Can I use the deep litter method in the run as well as the coop....

[mamichi]

..as long as the run area has no way of getting wet? I am loving the DLM in the coop but I am not so happy with the 4-6 inches of sand we put in the run. I had read that the poop would "dissolve" into the sand but I think it's pretty nasy in there. I try raking it, but I wonder if there is a good reason why I couldn't do DLM as long as the litter won't get wet.

Any thoughts?

TIA

M

 

[MIKE555444]

I'm sure it would work great ECCEPT that it would have to stay dry. I had to build a small roof over the exit to my run just to keep it dry enough inside using DLM.

I bet blowing rain would be enought to cause disaster when using DLM outside in a run...??

 

[ducks4you]

You're going to want to put some kind of bedding on top of the sand. There is NO way to make living quarters that stay clean by themselves. I put sand down in my (temporary) run after reading about it on a recent post. I Really like how it's no longer muddy, though we've had 7+ inches of rain this month alone, ABOVE the surplus this year. I've been "spring" cleaning out hay and straw from my barn and putting that on top of the sand--found worms at the bottom of the stalls that the birds LOVE. I clean the run out about once a week.

After 23 years of cleaning up after my various animals, it creates a sense of pride each time I admire the area all cleaned up and freshly bedded.

 

[Anny]

How big is the run to your coop and how many chickens are in it?? Make sure they are not smooshed.

I used the sand method and love it!

 

[mamichi]

When you clean it out once a week, are you just changing out the straw? Or are you doing something to the sand?

I understand there is no self-cleaning living quarters, but I much prefer the easiness of the DLM in the coop to the sand in the run.

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[mamichi]

We have 10 chickens in a 6x8 coop and 6x10 run, so no smooshed chickies. Plus we free range them quite a bit.

Please tell me what you loved about the sand method

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