Deep Litter Method in Outdoor run

[LaVidaGallina]

I live in the Pacific Northwest. Inside my coop and in the roost I have sand, as well as the majority of the outdoor run. So far this spring and summer, it's been GREAT! When it rains, which it has this week, the sand of course gets wet and drains well. I scoop the poop everyday with a long handle scooper (purchased from Amazon), works great.

I have an area that I left for the girls with a combination of dirt, cut up straw/hay mixture, where they can dither around and search for goodies. In this area I also have their grazing boxes. I haven't yet ( been 4 months) cleaned it out. Instead, I added more of the combo and churned it all up. The girls do a good job of tossing it to and fro, especially when I bury black oil sunflower seeds under it all.

My concern is whether I'm creating a breeding ground for disease, since it will be wet more than dry as we head into fall/winter. Is this something I should clean out before adding more? I thought I was doing the DLM and then I read that with DLM it's important the upper layer stays dry. That's not going to happen here in the NW.

Any suggestions?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Could you tarp over the run so it stays drier?

 

[LaVidaGallina]

Could you tarp over the run so it stays drier?

I thought about that this morning, but the rain will come in from the sides. It gets brutal over here. I think I'm going to clean it all out this weekend, we have a break in the weather, and just keep a minimal amount of hay for them to dither around in. It will get wet, but easier to clean and less of a deep breeding ground for the ickies!

 

[sweetater22]

Have you considered using wood chips prefer aged. I have a uncovered run that has 10 to 12 inches of wood chips, leaves, and garden waste that stays dry on top after rains and provides worms and other creatures for the chickens. Deep Litter works great if deep enough. The wood chips and leaves will help to compost the manure, the wood chips and leaves provide the carbon and the manure provides the green material nitrogen.

 

[Kenny_]

Which handle do you use if you don't mind? I would love a link? I'm thinking about doing sand in my coop as I currently have wood chips, but that is a disaster so far and deep litter method isn't a good idea for me since I have a subfloor.

 

[sweetater22]

Kenny,
If you have the height you can cover your subfloor with something water repellant for protection and build the Deep Litter up to 10 inches or so. I would add a little dirt when you are building your DL to kind of kick start the good bugs by introducing some with the dirt, process my not be as fast as on a dirt floor but will work.

 

[Kenny_]

Kenny,
If you have the height you can cover your subfloor with something water repellant for protection and build the Deep Litter up to 10 inches or so. I would add a little dirt when you are building your DL to kind of kick start the good bugs by introducing some with the dirt, process my not be as fast as on a dirt floor but will work.

Yeah, I just don't want to risk degrading the foundation of the house, honestly.. I mean father time won't be kind to it so I don't want to hasten it any more with composting in it. But thank you so much for your suggestion. I do value the time you've taken.