Deep litter method

[gilcamp4]

Glad to hear you're getting some warmer weather. After the arctic vortex that lasted about a week, we have gotten back to more "normal" temps here in CO. Was about 60 or so yesterday, but 40's and 50's are more the norm this time of year with occasional cold snaps till later in the winter. Hope you get the roost fixed... the birds will appreciate it

As long as you're not trying to do specific breeds (purebreds), mixing the flock should provide for much more diversity and healthier chickens over all (IMHO). I shouldn't think there's any issue with them being able to move back and forth between the 2 coops. Must also make it a lot easier for you folks as you only have to work in one run as opposed to several.

When I said "confined", I really should have said "enclosed" or shut off from outside air circulation (such as inside a coop or building). The run is in the open air outside where wind and rain or snow and the sun has access to it. Therefore, the cedar chips would eventually degrade and "compost" along with any other carbon based materials (grass/weed clippings, hay straw, pine chips etc.) that are in the run. But while they are there, it might help with potential muddy spots and the like, and the aromatic "odors" would blow away with the wind so as to NOT irritate or cause other respiratory issues with the chickens...

i have both enclosed and opened,
here is our set up the little thing in the middle is a enclosed run then they have all this room outside it is about 30x60, and they can get under both coops, there is no free ranch as i have a mean man next door plus we live in farm country with foxes and anything you can thing of we got a fox and raccoon with our trap, we close them up at nights.

 

[CATRYNA]

Where we are, in the high desert, we don't have much in the way of coops. We have 5 different yards for our chickens, turkeys and guineas. Part of each yard is covered top and sides with heavy duty waterproofed tarps (where the feeders, nesting boxes, roosts and rooster closets) are located. The rest of the pens are left uncovered. The ground is covered in several inches of sand. The poop is removed daily with horse manure rakes that we have covered in 1/4" hardware cloth (similar to cleaning a cat litter box). Works well in a climate that rarely gets down in the 30's, mostly staying in the range between low-mid 40's (winter night time temps) to 100's in summer.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I've read the oils in cedar chips can be irritating for chickens and may cause respiratory problems. (I plan to use pine because I can buy it super cheap from a feed store locally.)

You do need to be VERY CAREFUL not to use any cedar when they're chicks especially. One of our friends was using pine chips all the time but her normal store ran out. She purchased them from a different store. The bag said pine.

Not too long after, she started to have chicks dieing. Couldn't figure out why and started to try to think what may have been different and realized the only thing was the different chips. Turns out that there was some cedar mixed in but the bag didn't state that (after some investigation with the company she found this out).

When she figured it out, she immediately removed those chips from the chick quarters and replaced with the pine brand she had been using before and had no more trouble.

Needless to say, she never bought that brand again. This is a person that has kept and bred chickens for many, many years.

 

[detz]

Coop vs run with DLM.

So my chickens will not be free range because of the law so they will live in the coop (house) and then an enclosed 8' run. Should I use the DLM for the coop and the run? For the coop do I just build is to there is 6-8" of room at the bottom for the litter? For the run should I dig down 6-8" into the earth and then build it up?

How is it to walk on if it's in the run? I'm assuming it would be pretty loose and squashy?

 

[RonP]

Depending on your materials, the run will pack down nicely.

My run is 8 - 24 inches deep, mostly leaf litter.

Smells and feels like a forest floor, no objectionable odors, flies, or mud.

 

[LakeMomNY]

Depending on your materials, the run will pack down nicely.

My run is 8 - 24 inches deep, mostly leaf litter.

Smells and feels like a forest floor, no objectionable odors, flies, or mud.

Mine too.

 

[detz]

I'm going to be starting it in the spring, should I just use shavings since I wont have any leaves?

 

[LakeMomNY]

Shavings, grass clippings, weeds...

I do shavings in the coop, whatever I've got in the run. I have lots and lots of leaves. They work great, but I put everything in. Think of it like a compost pile and you'll be all set.

 

[RonP]

X2

 

[Leahs Mom]

I also get wood chips FREE from local tree trimmers. If you call around, many of them will be glad to bring you a load (if you have somewhere for them to put it) for free when they're working in your area. They prefer not to have to haul them if they don't have to.

I use the wood chips in my outdoor run and then, when I have to clean out the indoors, I put all those shavings right out the door onto the run too.

Keeps the ground healthy...no slimy, muddy, impacted unhealthy, disease vector soil in my run!

After it's wintered over it breaks down beautifully (I keep adding more on top as needed). Last spring 2 of my daughters came over and dug a pickup load each of the soil under the chips out for their gardens. We used some of the soil in ours too. It was full or worms, healthy, soil. They'll be back for more this year too! (The run is about 20 x 20 so there's a lot of space in there.)

Even taking some out for the gardens there was plenty left. And then keep on putting more in. No stink at all!