Deep Litter Method VS Poop boards OR in addition to?

[Tortrefarm]

Just another take on this. I used to use shavings in the chicken house and remove all shavings and manure once a season but I found it got too dirty. I have now about 35 chickens, a goose, three ducks and 5 turkeys and find the manure load to be too much. When I installed the chicken house 15 years ago I poly-urethaned the floor and walls and laid down rubber stall mats to fit the interior. I strip the floor every day using a flat shovel, removing the manure to a pail and then into the manure dumpster (I have a manure dumpster for horses) and spread sweet pdz. Once a season I pressure wash the entire interior, floor, walls and ceiling. There is a rather large open run outside the chicken house which I completely "upholstered" with rubber stall mats. It allows me to shovel up or sweep up the manure and dispose to it. I found that with this large manure load, to allow it to sit uncollected would turn the area into a swamp when it rained.

 

[aart]

Just another take on this. I used to use shavings in the chicken house and remove all shavings and manure once a season but I found it got too dirty. I have now about 35 chickens, a goose, three ducks and 5 turkeys and find the manure load to be too much. When I installed the chicken house 15 years ago I poly-urethaned the floor and walls and laid down rubber stall mats to fit the interior. I strip the floor every day using a flat shovel, removing the manure to a pail and then into the manure dumpster (I have a manure dumpster for horses) and spread sweet pdz. Once a season I pressure wash the entire interior, floor, walls and ceiling. There is a rather large open run outside the chicken house which I completely "upholstered" with rubber stall mats. It allows me to shovel up or sweep up the manure and dispose to it. I found that with this large manure load, to allow it to sit uncollected would turn the area into a swamp when it rained.

There's no doubt that space and population needs to be considered when choosing a manure management regime.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

RonP --

You wrote that you keep 8-10 inches of pine shavings on your coop floor, and only replace it around once a year.  Am I assuming correctly that every few days you cover the chicken poop with a thin fresh layer of shavings?  Or do you simply turn it over?

I'm not RonP but... We have 6-8 inches of pine shavings on the coop floor and clean-out/ replace twice a year (spring & fall). There is a poopboard under the roost fiilled with PDZ that collects most of the nightly droppings. I sift those dropping out everyday or so, There really isn't that much that actually in on the floor. The hens pretty well keep it turned over. There usually isn't a need to add between cleanings.

 

[RonP]

RonP --

You wrote that you keep 8-10 inches of pine shavings on your coop floor, and only replace it around once a year. Am I assuming correctly that every few days you cover the chicken poop with a thin fresh layer of shavings? Or do you simply turn it over?

Actually neither.

I adhere to the KISS Principle for most chicken related activities.

My ~64 square foot print coop floor houses around a dozen full sized birds.

I add a bail of compressed pine chips in the coop when the level is lower than 6 inches or so, perhaps once per year...

Moisture never reaches the unprotected wooden floor.

The flock spreads, sheds, poops, and baths in the deep bedding constantly. No need to interfere.

Late fall, I fill several garbage pails with the spent litter, and place around the deep litter outdoor unroofed run, covering the pail.

I then add more pine shavings to replace the removed litter, perhaps 2 bails.

No need nor desire to do a complete cleaning, it will be dirty 5 minutes after I leave regardless. Just an exercise in frustration.

The spent litter is spread in the deep litter run whenever it is snow covered, as my birds do not like to go out when there is snow covering the run.

The remaining also gets dumped in the outdoor run early spring, where it composts nicely.

My coop is very well ventilated.

The deep bedding will create dust, but I have a KISS method in my signature to deal with that also

.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jensownzoo]

I have not found this to be true using sand in the brooder...maybe chicks are too light to gain advantage of abrasive action?
......it just turns the poop into a cement like substance on their feet, especially under/on the toenails.

It was through vigorous scratching rather than just walking around on it. That being said, I brooded some of my first chicks on sand and some on shavings--I much preferred the shavings in terms of odor control. Plus I scoop enough litter boxes daily already.

 

[aart]

Quote: That makes sense.

I am looking forward to putting the chicks outside in the coop on shavings by one week.

 

[FlyWheel]

I have a question that I hope is relevant to this thread; would shredded oak leaves make a good litter material for the run? I have six full grown white oaks on my property that in one Autumn alone will drop enough leaves to cover the entire 200+ Ft2 pen in a layer over two feet thick!

Or are oak leaves one of those no-no materials, like cedar? I know that oaks exude a natural chemical to prevent competing plants from growing under them, would they also be bad for the birds?

 

[Jensownzoo]

They're fine. I actually toss in two shovelfuls of whole leaves in with the chickens daily. They shred them for me!

 

[RonP]

I have a question that I hope is relevant to this thread; would shredded oak leaves make a good litter material for the run? I have six full grown white oaks on my property that in one Autumn alone will drop enough leaves to cover the entire 200+ Ft2 pen in a layer over two feet thick!

Or are oak leaves one of those no-no materials, like cedar? I know that oaks exude a natural chemical to prevent competing plants from growing under them, would they also be bad for the birds?

The leaves of Oak trees tend to be more acidic.

Too many in the compost pile can result in compost that is less than ideal for most vegetable gardens.

Less than 10% is the recommended volume.

If your intent is strictly manure management, these will not be an issue for your birds.

 

[FlyWheel]

No garden, therefore no need for compost*. Good to know I can safely dump my lawn vac into the pen though.

*However it should prove attractive for bugs and worms, my ladies will certainly like that!