Deep Litter

[kmk]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you?

If you put your location into your profile it's easier for people to give you well-targeted advice because climate matters.

Deep Bedding and Deep Litter are two different things. The former is best for an enclosed coop with a floor, the latter is better for a run or a dirt-floored coop. Here's my article on Deep Bedding to help you decide what is likely to suit your setup: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

How soiled is the brooder bedding? If it's very heavily soiled there's no point putting it into the coop. However, many people throw soiled coop bedding into the run, where it works very well.

If you have the ability to brood outside in your coop that's the best possible option. It gets the dust and odor out of your house and allows the chicks to become accustomed to their permanent home from the start.

I wanted to see your article on deep bedding but it was about ventilation.

 

[3KillerBs]

I wanted to see your article on deep bedding but it was about ventilation.

Oops. Sorry. Copied wrong link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

 

[RubySue]

I'm new this year also and transferred the (clean) wood shavings from their brooder to the run so something would be familiar to them. I also added our forest surroundings (oak leaves, pine needles, sticks). The girls acclimated very well.
I'm employing a modified litter method. You can still see some wood shavings from early spring. I plan to add more in a month or two for deep winter along with more litter.
Enjoy.

Thanks! It will seem to be a waste not to transfer if they are not that soiled and going the deep bedding route. Plus good idea for something familiar for the transition!

 

[r21gloria3]

Hello all!

New chicken owner here. I plan to use the deep litter method in our coop. Our chicks are one week old. I am getting ready to clean out their brooder and thought I could just move the shavings to the coop to get started rather than tossing them. Is that anything anyone has done or is it not a good idea?

Thanks!!

I did that with my chicky brooder shavings and it worked great! Go for it I say.

 

[kmk]

Oops. Sorry. Copied wrong link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

Thanks 3K! Actually I read your excellent article earlier. It was certainly worth another read.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks 3K! Actually I read your excellent article earlier. It was certainly worth another read.

Glad you found it helpful.

 

[RubySue]

That sounds good. Since they are already comfortable (with heat plate) in the garage, they should be fine when they are a week older and move to the coop which is a bit cooler at night (also with heat plate.)

I couldn't tell whether you were planning to move their tote brooder into the coop, or just move the chicks into the coop without the tote. Personally, I'd turn them loose and skip the tote, so they have access to the whole coop.

Got the door on! Just getting a little nervous about temperature because it’s expected to drop to the low 30s to low 40s at night. But loving the door! It dropped to 40 last night in the garage and I went out this morning and they were out from under the plate already so fingers crossed.

 

[RubySue]

That should be fine. I might move the chicks as well as the used shavings-- brooding in the coop often works quite well. Then just add more shavings as needed.

They moved in to the coop! They aren’t sure what to do with all the space haha!

 

[RubySue]

Almost done!

 

[RubySue]

Well I have let them out of the coop a couple times. They are 4 weeks tomorrow. They love the dry dustiness of the run. First order of business for them on their first trip out was dust bathing in that dry dusty composted horse manure dirt pine needle forest floor mix, which was cute and they did forever! They also found some beetles to fight over. My first thought was OMG they are gonna choke they are too big! But they were beating them on the rocks to bust them up, smart buggers. Of course then I had to check crops first thing in the morning bc I was worried but everything seemed fine. I just probably need to remind myself they are the birds, not me.

The next three nights we have a bit of a cold stretch with lows 29-31 F. They have been running around outside in temps of 50 F with no problems. I am really glad I read into these forums. If I had not begun to wean them sooner it would have been quite a shock to move them if I had waited another 3 - 4 weeks , which is what I thought I had to do. I appreciate all of you who encourage this way of brooding. I feel like if I had kept them in a controlled environment they’d be sitting with half the feathers then they have now and we are headed for snow shortly!

Thanks!