has to be just so...and you need his leaves.

Tell him he'll get them back and can do all kinds of tests on them to be sure they are of the correct pH and balance of nitrogen to phosphorus before he adds them to the gardens. That way you can have a symbiotic relationship between both worlds.

 

[Latestarter]

 

[Bobby Basham]

But again, I wouldn't put anything in the bottom of the run....I'd let the chickens dig to China if they want to.



I plan on using an electrical hand-held gadget I bought over a year ago, still in the box, to dig up the soil a bit. It's supposed to dig six inches deep and six inches wide, some type of mini rototiller/cultivator about the size of a weed eater. I can't leave well enough alone, experimenting as I go along. I wouldn't dig that deep, but thought it would be nice to overturn that hard top soil. No chickens or coop yet, just preparing the "nursery". I plan on building the coop over the weekend. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

 

[Intheswamp]

I don't think it'll hurt a thing in the world to till it up a bit...it'll level things a bit, break up any hardpan that the chickens may have created on the bare soil, and generally aerate it a bit. Go for it!

Ed

 

[Bobby Basham]

Thanks, Ed! I just can't leave things the way they are. There's always room for improvement. I'm working like a snail right now, but the finished project will be a true gem. --BB

Bobby Basham, Tucson, AZ
(A fierce Gospel Organist)