Deep litter method?

[Annalyse]

For the DLM i just have to clean most of the poop out, add bedding, mix an stir and I'm done?

 

[21hens-incharge]

It depends on what your coop is like.

Do you have a floor in the coop or is it a dirt floor?

 

[KarynVA]

I think the idea of deep litter is you don't remove the poop because it is an essential part of the compost that DLM creates.

 

[Annalyse]

I have a floor in the coop is pretty much a wood flooring but we put a rubber mat on it bc of water leaking from there waterer.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Deep litter and deep bedding are 2 different things.
Deep litter involves composting of materials which means contact with the dirt so microbes and bugs can do their jobs.

Deep bedding is what you are looking at since there is a floor in the coop.

 

[Annalyse]

Deep litter and deep bedding are 2 different things.
Deep litter involves composting of materials which means contact with the dirt so microbes and bugs can do their jobs.

Deep bedding is what you are looking at since there is a floor in the coop.

Olay thank you. It's getting close to winter so I wanna be ready.

 

[Mrs. K]

That is how I do it, clean it out, sweep it out, pile dry bedding in there deep. Once a week or so, throw scratch on top of it. They will fluff it up. 3 or 4 times a year, repeat. I use old waste grass hay. It is what I have.

 

[Annalyse]

That is how I do it, clean it out, sweep it out, pile dry bedding in there deep. Once a week or so, throw scratch on top of it. They will fluff it up. 3 or 4 times a year, repeat. I use old waste grass hay. It is what I have.

anytime I clean there coop they always come in and start digging and throwing the bedding out that's why I have to wait to put their water in so they don't bury it with straw. is it okay if I clean most the poop out add new bedding fluff it up and done?

 

[Ridgerunner]

For the DLM i just have to clean most of the poop out, add bedding, mix an stir and I'm done?

Hopefully it can be that simple for you. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's not. How it works will depend on how many chickens you have, how big the coop is, how much time they stay in there, and how dry or wet it is. In New Jersey you will get some rough winter weather. Is your outside set up so they can spend time out there instead of staying inside and pooping inside a lot?

With the DLM you turn your coop floor (or run floor) into a compost pile. For that you need a mix of greens and browns and enough moisture to keep the microbes alive. The poop is considered greens, the bedding browns. Too many greeens causes problems, too many browns does not, just slows the composting down a little. Too much moisture causes the wrong microbes to take over and makes it stink.

I don't do that. I keep mine so dry that no microbes can live and reproduce enough to compost the bedding and poop. I use droppings boards to remove the overnight poop. I have the room and weather that they spend practically all day every day outside. I literally go years between cleaning the bedding out. Others with other conditions and facilities have to clean out their coop a lot more often. I don't know how it will work out for you. If it starts to stink it's not working out well. If it doesn't stink you are doing OK. Time will tell. Sometimes it is really easy.

I have a floor in the coop is pretty much a wood flooring but we put a rubber mat on it bc of water leaking from there waterer. ......... wait to put their water in so they don't bury it with straw.

This is worrying. If the bedding stays wet you will have problems. If you can tell us details of what watering system you have and what's going on maybe we can help. Photos often are really helpful. This can be fixed.

 

[Annalyse]

For the DLM i just have to clean most of the poop out, add bedding, mix an stir and I'm done?

Hopefully it can be that simple for you. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's not. How it works will depend on how many chickens you have, how big the coop is, how much time they stay in there, and how dry or wet it is. In New Jersey you will get some rough winter weather. Is your outside set up so they can spend time out there instead of staying inside and pooping inside a lot?

With the DLM you turn your coop floor (or run floor) into a compost pile. For that you need a mix of greens and browns and enough moisture to keep the microbes alive. The poop is considered greens, the bedding browns. Too many greeens causes problems, too many browns does not, just slows the composting down a little. Too much moisture causes the wrong microbes to take over and makes it stink.

I don't do that. I keep mine so dry that no microbes can live and reproduce enough to compost the bedding and poop. I use droppings boards to remove the overnight poop. I have the room and weather that they spend practically all day every day outside. I literally go years between cleaning the bedding out. Others with other conditions and facilities have to clean out their coop a lot more often. I don't know how it will work out for you. If it starts to stink it's not working out well. If it doesn't stink you are doing OK. Time will tell. Sometimes it is really easy.

I have a floor in the coop is pretty much a wood flooring but we put a rubber mat on it bc of water leaking from there waterer. ......... wait to put their water in so they don't bury it with straw.

This is worrying. If the bedding stays wet you will have problems. If you can tell us details of what watering system you have and what's going on maybe we can help. Photos often are really helpful. This can be fixed.

i have 7 chickens. They spend there day in the giant run and only use the coop for eggs, and sleep but when they sleep they poop a lot lol. the water system was fixed we got a new waterer and it doesn't leak anymore. When winter hits were putting tarps over the opened fenced-in areas so snow doesn't get in there run and to hopefully keep it a little warmer. I clean there coop everyother weekend. in fact I'm cleaning it tomorrow. They always throw most of there bedding out of there coop when they dig and then there like half od what I put in.