Deep litter with hardware cloth floor

[JDN]

Thanks all! Ok so I’m in Virginia. My coop is about 6x6’ and I’ve got 5 birds. So far, since I needed to get the coop ready for them before I had time to install a floor, I’ve put a thick layer of straw covered by a thick layer of hemp bedding. We will see how it goes, but I think it’s likely that the first time we clean it out we may just go ahead and add a floor. Can someone please describe the difference between deep litter and deep bedding? Also, why not do deep litter with a raised coop? Because of issues with coop rotting?

As near as I can interpret it, the frequency with which you clean it out and replace it...

Deep litter is where they compost the stuff, with any sort of organic yard waste/wood chips/clippings/leaves, and the birds turn it over themselves hunting through it for bugs, and it drains off water naturally enough. Deep bedding is a bunch of pine shavings that's deep enough to "absorb" waste.

 

[Dayrel]

Never heard of deep litter in the coop. It makes sense in the run where they scratch around during the day.

What is the benefit to a hardware cloth floor and deep litter inside the coop? I'd think that any scratching in the coop that got down to the mesh would be uncomfortable for them. Also, pretty much any ventilation benefit from the mesh would be stopped by the deep litter.

 

[icon index]

Never heard of deep litter in the coop. It makes sense in the run where they scratch around during the day.

What is the benefit to a hardware cloth floor and deep litter inside the coop? I'd think that any scratching in the coop that got down to the mesh would be uncomfortable for them. Also, pretty much any ventilation benefit from the mesh would be stopped by the deep litter.

 

[icon index]

I don’t know that there is a benefit to deep litter and hardware cloth floor. It’s just kind of where I’ve ended up, for now at least. Sounds like the two don’t mesh well. For now, we’ll try this and when I clean it out the first time, I’ll probably put a floor in. I do plan to deep litter the run, although right now it’s still grassy and the chicks seem to enjoy that.

 

[Dayrel]

OK. That makes sense. Stick with the grass while you have it as they benefit from fresh greens. Deep litter makes far more sense once they've killed much of the grass.

 

[aart]

Can someone please describe the difference between deep litter and deep bedding?

This is one of the best descriptions I've ever read.
TalkALittle's post on DB vs DL: http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1075545/can-i-do-deep-litter-method-with-this-coop#post_16440037

 

[lazy gardener]

I'd be concerned that the deep bedding would stretch that hdw cloth out of shape, perhaps ripping it from it's attachment at the sides.

I recommend against deep composting litter in a short coop b/c of the moisture and lack of total cu. ft. for proper management of the excess moisture. Either way, you need at least 1 s.f. per bird or 10% of total floor foot print of ventilation in your coop.