Deep litter method

[Beekissed]

we did a redo of a camper, had it fixed so we could have old and young in same camper, as for the broad at door to stop shavings from going out into yard, my husband is 81 and I would be afraid of him tripping over it, we have had both shavings and hay for 3 yrs and clean it out maybe every four mths

Very cute! You can keep a small leaf rake in that coop and just keep the DL raked away from the door way and more towards the back of the coop, under the roosts. That's how I did in my last coop and it worked well, especially when the DL got a little more moist in the bottom layers and could hold well in the back of the coop, which let the drier litter at the top have something to cling to. If you just let it build up and compost in place you'd not have to clean it out that frequently, which would be a plus for your husband as well.

Deep litter that gets cleaned out four times a year isn't truly deep litter in the true sense of the word...that's just deep bedding, and it defeats the whole purpose of using deep litter if you clean it out before it can establish a good culture in your coop environment, which means you lose the primary benefit of using the deep litter method in the first place. If you could keep it in place even for 6 mo., long enough to establish a good culture and then use some of the old litter to inoculate the new litter, it would have a greater benefit to you.

What I'd do at that point is just rake the coop bedding straight out into the run and start using it to build a deep litter there as well, so that they won't have that barren, packed down soil in their run and it can then start helping restore balance to those soils as well.

 

[gilcamp4]

it is my job to clean the coop out he said he can not do that part lol its called pass the buck, we do this together, he builds them feeds them and I clean and get the eggs, of course I do have some say in how it was built like told him I need a nest I can get into without going into the coop, he put in 4 of them in the back but I guess our girls don't like them, they will not set in them at all.

 

[RoseMarie1]

we did a redo of a camper, had it fixed so we could have old and young in same camper, as for the broad at door to stop shavings from going out into yard, my husband is 81 and I would be afraid of him tripping over it, we have had both shavings and hay for 3 yrs and clean it out maybe every four mths

I LOVE this! soooo cool!!

 

[Birdlady8921]

Sounds interesting, this deep litter method. First, what is "DE"? And I only have 2 hens and 2 Toulouse geese. The geese are sweet but still only 8 months old, fully grown clumsy with their feet. Any suggestions how I can mount the water and feed dishes in the coop, as I just got them a big nice coop but they don't want to go into it at night. So you kind people gave me ideas, one I shall try: locking them all in the coop for a week. That is where the water and feed problem arrives. We may be able to hang the water. The coop is large, 4X8, with 4 nesting boxes on the side. Really, though, what is DE??? I also have exotic birds and my hens love the sunflower seeds and all the other goodies in the seed. It is a nice treat for your girls. Give it a try in your deep litter method, as they would have to scratch and dig out the seeds.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

"DE" is Diatomaceous Earth, and it used to help keep things dry as well as to kill some insects

It's not "necessary" that it be used at all

 

[Birdlady8921]

Thank you for the quick response. Think I shall just get some straw and mix that in with the shavings. Also, I just read that wood pellets are very effective. And since we do have a pellet stove to keep our home warm, think I may try some. Am kind of worried, though, that my geese may eat the wood pellets. They seem to tear apart any thing that they can get their beaks around. Silly geese! Gotta love them. Very good protectors! Have to be careful with cedar.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Sounds interesting, this deep litter method. First, what is "DE"? And I only have 2 hens and 2 Toulouse geese. The geese are sweet but still only 8 months old, fully grown clumsy with their feet. Any suggestions how I can mount the water and feed dishes in the coop, as I just got them a big nice coop but they don't want to go into it at night. So you kind people gave me ideas, one I shall try: locking them all in the coop for a week. That is where the water and feed problem arrives. We may be able to hang the water. The coop is large, 4X8, with 4 nesting boxes on the side. Really, though, what is DE??? I also have exotic birds and my hens love the sunflower seeds and all the other goodies in the seed. It is a nice treat for your girls. Give it a try in your deep litter method, as they would have to scratch and dig out the seeds.

Maybe try throwing those seeds inside the coop in the late afternoon. That will get them all in there. Then you can sneak out and shut the door.

Thank you for the quick response. Think I shall just get some straw and mix that in with the shavings. Also, I just read that wood pellets are very effective. And since we do have a pellet stove to keep our home warm, think I may try some. Am kind of worried, though, that my geese may eat the wood pellets. They seem to tear apart any thing that they can get their beaks around. Silly geese! Gotta love them. Very good protectors! Have to be careful with cedar.

As long as your wood pellets are not treated with any kind of petroleum product to make them catch fire easily, it will probably be ok if your geese eat some of them. Maybe after a few, they'll decide they don't want them... especially if you provide a hanging head of cabbage or something else to distract them?

 

[Birdlady8921]

Thank you, Lacy Blues. That is a great idea regarding the seeds. No, our wood pellets are not treated. But I know they would love cabbage or lettuce. They will eat anything that doesn't move Boy, you chicken folks have inventive ideas. I've had exotic parrots all my adult life and waterfowl. Chickens seen so much more difficult but are like a dog. They love to be loved and pet.

 

[Arielle]

I rake up fallen leaves and layer it in the duck house.

 

[gilcamp4]

we are now doing our winter deep clean, hubby said he may even move it that is what is nice about camper for coop, right now we have chickens in the screen house we plastic on the sides and a small run. not sure just what we are going to do inside other then we have nest they do not use, a few have taken to sleeping in them so we will remove them, we made nest out of milk carts and they love them so we may just put more in, we have 29 hens and 12 nest, so we are going to take out 6 of them.