Deep Litter in Run and How to Keep Clean

[MaggieRose2001]

So what deep litter in the run is (generally) is layered organic materials of different sizes and types, composting down in place along with the poop. As long as the run has good drainage and you have sufficient litter volume (what is the run measurements?), it's a low maintenance, low cost form of litter that stabilizes the soil and helps prevent mud and odor. Many of us rarely remove any litter material or poop (if we do it's generally for gardening) and just continue to add thin layers of new material as needed to keep it going.

For drainage purposes the best base material is chunky, aged wood chips. If you have room for a pile you can contact tree companies to see if they can dump a load on your lot. On top of that I add dried leaves (which I save each fall), dried short grass clippings from my lawn, garden trimmings, pulled weeds, etc. So it costs $0 and utilizes materials from my own yard which I would have to otherwise pay to dispose of.

Okay. That makes much more sense then throwing away the run contents every couple weeks!! Thank you for explaining it to me. I will look into wood chips today - they should be pretty easy to come by in Maine. Thanks again!

 

[aart]

It doesn't need to be 'deep' to work.
A couple inches of coarse wood chippings work here,
but I'm not trying to make garden soil, just keep the poops breaking down.
I do add some other dry plant matter if I have it.
Best if you have a place to store a big pile of chipped wood from tree trimmers.

 

[MaggieRose2001]

Okay, so one more question for you all. Do you put food scraps in the run just directly on the floor? Do you go back and pick up whatever they don't eat? I have been giving them bits of chopped veggies from cooking - not really leftovers from meals. But I take them out in a pan and then pick up whatever they don't eat. I guess I am too much of a clean freak - I figure it would start to stink if I just left it out there. Is that what the whole composting is suppose to do is make it not stink? Would it be better if I left it there?

Oh and one more- this winter I am planning on putting a bunch of hay/straw down to insulate from the cold. Would I leave that in there after winter is done or just try to remove it from the top of the other layers of wood chips and such once spring comes?

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, I just toss the scraps into the run -- in different places so that dominant and subordinate flock members both get the treats.

What they don't eat becomes one with the bedding and composts in place. I don't give them huge amounts of stuff that would stay in a pile and make a mess. I do, however, pick up large bones since they don't break down in a timely fashion.

Giving them a straw bale is a great way to prevent winter boredom. Don't spread it -- just cut one tie and let them tear it apart over days or weeks. Likewise when you rake leaves. Don't bother to spread them, just put in the pile and let the chickens have fun scratching it until it's spread out.

The litter doesn't stay in layers. The chickens scratch and dig and mix it all up. They can be encouraged to work over any area that seems like it might be neglected and getting compacted by scattering a little scratch there.

IF straw does get matted into a distinct layer you will need to flip it around with a pitchfork to fluff it back up. This is why it's better to add bedding/litter a little at a time instead of a lot at once.

 

[MaggieRose2001]

Yes, I just toss the scraps into the run -- in different places so that dominant and subordinate flock members both get the treats.

What they don't eat becomes one with the bedding and composts in place. I don't give them huge amounts of stuff that would stay in a pile and make a mess. I do, however, pick up large bones since they don't break down in a timely fashion.

Giving them a straw bale is a great way to prevent winter boredom. Don't spread it -- just cut one tie and let them tear it apart over days or weeks. Likewise when you rake leaves. Don't bother to spread them, just put in the pile and let the chickens have fun scratching it until it's spread out.

The litter doesn't stay in layers. The chickens scratch and dig and mix it all up. They can be encouraged to work over any area that seems like it might be neglected and getting compacted by scattering a little scratch there.

IF straw does get matted into a distinct layer you will need to flip it around with a pitchfork to fluff it back up. This is why it's better to add bedding/litter a little at a time instead of a lot at once.

That sounds awesome! Thank you so much for your time answering my questions. I'll get there - hopefully without too many mishaps along the way.

 

[3KillerBs]

That sounds awesome! Thank you so much for your time answering my questions. I'll get there - hopefully without too many mishaps along the way.

It's an art, not a science.

Some people manage compost and/or deep litter intensively to maintain a hot-composting environment. I'm too lazy for that, I just let nature do the work.

It has been helpful to remember that in their native environment chickens are creatures of the forest floor.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Yes. People everywhere use this method in different climates and with different litters.



Yes, just like Deep Bedding except for the moisture and ground contact, which create the conditions for composting to occur. Deep Bedding, being a dry system, doesn't break down -- other then by the mechanical action of chickens scratching, which creates a fine dust of mixed bedding particles and dried poop.

With either system you need to clean when the bedding/litter pile up deeper than is convenient for you or an odor develops that doesn't go away with the addition of another layer of bedding/litter.

My observations here on these forums lead me to conclude that most failures with either system come from having too many chickens in too confined a space so that the manure load overwhelms the ability of the volume of bedding available to absorb and that most of the rest of the failures are due to an ill-drained run that is wet-wet rather than moist.

Some materials -- straw and leaves especially -- tend to pack, mat, and form anaerobic pockets. This is why I advocate a mix of materials and textures if possible. Those coarse wood chips are superb for keeping the mix well-aerated and preventing packing/matting.



In addition to the above, different places have locally-available materials which have the advantage of being cheap/free. Here in the US Southeast I have pine straw -- the long needled of the Longleaf and Loblolly pines. I've heard of rice hulls being available in some places and I'm sure that there are other local materials in other places.

I agree with straw packing soil down.

Yes, I just toss the scraps into the run -- in different places so that dominant and subordinate flock members both get the treats.

What they don't eat becomes one with the bedding and composts in place. I don't give them huge amounts of stuff that would stay in a pile and make a mess. I do, however, pick up large bones since they don't break down in a timely fashion.

Giving them a straw bale is a great way to prevent winter boredom. Don't spread it -- just cut one tie and let them tear it apart over days or weeks. Likewise when you rake leaves. Don't bother to spread them, just put in the pile and let the chickens have fun scratching it until it's spread out.

The litter doesn't stay in layers. The chickens scratch and dig and mix it all up. They can be encouraged to work over any area that seems like it might be neglected and getting compacted by scattering a little scratch there.

IF straw does get matted into a distinct layer you will need to flip it around with a pitchfork to fluff it back up. This is why it's better to add bedding/litter a little at a time instead of a lot at once.

I totally agree with go lightly on straw layer. I unknowingly laid down a 3-4inch layer of straw in snow storm last year and that layer is like BRICK. After all that's how they made bricks in Bible!
I do deep bedding in coop just like tutorial link says, and I love it . I use mini flakes then use a cat litter scoop to sift out poo. I have now placed a "collection box" (old short wooden box) under roost that catches 98% of poop and that is lined with layers of plastic feed bags etc. cut to fit. Go lightly on layers.

 

[Happy hen lover]

And I almost forgot WELCOME to the place of chicken wisdom. Lots of expert from the others. And YOU GO GIRL! garden and chickens I'm impressed

 

[rosemarythyme]

Okay, so one more question for you all. Do you put food scraps in the run just directly on the floor? Do you go back and pick up whatever they don't eat? I have been giving them bits of chopped veggies from cooking - not really leftovers from meals. But I take them out in a pan and then pick up whatever they don't eat. I guess I am too much of a clean freak - I figure it would start to stink if I just left it out there. Is that what the whole composting is suppose to do is make it not stink? Would it be better if I left it there?

Oh and one more- this winter I am planning on putting a bunch of hay/straw down to insulate from the cold. Would I leave that in there after winter is done or just try to remove it from the top of the other layers of wood chips and such once spring comes?

Like 3KillerBs I just toss any food scraps directly on the floor. Even if I put them in a pan the chickens will drag them from the pan onto the floor anyhow.

I sometimes go back and pick up what they don't eat, depending on what it is. Anything that might attract flies or other pests I'd pick up. Other items get left in and will eventually break down and become part of the run litter - examples would be green leafy plants (as I throw in whole plants that are spent, i.e. cauliflower and cabbage once I've harvested the vegetable part) and corn cobs/husks.

Shouldn't be any need to remove hay/straw as they should compost down in the run but straw can mold, so if it turns out your environment is conducive to moldy straw I'd use a different material.

If you ever get mud/smells in established deep litter that was working fine previously, it's generally a lack of aeration so add in more wood chips instead of matter that tends to mat or compact down like grass, leaves, hay, etc.

 

[MaggieRose2001]

Like 3KillerBs I just toss any food scraps directly on the floor. Even if I put them in a pan the chickens will drag them from the pan onto the floor anyhow.

I sometimes go back and pick up what they don't eat, depending on what it is. Anything that might attract flies or other pests I'd pick up. Other items get left in and will eventually break down and become part of the run litter - examples would be green leafy plants (as I throw in whole plants that are spent, i.e. cauliflower and cabbage once I've harvested the vegetable part) and corn cobs/husks.

Shouldn't be any need to remove hay/straw as they should compost down in the run but straw can mold, so if it turns out your environment is conducive to moldy straw I'd use a different material.

If you ever get mud/smells in established deep litter that was working fine previously, it's generally a lack of aeration so add in more wood chips instead of matter that tends to mat or compact down like grass, leaves, hay, etc.

We do deal with mold. I'm new to Maine, but it seems like the land never dries out. If I miss a dog poo - it grows white fuzzy mold within 2 days. So I would only guess that straw would go moldy as well. I think what I am lacking is the wood chips. I am currently just using bags of pine shavings that I had laying around and they compact too much and the poo just sticks to them and to the chickens feet. I definitely need some aeration! Thank you for the advice.