Deep litter method

[PapaChaz]

A quick search tells me that the size hole a mouse can fit through is limited by the width of their skull. Apparently adult field and house mice have skulls that range from 2-2.2 cm wide.


1cm=0.394 inches

Looks like you're safe with 1/4" hardware cloth.

so they'll send the kids in to bring back the food...........


bahahaha..........sorry Blooie I couldn't resist

 

[Blooie]

So PapaChaz - not counting today how long have we been friends? <insert evil laugh here>

 

[PapaChaz]

 

[TalkALittle]

so they'll send the kids in to bring back the food...........


bahahaha..........sorry Blooie I couldn't resist

That reminds me of when my mom would triumphantly kill a spider in the house and us kids would spoil things by reminding her of the hundreds of eggs it likely laid.

 

[Mini Meat]

Hello all,

I have a deep litter Question about the new coop i am building. The coop will be a cattle panel hoop house, and I want to do a floor for several reason the main being predator proofing but since I will be moving the coop frequently, and it is going to be big(10'x20') I need it to be light Because we are in a damp, frosted area I think having the extra ventilation and being up off the ground won't hurt. This is for their night housing only the will be on a rotating paddock system.

My idea is to use 1/2 inch welded wire (or ?) for the floor then cover that with a thin sheet of news paper to hold the initial bedding in. The bedding will likely be a mix of leaf litter and pine shavings. I will also use second hand pine shavings (the stuff at my barn that had been lightly hot composted and still retains the woody structure) since it is already colonized with all that good bacteria and I don't think the chickens will mind the random horse poop in their coop.

My hope is that the paper will break down and allow the composted litter at the bottom to stiff out as the birds do their thing in the coop and also when I relocate the coop. I envision it as a kind of flow through system.

I know that wire is hard to clean but if this works I hope there won't be much cleaning going on, just adding new bedding and mixing it up from time to time if the chickens don't keep it up or if it gets too compacted.

One concern I do have is that it will be harsh or even harmful to their toe nails if they scratch too deep. (?)

Maybe there is some other material I could use like 1/2 inch pvc as "slats" or...?

Any help thinking this through would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[JaceAgain]

Deep litter is just that,deep. You wont be able to move the coop after putting in 6+ inches of shavings. I cant even figure out how you would move a 10x20 foot coop frequently, even if its just made of wire.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Hello all,

I have a deep litter Question about the new coop i am building. The coop will be a cattle panel hoop house, and I want to do a floor for several reason the main being predator proofing but since I will be moving the coop frequently, and it is going to be big(10'x20') I need it to be light Because we are in a damp, frosted area I think having the extra ventilation and being up off the ground won't hurt. This is for their night housing only the will be on a rotating paddock system.

My idea is to use 1/2 inch welded wire (or ?) for the floor then cover that with a thin sheet of news paper to hold the initial bedding in. The bedding will likely be a mix of leaf litter and pine shavings. I will also use second hand pine shavings (the stuff at my barn that had been lightly hot composted and still retains the woody structure) since it is already colonized with all that good bacteria and I don't think the chickens will mind the random horse poop in their coop.

My hope is that the paper will break down and allow the composted litter at the bottom to stiff out as the birds do their thing in the coop and also when I relocate the coop. I envision it as a kind of flow through system.

I know that wire is hard to clean but if this works I hope there won't be much cleaning going on, just adding new bedding and mixing it up from time to time if the chickens don't keep it up or if it gets too compacted.

One concern I do have is that it will be harsh or even harmful to their toe nails if they scratch too deep. (?)

Maybe there is some other material I could use like 1/2 inch pvc as "slats" or...?

Any help thinking this through would be appreciated.

Thanks.

If I were you, I would build this whole thing up on a trailer... one with wheels. That is a large coop to keep moving around and a trailer would make it so much easier.

You would only need cross supports for the flooring and I wouldn't use 1/2" welded wire at all. If you can find 3/4" or 1" it would be better. I have used 1/2" hardware cloth between rooster pens before and the boys still fight through the wire some days. They end up catching their toes in it so I think that if it was on the floor and the birds were able to get down to it through their scratching and whatnot, they would/could catch their toes in it. I've had many roosters with skinned toes.

 

[Mini Meat]

If I were you, I would build this whole thing up on a trailer... one with wheels. That is a large coop to keep moving around and a trailer would make it so much easier.

You would only need cross supports for the flooring and I wouldn't use 1/2" welded wire at all. If you can find 3/4" or 1" it would be better. I have used 1/2" hardware cloth between rooster pens before and the boys still fight through the wire some days. They end up catching their toes in it so I think that if it was on the floor and the birds were able to get down to it through their scratching and whatnot, they would/could catch their toes in it. I've had many roosters with skinned toes.

If i can get a trailer within budget I will happily build upon it. That was pan A, but people seem to want a lot of money for even the crappiest of trailers. So my plan B is to build one on skids with pvc pipe split length wise and slipped onto the bottom of the skids to make it "skiddier". Then when time comes to move it I will lay out a series of pvc rollers and hitch it to my truck, drag it over the rollers. I will only be moving it 20' at a time and only in a straight line. When and if a trailer ever comes my way I will defiantly rebuild on it, but I need to get this project started... somewhere.

And yes, I think you are right about 1/2 being too small... I don't want to lame my chickens.

Thank you.

Anyone have thoughts on wether or not the flow through aspect might be successful. I don't want to see them scratch all the litter through in a day or two.

 

[mrstdd]

Wonderful tips. Thanks!
As for tossing in the stale bread...is that a daily occurrence? Once a week?
Can you clarify that a bit?
Thank you...we are first time chick owners and learning as we go!

 

[eagrbeavr]

I need some clarity because unless youre building a big tractor with the bottom on the ground, I'm not understanding moving the coop around. Air flowing from underneath will make it considerably colder, and if youre covering the floor with deep litter, blocking the airflow once it gets deep enough, how is the ventilation going to work. Just my two cents. I guess it works. Plenty of people have coops up off the ground, buy why do you need to move it all the time?