i do deep litter in the coop and change it out every 2 or 3 months. i am OCD though so if i see a spot that looks too poopy i scoop it out and throw a couple handfuls of shavings in. the whole side of the coop swings open and my garden cart fits just below floor level. i just pull everything out...
what about the brands that have other ingredients such as zinc, copper, manganese,sodium (Citracal)?
is it best to find something that has only the calcium and D3?
i put a thin layer of straw down in the run during the winter to catch the poop and give the girls some insulation. i use a leaf rake once a week to pull it all out then replace it. the run has a sand floor and during the summer i use a cat litter type shovel to sift the poop out.
2nd year chicken dad here. upstate NY area. we have 3 one-year-old buff orps, and 3 weeks ago we got a buff and 5 barred rock chicks to join the flock. they haven't met yet but we are going to gradually introduce them over the next few weeks. we have a fortified coop and run but used to let the...