Can I use the deep litter method with Southeast Texas humidity?

[RoseMarie1]

In hot humid Mississippi here and doing it. Wont do anything else. I tried the sand and it was a job. Hubby didn't like me spending hours in the chicken pen scooping the poop and it got to stinking bad in just 2-3 weeks! even with me scooping. DL for me from here on out as long as I can hold up to keep it in there. The chickens LOVE shifting through all the leaves and straw. VERY happy chickens indeed.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Wanted to show my soil. I have been doing deep litter for a few years now. This is what my soil on the outside of the pen looks like. My lawn mower has been torn up so I haven't been able to sweep them up any litter so it's really needing it now. It's all gone inside their pen but it's still not a muddy mess when it
rains. As you can see our soil is very sandy. But look at how pretty the soil is inside their pen. We're using it in our garden and it's awesome.

 

[Txhomestead]

What part of south Texas are u from??

 

[RoseMarie1]

Hot humid south Ms. here.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Wanted to show my soil. I have been doing deep litter for a few years now. This is what my soil on the outside of the pen looks like. My lawn mower has been torn up so I haven't been able to sweep them up any litter so it's really needing it now. It's all gone inside their pen but it's still not a muddy mess when it rains. As you can see our soil is very sandy. But look at how pretty the soil is inside their pen. We're using it in our garden and it's awesome.

BEAUTIFUL Run! Where I live the 'soil' is clay, hard as a rock in my Run but using DLM, chickens are "loosening" it all up plus now that the area has a roof over it, stays dry. Just wondering, how do you keep rain out? I'm trying shower curtains on EMT rods, works well for our rains/winds. I'm in-between chickens now, keep only 4 since they're more Pets with Benefits (entertainment, bug control, stress relief & eggs), love your Run!

 

[katzenmutter]

I'm wondering if I can use this method for ducks. We have to put our ducks in a pen at night to protect them from predators that have killed some prior to doing so. Ducks are so messy and the pen floor is covered in duck poop every morning despite cleaning it out everyday. One week ago I slipped in duck poop and broke my ankle and am possibly going to have to have surgery.

 

[Trux]

Is anybody in my area successfully doing this? Also, my run is dirt. Should I put sand on top of it? Worrying about sanitation...

@aart

 

[Trux]

I recently started using DLM. Reason for it was I have a dirt floor in my run and live in hot dry arid climate, almost never rains here. Well everything was fine and dandy till I installed misters to keep my girls cooled down in our 100 plus degree days here. Ammonia factory bout knock ya over! I dug up the compacted spots then started with chopped straw I had sitting around, not being used. Have since added some fine pine shavings and next will be course pine shavings from TSC. I don't have any organic stuff to add this time of year so I buy it. I can deal with 6 bucks a bag and the run doesn't stink anymore and the girls love to play like little excavators.

 

[ZoomuKeeper]

Got it, Twigg, crispy crunchy deep litter!

Got it, Twigg, crispy crunchy deep litter!

I am curious, did you do the Deep litter method? I clean and disinfect my coop once a week. It gets expensive takes up an entire day sometime longer