Deep litter refers to a method where you fill the bottom of the chicken coop with a natural, compostable material such as pine shavings, straw, dry leaves, etc. Typically you make the litter anywhere from 4 inches deep on up. In more humid climates I've read that people actually make the DL material as much as a foot deep. The idea is that the chicken droppings fall into the DL where the nitrogen from the chicken poop combines with the carbon of the DL components to create both natural heat (via the bacterial processes involved in composting) in colder months, and wicking away dangerous moisture that leads to a build-up of ammonia levels that could lead to respiratory problems. Oftentimes insects will lay their larvae in the DL, creating great fun for the chickens and giving them a natural protein source. The number one problem with using the method is allowing the bedding to become too damp = ammonia. The second major problem is allowing it to become too dirty before replacing it. DL doesn't have to be kept meticulously clean though, and as a general rule if you walk in the coop and all you can smell is ammonia, it's a little beyond time to clean it all out and lay down fresh litter. Chickens LOVE DL.
Actually, no. I typically clean during the summer if the litter has become to wet and heavy with ammonia, but as a general rule I don't have a set schedule. How dirty the bedding gets depends upon how many chickens are living in it, how wet the litter gets, etc. My eyes and my nose guide my cleaning schedule. During the cooler months I make the DL a little deeper as several of my chickens prefer to sleep on the floor of their pen rather than roost and I want them to be nice and warm. During the summer, as long as you keep the DL from getting wet, it holds up quite nicely. You will DEFINITELY notice a difference between the wetter months and the drier ones though...both with your nose and the number of flies you'll have around. That's the number one drawback for me about using DL....flies breed like crazy in it. The chickens LOVE consuming all the larvae, but it still overwhelms even them.
I did switch from large pine shavings to straw for the first time this year, and I really don't like it. It's fine for the pens that are set up on dirt as the birds really churn through that straw, but they also eat it, so I have to replace it frequently. It also seems to break down into dust more quickly than the pine, and I noticed a fair amount of sneezing by both my chickens and us humans as a result. I'm switching back to pine shavings, which are still far more affordable than buying compost later in the year.
