Deep Litter Mess

[Abbeycakes777]

Hi all! I need a little help please. I have 5 chickens (2 Polish, 2 EEs, and 1 RedStar) and we opted to use DLM in run, but sand inside the hen-house. It's been about a year since we did this. We have a little over 2ft deep of of mulch (from a tree we had cut down) and other yard debris. The problem is that now it's all breaking down and creating a huge, dusty mess in and around the run. My Polish's head feathers are constantly dirty brown. Dirt and dust is constantly in their water. Every day I go out there there are mounds of dirt-dust around the entire run. I have to clear it out of the way of the door to let them out each morning. It's starting to smell musty in there too. I turn it over every other week to try to get the dust to drop down and raise the bigger pieces, but it's like the broken down mulch/compost is becoming greater than the larger pieces remaining. How do I cut down on the dirt-dust. We put other yard debris in there when we have it. I have thought about digging out about a foot of it, laying hardware cloth over it, and topping it off with sand, but I keep reading that sand is a good alternative but not highly suggested.

 

[igorsMistress]

Deep litter needs cleaning out once in a while. Dig it out and start fresh. Use that good stuff in a garden

 

[coach723]

It sounds like they are digging and dust bathing in it (the mounds), which is actually a good thing. You do need to periodically add new materials to it as the older breaks down. Occasionally (I do about once a year) I remove about 1/2- 3/4 of the material, and replace with new, I add material whenever it needs it periodically through out the year. The amount you remove is going to be based on need, you may need to do more, or less. If it's breaking down too fast, try adding larger materials. Adding some pine shavings can slow things down. Sometimes, depending on what materials you have available and amounts from your yard, you may need to get more somewhere else to keep it healthy, different materials and different environment/climate will have different results.
If the waterers are at ground level, raise them up to shoulder height and they will stay cleaner. I have mine either raised on concrete blocks or hung from the rafters to keep them up, chickens naturally dig, scratch and dust bathe, flinging the dirt where ever.

 

[Abbeycakes777]

Deep litter needs cleaning out once in a while. Dig it out and start fresh. Use that good stuff in a garden

THANKS!! I didn't think of that. I just weeded and cleaned out an old garden area of our yard. I can add it there to get that area ready for the next round of planting.

 

[Abbeycakes777]

It sounds like they are digging and dust bathing in it (the mounds), which is actually a good thing. You do need to periodically add new materials to it as the older breaks down. Occasionally (I do about once a year) I remove about 1/2- 3/4 of the material, and replace with new, I add material whenever it needs it periodically through out the year. The amount you remove is going to be based on need, you may need to do more, or less. If it's breaking down too fast, try adding larger materials. Adding some pine shavings can slow things down. Sometimes, depending on what materials you have available and amounts from your yard, you may need to get more somewhere else to keep it healthy, different materials and different environment/climate will have different results.
If the waterers are at ground level, raise them up to shoulder height and they will stay cleaner. I have mine either raised on concrete blocks or hung from the rafters to keep them up, chickens naturally dig, scratch and dust bathe, flinging the dirt where ever.

They are DEFINITELY digging and dust bathing! I have the waterer raised on concrete blocks, but I can't go much higher. The dirt/dust situation is just getting worse. It didn't used to be this bad, but I also didn't think to remove & replace some of it. I will definitely do that today.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree with cleaning it out. That's your best move forward. But a temporary (or permanent) way to keep the water cleaner is to rise a platform they can hop up and walk on above the bedding, then elevate the water above that. You will still need to rake that platform off occasionally to get rid of the build-up, but this can make a lot of difference in how fast the water gets dirty.

 

[igorsMistress]

You can also hang waterers with a chain, I have one in the coop this way and one in the yard too.

 

[Abbeycakes777]

I agree with cleaning it out. That's your best move forward. But a temporary (or permanent) way to keep the water cleaner is to rise a platform they can hop up and walk on above the bedding, then elevate the water above that. You will still need to rake that platform off occasionally to get rid of the build-up, but this can make a lot of difference in how fast the water gets dirty.

THANKS for your help and input. I have built a sort of platform for the waterer with landscaping blocks, but it is on top of the mulch, and they like to dig around it often which will cause it to lean. My husband wants to build a pvc waterer.

 

[blackdog043]

I have built a sort of platform for the waterer with landscaping blocks, but it is on top of the mulch

Start the blocks on the ground and build them up, don't start on top of the mulch. Use cap blocks, it's what my waterer (below) is sitting on. The waterer in my deep litter run sits on top of 3 - 4 blocks.

My husband wants to build a pvc waterer.

Before he builds a pvc waterer, check out the horizontal nipples(amazon), clean water 24/7. Quite a few people on here use them, also read the reviews on amazon for more good results with them. If your in a cold winter area, you can use a stock tank deicer and the nipples will not freeze.

 

[Abbeycakes777]

Start the blocks on the ground and build them up, don't start on top of the mulch. Use cap blocks, it's what my waterer (below) is sitting on. The waterer in my deep litter run sits on top of 3 - 4 blocks.



Before he builds a pvc waterer, check out the horizontal nipples(amazon), clean water 24/7. Quite a few people on here use them, also read the reviews on amazon for more good results with them. If your in a cold winter area, you can use a stock tank deicer and the nipples will not freeze.

View attachment 1467678

That’s AWESOME!!! Thanks!! We used to have a bucket and nipples w/ the cups but the cups kept getting dirty. That’s why he wanted to try the pvc pipe and nipples. We’ll definitely try the straight nipples. I do like those better.

As for the bricks on the litter, i had no other choice. But, I think I’ll just let the ladies roam today, dig out litter, build up blocks from the bottom where it’ll be more stable, and then replace the litter. Thanks for that suggestion!!!! We’re also getting a bale of pine needles today to throw in there.