Getting mixed up...deep litter

[cottagechick]

I think I saw someone say on another site that they use sand in their run and shavings in their coop. Someone else said they use sand in their coop and shavings in their run. I am confused should I use different material in different areas? If you use the deep method than you use it over the whole area? How deep do I need to put the shavings and/or sand. I am trying to figure out how much I need to buy of everything. If you were giving your chicks 4-5 sf per chick. How much of each item would you need to buy per square foot? How much is the sand/shavings costing you? What kind of sand do I need?
Thanks,
Julie

 

[darkmatter]

I use the sub-ground level dirt floor compost pit deep litter method. Been using this for twenty years. I Clean it out in the spring to put on the garden and then add all summer long lawnmower clippings, raked up pine straw, leaves, & etc. which composts and adds heat during the winter while it's "cooking". See my BYC page for pics of my set up.

 

[mkcolls]

Both ends of our barn have a deep concrete floor and we are finishing one end for our chickens, the other for our turkeys. What do you suggest to seal the concrete and after it is sealed are pine shavings the best litter over concrete?
We are currently using deep compost pine shavings in the brooders and older chick pen in our garage. However, we noticed that the concrete in the garage is "stained" and want to avoid that in the barn coops.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
I personally think a Chicken Coop needs a sub-ground level dirt floor! I've been in neighbors coops built on concrete and/or solid floors, unless you're cleaning them out constantly, the litter will go anaerobic and develop that nasty ammonia smell causing chicken health problems. A natural aerobic compost never smells more then an "earthy" fragrance and provides antibiotics that are good for the chickens. Do your research, the European method of deep litter for livestock has been used successfully for centuries. And you can easily clean it out only once a year for use as fertilizer, or if really lazy, let it compost down for years before using it.

 

[Yashar]

I use leaves both in my aviary and coop. I just add leaves every few weeks as they break down and clean it out completely once a year in the aviary and mare often in the coops.
I really like that method. I've been doing it for a couple years now. You have to have it pretty deep for it to work at the beginning, when your first adding leaves, because they will scratch around vigorously and move them to the sides of the coop.
It makes incredible compost.

 

[chickens-on-the-brain]

Quote:
Hello. We (my husband, myself, and our two boys, ages 12 and 9) are new to this forum, new to raising chickens. Our 26 chickens (13 RIR and 13 BPR) were born June 8th. We have been doing chicken research since the spring. We are having a lot of fun, but we still have so much more to learn.

I noticed that darkmatter said he/she uses the sub-ground level dirt floor compost pit deep litter method. I am familiar with the deep litter method, but I am not clear on the significance of the sub-ground level dirt floor. Can anyone tell me more about this, please?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Yashar]

 

[ChickyLoo]

Quote:
Hello. We (my husband, myself, and our two boys, ages 12 and 9) are new to this forum, new to raising chickens. Our 26 chickens (13 RIR and 13 BPR) were born June 8th. We have been doing chicken research since the spring. We are having a lot of fun, but we still have so much more to learn.

I noticed that darkmatter said he/she uses the sub-ground level dirt floor compost pit deep litter method. I am familiar with the deep litter method, but I am not clear on the significance of the sub-ground level dirt floor. Can anyone tell me more about this, please?

Thanks for your help.

I would like more info too since our flock is moving into the barn with concrete floor

I was hoping to deep litter but now not sure it will work after all the reading i've done

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
Hello. We (my husband, myself, and our two boys, ages 12 and 9) are new to this forum, new to raising chickens. Our 26 chickens (13 RIR and 13 BPR) were born June 8th. We have been doing chicken research since the spring. We are having a lot of fun, but we still have so much more to learn.

I noticed that darkmatter said he/she uses the sub-ground level dirt floor compost pit deep litter method. I am familiar with the deep litter method, but I am not clear on the significance of the sub-ground level dirt floor. Can anyone tell me more about this, please?

Thanks for your help.

The natural dirt floor provides micro-organisms for the composting process; it also supports a more correct moisture level (not too wet or too dry) for composting. The sub-ground level "Pit" helps with maintaining proper temperature for composting and retains the heat better which you'll want in the winter. An example:

NOTE: The deep litter compost pit should not have structure wood in contact, use stone, brick, or concrete to prevent your Coop from composting.

 

[gryeyes]

I am moving, and the new location had an old, 3-sided, open garage. I had the fourth wall built (with a Dutch door and HUGE hardware cloth covered ventilation 'window") and this is going to be my coop. The floor to this garage is dirt, and I was SO thrilled to discover it! It's on a concrete foundation "border" only, so the deep litter will be in contact with the soil. Much, much more preferable than deep litter over wood floor in my previous coops.

Darkmatter's description has intrigued me for quite some time and now I am pleased to be able to utilize the same method.