Deep litter method

[schnebbles]

I'm 2-3 weeks in and I don't think my coop stinks. I have 5 bantams, they don't stir much up, so I have been but I think it smells better than the sand which I scooped every day.

 

[armorfirelady]

I'm 2-3 weeks in and I don't think my coop stinks. I have 5 bantams, they don't stir much up, so I have been but I think it smells better than the sand which I scooped every day.

DL to me follows my husbandry for chickens......KISS (keep it simple)

I do rake under the roost to get everything in a big pile for them to scatter around again. And I do like to spray some eucalyptus oil with water on the roost in the nesting box but that's for my benefit mostly not theirs. Tho eucalyptus is a natural bug deterrent.

Bee I surround the outside of the hoop coop with hay/straw bales when we had high winds it was wind free n the coop. The north end has no bales and its pretty open for ventilation. I am hoping when the snow storm gets here this weekend that my set up keeps the snow out

 

[Beekissed]

And here I am hoping some rain and snow blows into mine!

The middle of my coop is kind of dry...it needs a shot of moisture! I didn't utilize the hay bales as much this year at all. I think I've got 3 bales at strategic points but one whole side has some leaves banked up on it. I'll have to take a pic of the setup now. I think I really like those leaves being stored against that wall...makes it quite cozy there.

It's been raining all day here and it sounds like it's still doing so, so I'm hoping some of that moisture gets caught into the sides of my coop litter so the chooks can throw it into the middle. For now, they are using the middle of the coop for a dusting spot...think I'll put a little ashes in that part to deepen their dusting pleasure.

 

[armorfirelady]

And here I am hoping some rain and snow blows into mine!

The middle of my coop is kind of dry...it needs a shot of moisture! I didn't utilize the hay bales as much this year at all. I think I've got 3 bales at strategic points but one whole side has some leaves banked up on it. I'll have to take a pic of the setup now. I think I really like those leaves being stored against that wall...makes it quite cozy there.

It's been raining all day here and it sounds like it's still doing so, so I'm hoping some of that moisture gets caught into the sides of my coop litter so the chooks can throw it into the middle. For now, they are using the middle of the coop for a dusting spot...think I'll put a little ashes in that part to deepen their dusting pleasure.

Well the hay bales are not tight to the coop nor are they tight touching. I didn't want it to closed in. Some air in the bottom is good so it can move the stale air up and out the roof vents. And some rain does get in the north end but not enough to cause problems. I agree alittle moisture is good.

 

[Beekissed]

I really learned my lesson last year on this hoop coop. That was my first year with such an open air cooping structure, so I buckled it down tight and was quite proud of the effort! Too much...had condensation on the roof, wet litter from the humidity and had to really pull some of the weather proofing out of there mid season.

This year I left most of the front of the coop open air, left bigger gaps at the top of the parts I did cover and left more gaps along the bottom as well.

Last year's coop...plastic wrapped to the max with only small gaps here and there for air flow and I thought those would surely be adequate along with the pop door always being open. All the sections you see here have been bubbled wrapped except to the right of the door at the bottom, where I stacked two plastic wrapped hay bales. The other side had the tarp down with hay bales all along the base and the back end had hay bales stacked over the lower openings.





This year's coop winterization.... plastic on the left side to provide my sun porch where they are fed. Plastic over part of the door(left a foot at the top open to the roofline) and to the top right of the door because there is a roost right there that runs along the length of the coop. All the area to the left of the door is left open and the lower right of the door is open air. To the right of the coop, the tarp is in place and I built a temporary pen there to hold a storage of leaves. It is now full, though not yet in these pics. The leaves have settled somewhat and will do more with a load of snow on them, but it still makes it very cozy in there on that side.



In the back of the coop, I have the windows on hinges of sorts, that can be opened or closed to suit the weather and one hay bale for either side of the bottom half of the coop. In the middle of the back I have covered with plastic up to about a foot from the top, so the gap there is much, much larger than last year. Below that section is the pop door, which is always open.

 

[RoseMarie1]

I really learned my lesson last year on this hoop coop. That was my first year with such an open air cooping structure, so I buckled it down tight and was quite proud of the effort! Too much...had condensation on the roof, wet litter from the humidity and had to really pull some of the weather proofing out of there mid season.

This year I left most of the front of the coop open air, left bigger gaps at the top of the parts I did cover and left more gaps along the bottom as well.

Last year's coop...plastic wrapped to the max with only small gaps here and there for air flow and I thought those would surely be adequate along with the pop door always being open. All the sections you see here have been bubbled wrapped except to the right of the door at the bottom, where I stacked two plastic wrapped hay bales. The other side had the tarp down with hay bales all along the base and the back end had hay bales stacked over the lower openings.





This year's coop winterization.... plastic on the left side to provide my sun porch where they are fed. Plastic over part of the door(left a foot at the top open to the roofline) and to the top right of the door because there is a roost right there that runs along the length of the coop. All the area to the left of the door is left open and the lower right of the door is open air. To the right of the coop, the tarp is in place and I built a temporary pen there to hold a storage of leaves. It is now full, though not yet in these pics. The leaves have settled somewhat and will do more with a load of snow on them, but it still makes it very cozy in there on that side.



In the back of the coop, I have the windows on hinges of sorts, that can be opened or closed to suit the weather and one hay bale for either side of the bottom half of the coop. In the middle of the back I have covered with plastic up to about a foot from the top, so the gap there is much, much larger than last year. Below that section is the pop door, which is always open.

You got it so cozy for em! I know they are enjoying it and staying warm!

 

[Beekissed]

It's funny...but this more open coop this winter is warmer than when I had it closed up so tightly last winter. I can only guess because of the lack of humidity and cold dampness in this year's more airy, more ventilated coop. I've also got more leaves in the coop this year than I did last year at this time...they are banked up into the corners and along the walls, a really deep litter this year. I had to switch out feeders to a taller one to keep it up and out of the deep litter more.

I also knew this year's deeper DL would really make keeping an open waterer impossible the way the birds make these leaves fly, so I dispensed with the open, heated dog bowl and chose to place a bucket down into the heated bowl and use a poultry cup style nipple on the side of the bucket. The jury's still out if the heated dog bowl will keep that nipple lever and cup unfrozen....

 

[RoseMarie1]

It's funny...but this more open coop this winter is warmer than when I had it closed up so tightly last winter. I can only guess because of the lack of humidity and cold dampness in this year's more airy, more ventilated coop. I've also got more leaves in the coop this year than I did last year at this time...they are banked up into the corners and along the walls, a really deep litter this year. I had to switch out feeders to a taller one to keep it up and out of the deep litter more.

I also knew this year's deeper DL would really make keeping an open waterer impossible the way the birds make these leaves fly, so I dispensed with the open, heated dog bowl and chose to place a bucket down into the heated bowl and use a poultry cup style nipple on the side of the bucket. The jury's still out if the heated dog bowl will keep that nipple lever and cup unfrozen....

lol I hear ya. Mine are constantly getting litter in their water. I have buckets with nipples on them and do have one in there but not sure all are still using it. Their run is really deep in litter to. I got out there the other day with my mask on and swept up a bunch of leaves and straw and it's to the top of the stumps in there. I figured I would let them spread it out for me. lol I noticed today I have one little area where I need to add some more but it's ok for right now. They have to REALLY work the litter now in the run to get to the soil.

 

[Beekissed]

To the top of the stumps!!!! Wow, you are really packing in that litter!!! You'll have to stack stumps or get taller ones so they'll have more roosting out there.

With all that pine straw, this winter would be a good time to layer in some sweet lime in that litter to encourage more bugs...don't want your soil to get too acid there. Adding calcium to the litter will benefit the birds too.

I need to get me some lime dust for the same reason. I place the occasional wood ashes in the coop but it really needs the occasional application of some lime to keep things balanced in there, I'm thinking.

 

[armorfirelady]

It's funny...but this more open coop this winter is warmer than when I had it closed up so tightly last winter. I can only guess because of the lack of humidity and cold dampness in this year's more airy, more ventilated coop. I've also got more leaves in the coop this year than I did last year at this time...they are banked up into the corners and along the walls, a really deep litter this year. I had to switch out feeders to a taller one to keep it up and out of the deep litter more.

I also knew this year's deeper DL would really make keeping an open waterer impossible the way the birds make these leaves fly, so I dispensed with the open, heated dog bowl and chose to place a bucket down into the heated bowl and use a poultry cup style nipple on the side of the bucket. The jury's still out if the heated dog bowl will keep that nipple lever and cup unfrozen....

I am also amazed the temp difference with the front open. Depending how it goes with the snow I may remove the half moon window covers I have on that end. I plan on moving the the roost to the back so it goes from side to side instead of from front to back like it is now. That will get them away from the open north end. I am hoping for to make the hoop coop like an open coop just made out of cattle panels. I think the roof vents are really going to help keep the air flowing and preventing humidity.

Last night when I checked on the hens after work I like to pet them. I like the cooing noises they make & their soft new feathers that are coming in
They were all a little damp from being out in the rain all day but it amazed me how toasty warm they were at skin level. I know they are not ducks but I was impressed only their top feathers were damp.