Deep litter done right

[sweetater22]

As Beekissed has taught us, try to copy the forest floor. If you do DL will work very well.

 

[nminusyplusm]

My run has a dirt floor and I use about 2' of straw because that's what's readily available here in the northern Chihuahuan desert. It works very well as long as I add a little water. I'm sure what I do wouldn't work in Hawaii. Every place is different.

 

[lazy gardener]

I think I can get Bee's video to post from you tube.

 

[moco27]

I like the video of beekissed litter. I like the way the litter is dry and loose but I don't like the work she has to put in to make it work well.
She turns it almost every day or at least every other day. That's more than 200 days a year she is turning that over. That is the part I don't want to do. I don't turn my sawdust litter more than 1 day a year. That is greater than 20,000% more work than just dry sawdust.
I don't get earthworms in my deep litter like beekissed does because it's too dry. I get mealworms, and little white worms that I have never seen before. They look like an earthworm but really white and about half the size of a red worm.
I wonder if there is a lab that would analyze the litter to see what is living in it and what properties it has.

 

[Mr Pink]

Lots of great info here ... good to see and hear from folks who are years in and see the results !

 

[jthornton]

Run has a semi-deep litter...lots of 'browns' big and small to 'eat' the poops.

aart, is your run covered?

JT

 

[aart]

aart, is your run covered?

JT

Nope.

 

[CindyR]

Do any of you find that the DL method with sawdust is dusty? My chickens are the dustiest creatures on earth. I currently use straw in a 10x12 coop, wood floor, with only 4-10 chickens at any time and they do not create enough moisture to keep the dust down. I live in Alberta, Canada and it is very dry here.

 

[lazy gardener]

I think that if you asked Bee today how much turning she does of her DL, she'd tell you that she rarely turns it now.

With my DL, I may toss more leaves on top of the poo under the roosts, may poke at it a couple times/year, take out some 2 - 3 x / year and replenish with fresh materials. Otherwise, it's maintenance free.

 

[CindyR]

That sounds great Lazy Gardener and I'm definitely considering a change to DL but my concern is whether or not the sawdust adds to the dust problem. I am astonished at how much dust those critters create on their own. The last thing I want is a litter that adds to the problem. With a wood floor no less! The addition of fresh grass clippings with their moisture might help with the problem.