Deep Litter Method VS Poop boards OR in addition to?

[RonP]

That is how I differentiate between the two terms. But by no means am I an authority. My deep bedding is mechanically broken down, ie. broken into little bits, but doesn't "breakdown" as in start to compost. Over time I will end up with a very fine but heterogenous mixture of tiny particles of beddin. It is very hard to tell what some of them are bits of, but they are still bits of the original stuff. No aerobic microbial digestion has taken place as there is not enough moisture to support microbial growth. In my deep litter, where actual biotic decomposition is taking place, the chemical structure of the material is being altered by microbes digesting the material.

There is a difference between my deep bedding and deep litter despite that pretty much the same material goes in both. The difference is moisture. Grass goes into the litter wet but is dried before going into the bedding. No rain or waterer get dumped in the bedding but do in the litter.

Very well said.

Having unprotected wood flooring in a coop, as do I, this seems to work very well, with minimal labor.

Yearly cleanouts go directly into the deep litter outdoor uncovered run to compost.

 

[ygritte]

From reading this it sounds like my deep litter, might actually be deep bedding (at least thus far), but I'm all for it over poop boards.
I've had zero smell, and when I have a few leaves, leftover hay, grass clippings, branches covered in leaves... whatever organic material it may be (and is usually free) I throw it in the coop. Throw some BOSS around and let the chickens mix it for me.
Now that I'm planning to expand my garden I'll probably empty it out and use it in part of my lasagna no till garden prep.

I can see it working with any amount of chickens as well (as long as you have adequate space and ventilation). yes there's more poop, but more chickens to mix it up with the bedding and more potential to make black gold

Just my two (or twenty) cents.

 

[madibhai]

In my coop. I put hay. Under the roost their is always a pile of waste. Do I mix it up or do I remove it using this method? I can dump a lot more bedding in the coop if that is what it takes.

In my run. I had sand. But now it is all hard. Should I use a tiller. Loosen everything up and dump leaves and grass in it to make a after floor for them to walk on instead of the hard surface?

 

[ToniTalley]

There is a difference between DEEP BEDDING and DEEP LITTER. (Someone more knowledgeable, please correct me if I'm wrong).

We use DEEP BEDDING in our coop (with a poopboard). It's a deep layer of pine shavings. It stays dry due to the poopboard collecting most of the droppings. The water is outdoors so spills don't make the bedding wet.

We use DEEP LITTER in the run, it's a dirt floor with straw, lawn clippings, leaves, hay, old pine shavings, pine needles and other garden debris. Even though the run is covered, rain sometimes blows in helping with the decomposing process.

I don't use the deep litter in my coop due to the moisture needed to break the litter down. I like the coop very dry, especially in winter.

This is how we do our coop, poop board with pdz and deep bedding, except in the run we use sand instead of deep litter. We rake it out when it gets too dirty, but the birds are out in the fenced free-range area during the day, so they aren't stuck in the run very much.

 

[dman123]

I have 7 hens -- the roost area is 6x6, floor covered with sand and a poop board (1/4" mesh). Using a rake and a cat pooper scooper, it takes 2-3 minutes to shake off the sand from the board (the board is covered with a thin layer to prevent sticking), dump the poop into a trash can, replace the screen and cover it with a bit of sand. No odors! The sand is critical, I believe. It needs replacing once a year. This is SO easy!

 

[Jensownzoo]

In my run. I had sand. But now it is all hard. Should I use a tiller. Loosen everything up and dump leaves and grass in it to make a after floor for them to walk on instead of the hard surface?

Yes, it will need tilling occasionally to break it up. You can add in some fresh sand at the same time if you like. You don't have to convert to a deep litter system unless you want to...the sand has the benefit of cleaning any droppings off their feet through mild abrasive action.

 

[carrie117]

...

RonP
Thank you for the info.  I will definitely be sealing my floor.. or using vinyl.   Probably sealing though.  It may not be entirely necessary, but I'll feel better with that extra level of protection for my wood.  I don't want to have to do this again.
  Do you have a lot of odor, if you only clean the coop 1 or 2 times a year?  It just seems like there would be a LOT of built up poop.  Idk.  Your method definitely sounds easy.

Donrae
Yes, I understand there are many ways to do just about everything and everyone will prefer a different method.   I don't know what you consider a smaller coop, but mine is going to be at least 10x12' with 6' head room on the low side...(it will have a slanted roof instead an A frame roof....  I'm planning on putting poop boards with roosts along each 12'  wall so everyone has a place and there's no bickering for premium roost spots.   How high do the poop boards/roosts need to be?   My plan for the poop boards is to make it scoopable using Sweet PDZ and sand as the litter.  And have the roosts above the poop boards. 

I am definitely open to suggestions.. which is why I'm trying to learn as much as I can before we build the coop.  We will be starting construction this week.  I figured I'd ask for lots of suggestions and ideas from more experience people... so hopefully, I can skip the trial and error on at least some things.  Thank you for your reply.

 

[teallll]

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?

 

[aart]

I have 7 hens -- the roost area is 6x6, floor covered with sand and a poop board (1/4" mesh). Using a rake and a cat pooper scooper, it takes 2-3 minutes to shake off the sand from the board (the board is covered with a thin layer to prevent sticking), dump the poop into a trash can, replace the screen and cover it with a bit of sand. No odors! The sand is critical, I believe. It needs replacing once a year. This is SO easy!

@dman123 Welcome to BYC!
Curious about the placement and function of the 1/4" mesh...can you post a pic of it?

 

[aart]

Quote: 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.