Deep litter method

[pinkmartin73]

I've been adding things lately that I didn't add in the beginning. It seems to be working out very well. Even with FF the poop isn't disappearing as quickly as I would like but still no smell. The only times I have fly issues is when I put too much fruit in the run. They aren't attracted to the poop. Only the fruit. I am now cutting melon rinds and all into smaller chunks that don't hold juice so well. It the fruit stays more dry there are less flies. The chickens eat it just as well and eventually the rinds decompose into the litter.

 

[PapaChaz]

I've been adding things lately that I didn't add in the beginning. It seems to be working out very well. Even with FF the poop isn't disappearing as quickly as I would like but still no smell. The only times I have fly issues is when I put too much fruit in the run. They aren't attracted to the poop. Only the fruit. I am now cutting melon rinds and all into smaller chunks that don't hold juice so well. It the fruit stays more dry there are less flies. The chickens eat it just as well and eventually the rinds decompose into the litter.

melon rinds don't last long enough in my run to draw flies, LOL they get gone QUICKLY

 

[rides2far]

I went out to lock up the chickies at dusk. I caught a glimpse of watermelon rind & jumped about 3' thinking it was a snake. Funny joke on me!

 

[Lizard Lady]

Is it possible to use only paper shreddings during the winter? Would that keep them warm enough? I've always used straw year round, but the mites are so bad during the summer I'm trying to find an alternative solution.

 

[PapaChaz]

Is it possible to use only paper shreddings during the winter? Would that keep them warm enough? I've always used straw year round, but the mites are so bad during the summer I'm trying to find an alternative solution.

are you treating for the mites? they're in your coop and on your birds, it doesn't matter how often you change bedding or what you use if you don't kill the mites.


I've used shredded paper in the nests before, it's not near as absorbant though, I don't think I'd want that to be my ONLY bedding

 

[Lizard Lady]

are you treating for the mites? they're in your coop and on your birds, it doesn't matter how often you change bedding or what you use if you don't kill the mites.


I've used shredded paper in the nests before, it's not near as absorbant though, I don't think I'd want that to be my ONLY bedding

Yeah, I use Sevin and Diatamacious Earth (spelling?) in the coop, then set trays of wood ash mixed with Sevin and DE for them to dust themselves. Is there something that works better?

 

[PapaChaz]

Yeah, I use Sevin and Diatamacious Earth (spelling?) in the coop, then set trays of wood ash mixed with Sevin and DE for them to dust themselves. Is there something that works better?

are you actually dusting each chicken? or just letting them dust themselves?

also, with all the hype it gets, DE is really a waste of money. You could say your chickens are proof of that..................


I'd close them out as soon as they're all out one day, strip out all the bedding and nests, and go in there and hit the whole thing with liquid sevin. Keep them out all day so it will dry, and dust each individual chicken. Although the last time I had a mite problem, I actually went to TSC and bought permethrin pour on and used an eye dropper to dose each chicken after they went on the roost that night, then did the coop the next day. Then do it again in 3 weeks (I think) so that you'll get any mites that hatched out after the first dose. Just pull the feathers back and drop a couple small drops right on the skin. I did it on the back of the neck. Took care of it and didn't have any more problems at all

 

[Beekissed]

Is it possible to use only paper shreddings during the winter? Would that keep them warm enough? I've always used straw year round, but the mites are so bad during the summer I'm trying to find an alternative solution.

Not a good idea as the paper shreds tend to clump together and form mold caps. The warmth comes more from the composting than the actual bedding material itself, so think of things that will compost well but still provide dry footing and a healthy coop environment. Straw isn't one of those either. If you have access to leaves, I'd try storing a lot of those for winter and incorporating those into the DL when you need dry material.

 

[MagicChicken]

Is it possible to use only paper shreddings during the winter? Would that keep them warm enough? I've always used straw year round, but the mites are so bad during the summer I'm trying to find an alternative solution.

I tried shredded paper in a nest box and also as a top layer over deep litter. Never again. In the nest box it welded itself to the eggs. On the floor of the coop/run it clumped and did not play nice with the other litter. It didn't compost well in the compost pile, either. Plus every time the wind blew I would find little bits of shredded paper all over the yard.

Now all my shredded paper goes into clear plastic bags and gets hauled off to the recycle facility. Sigh. Would have been great if it had worked.

 

[pinkmartin73]

@PapaChaz That is usually true here too. Lately, my crew has been getting a lot of fruit. When I gave them all the scraps and some leftovers from my daughter's baby shower, they only got excited over the pineapple. They don't get that too often.

They did seems to enjoy eating out of this lol