Deep litter method

[tdgill]

My problem with DLM was extreme dust clouds. Not so bad with lots of cross ventilation going on in the summer, but when I started lessening the airflow I couldnt even walk in the coop for the clouds that chickens had scratched up. Glad to say I've gotten a handle on it.

I believe I also was doing the DLM wrong. I got carried away with putting down fresh pine shavings (wrong ratio of litter to poo?) and soon had a fairly deep amount which seemed to keep my litter "overdry". I then had a terrible dust cloud (I mean big) everytime they scratched in the litter.

So I bagged up the excess litter off the floor to save for future use (thanks guys!) and also added droppings boards.

I seemed to be focused on "creating" this DLM more than aquiring it thru housekeeping. I didnt have the boards because I was figuring the poo was a necessary ingredient of my DLM. But I still had too much shavings to poo and it stopped making sense to me. lol. So I gave up thinking about added heat of composting litter or allowing excess droppings to accumulate for my "poo stew" Now I keep as much cleaned up from the boards. Letting the poo be my guide (and not counting a fresh stinky poo or two - which I might just kick a little litter onto it...) I only add the bare minimum of bedding (sometimes straw, shavings, leaves or a teeny bit of hay) to keep it just enough to keep amonia smell away and at floor level.

For the small amount of chickens I have, its been easy to keep a non-amonia smelling coop even on days where my ventilation was lessened due to extreme weather. You'll have the occasional fresh poo smell, and I've learned that is ok. As long as its not continually stinky especially amonia type.

 

[goosemama]

My deep litter method has been ruined by the addition of 3 geese this winter. I put out 2 water buckets so they could immerse their heads (take a bath etc.) as I read they prefer this to a poultry fount. Well they have made the area around it so soggy and wet from spilling water I'm going to have a heavy mess to shovel out come Spring. The chickens kick it up and keep it quite dry but both ducks or geese have such wet poop that it kind of defeats the objective of dry litter. Next winter will house the geese separately from the hens.

 

[fisharescary]

Thanks for the replies on my questions. This really helps, as originally I thought I'd want to leave the bottom undisturbed! I think I was thinking something about it being farther along than the top layers and not wanting to 'disturb' the process, lol...

 

[goosemama]

Actually mine was great all winter long - I could turn it with a shovel or fork as it was nice and dry. I also keep wood chips in the nest boxes and sprinkle that with DE as well. It was nice and airy that is until I was given 3 geese in February - now it is a damp mass and I'm going to have a really great time shoveling it all out for the compost pile. They can't wait to get outside to free range in the fenced area but our ground is still under a foot of heavy wet snow. I let them out yesterday as we've been having mid 40's and gorgeous sun. Am sure they loved just to get out of the henhouse and walk around outside, (even if it was on top of the snow) but they are waiting for the grass to come - ME TOO!!! Roll On Spring - we are still covered in snow here in Western NY State.

 

[divermike]

would someone please answer the wood ash questions posted earlier? I burn all winter and have a nice ash buildup, if it can be used, I would like to. To reiterate the questions: is there a problem using them? and if not, how much would you use, and how often? Thanks for all the other info!

 

[toletiquesbysam]

Quote:
Curious about this too, DH says not to use it with my DLM because it could cause it to turn like "concrete"? Soo I only sprinkle the ash outside in their run for them to dust bath in.

 

[tdgill]

i mixed maybe one shovel of ashes to 6 shovels of dirt in a large covered bin for them to dustbath in.... don't know about using it for deep litter method (if that is what you're asking)

I think in this discussing of the deep litter method one has to keep in mind the number of fowl (and types no doubt) Situations are extremely different with more or less birds and chickens ducks geese etc. (making this mental note for myself and thought I'd share - obvious to most of you experienced types

 

[cluckcluck42]

I have a butt load of shredded newspaper at my disposal, this is a good thing to mix in with the shavings?? Never would have figured, I end up using it for the nesting boxes. So 1/4 paper 3/4 shavings might be a good mix??

Gosh I love this site!

 

[niecy]

I have a question. I used the deep litter process this past winter and it stayed pretty clean smelling till spring when it got real damp in there. Yesterday I noticed an ammonia smell, so today I decided to clean it out.
I've read you are supposed to clean the whole coop with 1 part bleach to 10 parts water, but I'm afraid of mixing bleach with ammonia...
Should I wait till the ammonia smell is gone before I do the cleaning with the bleach? or is there something else I should clean the coop with?

Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

There is no problem whatsoever with using bleach in an ammonia-smelling coop. Of course you will clear ALL the bedding and poo off the areas to be bleached, first, and the amount of ammonia there is so miniscule as to be totally not a problem. (You are of course entirely correct that you should not mix bleach with *bottled* ammonia, i.e. large amounts).

However, you probably do not need the bleach, and if you are using the damp 'let things decompose' version of deep litter you do NOT WANT to use it either as it will kill some valuable microbes.

Just remove the stinkiest part of the bedding, or all of it if you prefer; replace with new; try to keep it a bit drier and/or better stirred in future; and consider more ventilation.

GOod luck, have fun,

Pat