Deep litter method

[lawatt]

Im sure this is a silly question but does the deep litter method for just inside the coop? Or is it for the run also? I just got 9 little pullets and I am wondering if this method would work in their coop and run. I live in Missouri so the weather is seratic. Would the deep litter method work in their run too? Ive read about doing sand in the run also and using a cat litter scoop the pick up the poo.

i only have DL in the runs, which are fully enclosed with hardware cloth to keep predators out, and have corrugated plastic roofs. the henhouses are elevated up off the ground, they just have plain shavings inside them, and when it's time to clean, i can just sweep the shavings out onto the floor of the run to add to the DL. i refer to the whole thing, henhouse + run, as "the coop" -- here's a picture of my main one, i've since added several more next to it...

(if you click on the image, you can see it larger...)

 

[CrossedSabers]

I just read it and this year for the first time I did a dl, but I used hey and it did have a smell, I just told my hubbie we will have to try this way, we have had chickens for years but last year was the first time we did the dl, I use to clean it out every week. I did almost what you said but like I said I used hey, when it smelled I just put more on it, but I never saw a worm when I cleaned it the end of feb.

Hi Gilcamp4. Hay isn't good bedding material for any animal. Straw is better. I only have experience with using pine shavings, though. If you are wanting to try the DL method again, use straw or pine shavings instead.

 

[CrossedSabers]

Thank you, I absolutely LOVE your blog!

Thank you mamabear72! We have WAY too much fun here on our little ranch! The blog is a neat way to share all the lessons learned. It makes me happy to know that other people like reading about the things we do here.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Hi Gilcamp4. Hay isn't good bedding material for any animal. Straw is better. I only have experience with using pine shavings, though. If you are wanting to try the DL method again, use straw or pine shavings instead.

I thought straw was bad and hay was good.

Which is it?

 

[Beekissed]

I thought straw was bad and hay was good.

Which is it?

Both are bad unless you live in a very arid climate and need a more moisture holding bedding and then you can use some hay to create some moisture in the DL.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Both are bad unless you live in a very arid climate and need a more moisture holding bedding and then you can use some hay to create some moisture in the DL. 

Arid like the desert?
I live in north Texas. The summers are hot and dry but it can still be humid at times. Don't get that but that is how it is. Would hay be bad?

 

[Beekissed]

Arid like the desert?
I live in north Texas. The summers are hot and dry but it can still be humid at times. Don't get that but that is how it is. Would hay be bad?

Yep....humid and hay do not go well together. They form moisture caps in the bedding that are hard to break up and so form mold caps before long. I only recommend hay for those who live in hot climates with no humidity and they need moisture retention in their DL, as hay has its own moisture and will also absorb moisture from the air.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Yep....humid and hay do not go well together. They form moisture caps in the bedding that are hard to break up and so form mold caps before long. I only recommend hay for those who live in hot climates with no humidity and they need moisture retention in their DL, as hay has its own moisture and will also absorb moisture from the air.

So just pine shavings then? Is there anything else I can add? I'd guess grass clippings would be bad since it is so moist.

I can do leaves in the fall, right?

 

[Beekissed]

So just pine shavings then? Is there anything else I can add? I'd guess grass clippings would be bad since it is so moist.

I can do leaves in the fall, right?

Sure can! Leaves, pine needles, twigs, etc. Mine is mostly leaves with a healthy base of pine shavings. If it's really dry in the summer you can place light layers of grass clippings...since they are smaller and easier to toss around than the long hay strands, they can be better incorporated into the mass. I even add woody weeds and flower clippings, corn cobs, corn shucks but not the stalks, etc.

 

[CrossedSabers]

I thought straw was bad and hay was good.

Which is it?

In all of my experience with livestock (goats, cows, horses, chickens) straw is always used as bedding. Hay is food for the animals. Straw is a byproduct of growing grains. It's the stems left over after the grain heads have been harvested. Hay is grass grown specifically for harvest and use as animal fodder.

Straw is better suited as bedding material for several reasons. It's much cheaper than hay. Around here, it's about half the price of a bale of hay. It's also drier than hay. That makes it better able to absorb moisture (i.e. poop) without becoming soggy or moldy. Straw stems are hollow, so they do break apart after a while. This is a good thing if you are using the DL method because you want the breakdown and composting action.