deep litter method

achake01

In the Brooder
9 Years
Mar 15, 2010
59
0
39
Hi, guys. My chicks are acclimating nicely to their brooder in the outdoor coop (which will become the droppings pit eventually). I've been using shredded newspaper--it's so easy to get from the office, and free--as their litter. Can I continue to use this shredded paper as the substrate if I decide to go into DLM? or do I really need to move into pine shavings.
Thanks as always,
Anne Marie
 
I wouldn't use paper in a coop. I don't think it would do much to control or absorb odor. Wood shavings work really well and keep the coop smelling fresh.
smile.png
 
sounds good. then that's what i'll do.
Can I even start this now while the chicks are in their brooder---i.e., rather than cleaning out completely every other day, i just mix the poo down and add a layer of fresh pine shavings? (is that the idea?)
 
I found shavings in the brooder ended up in the water dish and made a bigger mess than not; I went to deep litter method once outside in the coop. I have young birds, 30, and they have been in the coop/run for 2 months and the chips are still surprisingly fresh. I am going to change shortly, just because, not due to odor or filth. I really like this method - definitely works well for me. (I'm in a relatively urban environment and smells were a concern when setting this project up). (I must also note it is very dry here - northern CA - perhaps more humid/wet areas would need changing more often)
 
oh, one more thing - be sure to get your waterer and feeder high enough to avoid tons of chips landing inside; but low enough for birds. I have mine on bricks - two layers of brickers - and that seems perfect for the birds and avoiding chips (my coop is 8x8 and I used one full bag =about 4 inches deep throughout)
 
water spillage from the feeder seems to be a problem for a lot of folks using DLM. what i'm going to try (i'm building now) which i read from another blog is that the person got either a bucket, box, or what have you, burroed that down in the deep litter, filled it with gravel and placed the waterer inside. so, the birds could easily get to the waterer and what was spilled went down in the gravel and was kept contained in the container. you might want to think about doing this. i've heard even when you hang them, it gets spilled.

sylvia
 
read the article...
the floor of my coop is poured concrete....
can i still do deep-litter anyway?
anne marie
 

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