Deep litter method

[Johntodd]

I've been using hay exclusively and have not had matting problems at all.

Just fluff it a bit before laying it down. Hay off the round bales will come off as sheets sometimes. Those will certainly mat. But my chickens just worked at it a little more and did fine with it.

Works for me; YMMV;
-John

 

[Kusanar]

I've been using hay exclusively and have not had matting problems at all.

Just fluff it a bit before laying it down. Hay off the round bales will come off as sheets sometimes. Those will certainly mat. But my chickens just worked at it a little more and did fine with it.

Works for me; YMMV;
-John

Ok, cool, so it CAN work in the right situation. I know it doesn't work well with horses (only livestock I have currently) and people have reported issues with it with chickens matting it down.

 

[Bobby Basham]

I didn't want to make any particular material dominant and gonna check into the tree trimming places around town to get even more to add to the mix. Just wanted to create a mix of things. My project is not big. This is how it looks on paper... basically four 8x8 ft squares. The two runs and future coop are not separated but open to form one quirky shape where you can walk through. My little Chicken TV observation deck is screened off from the rest of the run.

The green areas are the planter boxes to dump the seasoned compost and start those veggies and other goodies. I may even do the fourth side because I have the space, but I'm only one person and that would be a lot of produce for me. There is a Farmers Market downtown every Wednesday, and may have to go there and set up a stand to sell produce and eggs...That's way, way, way down the line.



Not completed yet, but this is a start that I built from scratch.


I'm still in retirement shock right now and haven't decided which
direction I'm gonna take. --BB

 

[mobius]

Don't forget shredded paper and cardboard as one more material...I have reduced my trash by about 2/3 by shredding junk mail and light cardboard. When I throw it occasionally into deep litter, the chickens just make it disappear!

Nice layout btw!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Don't forget shredded paper and cardboard as one more material...I have reduced my trash by about 2/3 by shredding junk mail and light cardboard. When I throw it occasionally into deep litter, the chickens just make it disappear!

Nice layout btw!

HOW did I not think of that?!?! I have cardboard and can shred paper (I have more than my worm farm needs). How much do you break it up before putting it in?

 

[mobius]

LOL! I shred light cardboard like toilet paper tubes or cracker boxes, along with paper, and just dump it in the middle of the run...the chickens spread it out! Heavier cardboard, I might just tear it up a bit and see how it goes...

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

LOL! I shred light cardboard like toilet paper tubes or cracker boxes, along with paper, and just dump it in the middle of the run...the chickens spread it out! Heavier cardboard, I might just tear it up a bit and see how it goes...

Doing this this week - thanks!!!

 

[Bobby Basham]

The idea of using shredded paper and light cardboard is great since they are byproducts of wood. There's a small shredder right beside the sofa when I sit down and go through all the junk mail every day. It's not very powerful though and it doesn't take much to choke it...LOL! I believe that compost is a little bit of everything, except plastic and related products. Having a combination of materials would enhance the composting process as different products break down.

My run will be nice once it's screened in. Still working on my coup design and it will be functional with adequate ventilation. I even have a 12x20 tarp that will cover most of the run, leaving the 4x8 observation deck at the 12 ft mark and 4x8 of the run behind it exposed. That will only be used on those 108 degree days and when we get those monsoon rains, and it will be attached with a gazillion large eye-bolts. Other than that, it will be rolled back and/or removed completely.

The run will be nice, with 160 sq ft roaming space after I put the coop in the upper left hand corner.



Yep, the deck and the 4x8 area behind it will not be under
the tarp, when/if I decide to use it. It would be great for
them to have a little bit of sun.


Ya know, I'm thinking about putting a little upper door behind that roll of hardware cloth so I can throw some treats in there without having to enter the run. The park bench is history since buying a nice porch glider bench for out there. All those base boards in the run will disappear once the deep litter gets in there. That was just my quirky setup for designing this thing in the first place. --BB

 

[LorelloFarms]

So, I've been reading along, and this may sound like a dumb question, but the deep litter method is for the coop itself, not the run. Right? I am new to chickens and my girls aren't even out yet so I thought I'd better figure out before then! I have a coop that has a run area attached underneath, like this picture, attached to a long run around my garden. Is the deep litter method for use under here, in the coop itself, in the run or just go crazy and have it everywhere?

 

[AmyPaperlady]

So, I've been reading along, and this may sound like a dumb question, but the deep litter method is for the coop itself, not the run. Right? I am new to chickens and my girls aren't even out yet so I thought I'd better figure out before then! I have a coop that has a run area attached underneath, like this picture, attached to a long run around my garden. Is the deep litter method for use under here, in the coop itself, in the run or just go crazy and have it everywhere?

With that setup, I'd do deep litter in the run and clean the coop by just scooping everything into the run.