Deep liter.

[WoodlandWoman]

If you're having a bad dust problem, it's probably from the DE you're using. Try not using so much. I don't use any, unless I'm treating for mites. Using DE as a management tool in deep litter is a very new trend. You don't actually need it to do deep litter. It's a choice.

If you're having any kind of odor problem, you need to either stir/turn the litter or add a light layer of clean litter over the poopy areas. It kind of depends on what the condition of the bottom layer of litter is and how you choose to manage your coop.

 

[ChickaD]

If anyone has a hard time finding affordable food grade DE, especially this slow time of year, a handy alternative that seems to work fine is Stall Dry (available at Tractor Supply Co) and similar brands, containing animal-safe DE and an absorbent, light-weight clay. Our chickens like to dust bathe in it. Originally designed for horse stalls, it also works well in coops.

 

[ozark hen]

Oh Yes, I forgot after I clean out my coop rooms I dust EVERYTHING with D.E. I use four bags of pine shavings due to size of my rooms. I, too, put about 4-5 inches down to start with and add more through-out the season. Come fall and spring I have it all put on my garden areas and my chickens work it in for me

They do most of the work for me

 

[ChickaD]

Quote:
That hilarious new smilie makes me want to post something - anything - just to use it! So I will!

This is how I feel when our coop is odor and bug-free! (see, I did get back on-topic!)

 

[Gravedigger]

How deep is deep litter?

 

[freemotion]

Start with 4-6 inches and add more anytime you get a slight smell, until you are at maybe a foot. Depends on how many chickens and how big your coop and how much they get outside. Use your nose to tell you. You should not smell ammonia when you first open the door, if so, add bedding. It is a great method!

 

[hollyk]

I am new to BYC and I am so excited

to see so many people returning to the deep litter method. I love this- for my goats as well as my chickens.

I have found that the best litter is made from a mixture of materials. Becuase we have a lot of trees, I have plenty of leaves. I mix that with clean hay the goats are too good to eat along with pine needles I get from my parents home. Did you know that pine needles have more vitamin C than oranges? I am not sure if the chickens nibble on these, but the goats love them. I keep shavings as the smallest amount of material. We have had a terrible time with fleas in the dog kennells

and the only bedding that seemed to harbor them was shavings. DE is, of course in the mix as well as a little lime when I first put a new batch in. I don't even worry about mixing them in the chicken house, they do that for me. I have used this with my goats before my chickens came along. I will scoop out any large clumps of poop off the top only because I want it in my compost pile and don't want to wait a year until I clean out the coop. For me to consider it deep, it is at least 6 inches and 12 inches is better.

As far as the bugs go- there are published studies on deep litter that show that the "bad bugs" get eaten by the "good bugs" So your chickens are less likely to get bugs in deep litter. But you have to leave the deep litter in the coop for that process to get going. If you want printed proof that you can show your dad, go to www.plamondon.com and he has got the articles on his site. I got a lot of good info from his site. He does have a blog- but is no way as good as BYC

 

[ChickaD]

Hollyk, thanks for the great website,

which includes lots of encouraging findings about deep litter. Very helpful!

 

[moenmitz]

We have been using it since May now, and I am very pleased. Odor is minimal, no bugs whatsoever. We have four separate pens for about 65 birds, and we just add shavings when they start to look a little poopy, or if we start to smell anything. We throw in some DE when we add shavings- usually every 1-2 weeks, (it varies depending on the weather and how much the birds have been inside.) We use a hoe to stir things up thoroughly when we add the shavings, but the chickens keep it turned pretty well otherwise with all their nesting and dust baths. In the process, they manage to kick alot of shavings out of the pens, so there is a constant replacement of shavings going on anyway, just not all at once. Our floor is concrete, so the litter can't compost fully like on a dirt floor, but it seems to be workign regardless. Litter is nice and dry, and we have zero ammonia smell- worst it ever smells is a bit poopy, and that is mainly from the turkeys who poop like buffalos...

 

[redhen]

i am new to owning chickens, but what i do is every couple of months i change out and add about 1/2 my litter and add DE or sweet PDZ...i keep like 6-8 inches of litter on the coop floor..but, since i have added dropping boards it has helped ALOT!..those things REALLY catch most of the coop mess...for the winter though..i may not change the litter...just let it add up till spring..i wont know till i get there though..

..because this is my first year with them..so i am learning also..

.., Wendy