Deep Litter Method Smell

[Kuntry Klucker]

Quote:
Thanks Terri O, you are probably right, I am over thinking it. As long as getting an ammonia smell every now and again is okay I will be okay
with that. You are right it does not really seem to be bothering the chickens because some of them hang out in the coop like your do.

Thanks again for your post, was very helpful.

 

[kkourie]

We've been doing the DLM about 6 months now and when it gets a bit funky, I sprinkle some DE and it improves immediately. I add new pine shavings everyday when I sweep the night's accumulation of poop off the top of the nest boxes. Give them some scratch when they return to the coop at night so they'll scratch a bit before sleepy time. We're all very happy with the arrangement. I've seen them dust bathe in the stuff. My only complaint is the dust is wicked. Expecially when it gets kicked up when I rake. Any way to keep the dust down?

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I am glad that you asked that, I have noticed that the dust is really bad in my coop too.
And, yea my chickens dust bath in the shavings too.

 

[reksat]

I have been using this method since July and it seems to be working great. I just add a few shavings here and there when the poo gets a little excessive and so far everyt hing seems to be working . The one thing that i have noticed though is that it seems to be very dry at times . Is this ok and will this be alright because most of what I have read says that dry is a good thing ? And best of all, I've only used approx. 1 bag of pine shavings for a 5'x8' coop with 8 chics ,so this seems to be cost effective to me also.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

If it runs a little too dry, you added too many fresh shavings to it. Just back off on the shavings until the moisture level comes up a little bit.

When it's too dry it's dusty and you also won't have any healthy microbial activity in the litter. You don't want it wet, but you don't want it bone dry, either.