Deep litter in the

[Josie Flowers]

Deep litter in the tropics.

Hi.
My name is Josie and I live in Belize, Central America. I was wondering if managing chicken manure with deep litter would be the best option for me. Even though the litter will potentially seep up moisture from the earth during the rainy season. I’m afraid it builds mold or removes the oxygen from the litter and get my chickens sick. Any advice?

 

[DobieLover]

Deep litter in the tropics.

Hi.
My name is Josie and I live in Belize, Central America. I was wondering if managing chicken manure with deep litter would be the best option for me. Even though the litter will potentially seep up moisture from the earth during the rainy season. I’m afraid it builds mold or removes the oxygen from the litter and get my chickens sick. Any advice?

Keep everything on high ground so nothing will drain into the run, put a solid roof with decent overhangs on the run and divert run off away from the run and I think it will work.

 

[Josie Flowers]

Thanks Dobie Lover.

I will try to make the coop higher than the run and the run higher than the yard. So that any flood or rain water doesn’t accumulate in or around the coop. Also I’ll make sure the roof has a good overhang.

 

[Hollsoph]

Deep litter in the tropics.

Hi.
My name is Josie and I live in Belize, Central America. I was wondering if managing chicken manure with deep litter would be the best option for me. Even though the litter will potentially seep up moisture from the earth during the rainy season. I’m afraid it builds mold or removes the oxygen from the litter and get my chickens sick. Any advice?

If you can't keep it dry, don't do it. Moisture is the bane of all litter. Is there any way to put plastic down and have it run up the sides? Do this after the rainy season and get as much litter in there as fast a possible. Maybe store up old litter and let it dry in the sun and add to it. The chickens scratching will tear the plastic unless you have a really deep layer.

I do deep litter and have for years. Even before I knew it was a 'thing'. I never clean my barn. My chickens are good inside or out. Keep the litter dry. Add nothing to it. NO straw/hay/grass/chips etc., they absorb and retain moisture. The dry litter will become like fine dirt with little dry rocks of............chicken chit. It has NO odor, is JUST like soft dirt. My depth is currently about 5 inches. The chickens take dust baths, hunt for bugs and food. I throw cracked corn around to encourage them to dig through and turn the litter. My chickens never have mites. When I used straw in the past, I always had issue with moisture and the straw mixed with their litter was pretty much clay. With straw, occasionally they had mites and I would have to dust with DE. I was constantly having to clean the barn and hated it. It was time consuming, back breaking work. My chickens free range in a large fenced area surrounding their barn.....if that makes sense. They used to completely free range but predators took a toll on my girls and I couldn't stand it anymore and put up fencing. The fenced area is very large and accommodating with several watering stations.

 

[3KillerBs]

The composting reaction in deep litter (which is moist but not soggy and does best with ground contact), will go faster in a warm, wet climate than a cool, dry climate so you might go through more litter, but as long as you've got good drainage and use a mix of materials so that the litter doesn't pack, mat, and develop anaerobic pockets you should be fine.

Deep litter shouldn't be confused with deep bedding, which works in all climates as long as it can be kept dry. Deep bedding doesn't compost until after you clean the coop and build a compost pile with the layers watered in.

A lot of people use deep bedding in the coop, which stays dry, and deep litter in the run, which gets moist but not soggy-wet.

 

[paintedChix]

Deep litter in the tropics.

Hi.
My name is Josie and I live in Belize, Central America. I was wondering if managing chicken manure with deep litter would be the best option for me. Even though the litter will potentially seep up moisture from the earth during the rainy season. I’m afraid it builds mold or removes the oxygen from the litter and get my chickens sick. Any advice?

Does this YouTube channel qualify as part of the tropics? If so, check out what they do.

Atitlan Organics in Guatemala