Deep litter in run - on top of concrete - SEMO

[gtaus]

Either way I am good with it...
I figured if it was breaking down then we'd pull it out and stick it in the compost to protect the flooring!
If it's not, no big, was just gonna go to the garden next yr

Sounds like you are good to go either way.

From what I see, you would be better off using that litter in the compost or using it as top mulch out in the garden. If you till those wood chips and shavings directly into the ground, they will rob the soil of nitrogen to break down the wood. That will result in less nitrogen going to the plants in your garden.

Wood chips make great top mulch in the garden for water retention and to block out weed growth. I use them all the time for that and it works great for me.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

Sounds like you are good to go either way.

From what I see, you would be better off using that litter in the compost or using it as top mulch out in the garden. If you till those wood chips and shavings directly into the ground, they will rob the soil of nitrogen to break down the wood. That will result in less nitrogen going to the plants in your garden.

Wood chips make great top mulch in the garden for water retention and to block out weed growth. I use them all the time for that and it works great for me.

Thanks so much for all the advice!

 

[3KillerBs]

A somewhat contrary thought. I use deep bedding in my coop along with drop boards/cleaning several times a week. The flock also has access to a covered run, I no longer free range.

The majority of waste is onto the drop boards. There are droppings onto the deep litter of course, however I never remove these as I find they dry quickly and then turn to dust which settles into the bedding.

It strikes me that the preoccupation with covering the floors may be a cautionary step that, assuming the use of deep bedding, is entirely unnecessary?

My Little Monitor Coop has an unprotected wooden floor and it's perfectly sound after nearly 10 years of intermittent use.

I always keep it bone dry in there so the floor can't rot.

 

[shayes224]

This was very insightful thank you for taking the time to respond!!

It's great to know that someone near my area has had success using pine shavings on concrete



The run is on concrete. So I'm hoping a deep litter method, the pine shavings seem to be a good method, and the coop and run are well covered from the elements, so I probably won't have too much to worry about.

Thank you! Hearing someone from a similar area makes me feel much more confident on pine shavings if I need to go that route, I think bases on what you said, perhaps the soil and wood chips could be another option.
I have two months to figure out the bedding so fingers crossed!

Hi! Can I ask how it’s been going? I plan to do the deep “bedding” method on top of my concrete floors in the coop as well and am curious how that’s been for you so far?