Hi all! I'm a major beginner (we got our 3 ~150 day old chickens 1 week ago) and have taken 100% of my guidance from my brother/sister in law. We have a small prefab coop with 2 nesting boxes and a pull out drawer to collect poop under the roost.
I had planned to apply the deep litter method as I am looking for as low maintenance as possible but now have so many questions! As the coop is small, the girls have been sleeping also in the nesting boxes. It did not occur to me this could result in more clean up. We have a tumbler composter too. Also, I'm not really seeing the point of the drawer....
1. What is the standard daily maintenance I should apply? I have been removing poop from the entire top level (drawer + nesting boxes) and putting it down to the bottom level which is on dirt then adding litter above and below (as I am trying to apply deep litter). Is this correct?
2. Does it even really make sense to use the deep litter method on such a tiny space where the chickens don't even spend that much time?
3. Is there an easier way to manage maintenance of the top of the coop? Or is that simply life with chickens!?
4. What about the run? It's small and so far I haven't felt the need to remove any of the poop. What should be the maintenance there? Can I use deep litter or is it not even necessary?
5. We have a ton of bamboo leaves falling constantly on the ground in this area. Is that helpful or a hindrance to maintenance of the coop?
So far they haven't really started laying yet (just a few soft eggs from time to time) so those questions will be coming soon!
Update: here's a video
thanks in advance for your help!
Terry
I had planned to apply the deep litter method as I am looking for as low maintenance as possible but now have so many questions! As the coop is small, the girls have been sleeping also in the nesting boxes. It did not occur to me this could result in more clean up. We have a tumbler composter too. Also, I'm not really seeing the point of the drawer....
1. What is the standard daily maintenance I should apply? I have been removing poop from the entire top level (drawer + nesting boxes) and putting it down to the bottom level which is on dirt then adding litter above and below (as I am trying to apply deep litter). Is this correct?
2. Does it even really make sense to use the deep litter method on such a tiny space where the chickens don't even spend that much time?
3. Is there an easier way to manage maintenance of the top of the coop? Or is that simply life with chickens!?
4. What about the run? It's small and so far I haven't felt the need to remove any of the poop. What should be the maintenance there? Can I use deep litter or is it not even necessary?
5. We have a ton of bamboo leaves falling constantly on the ground in this area. Is that helpful or a hindrance to maintenance of the coop?
So far they haven't really started laying yet (just a few soft eggs from time to time) so those questions will be coming soon!
Update: here's a video
thanks in advance for your help!
Terry
Attachments
Last edited:
