I use everything that mother nature gives me for free !! I have been using Deep Litter for over 5 years in both my coop & old run (where the hens like to go during the winter) Hay (not straw its hollow & can harbor bugs) grass clippings, leaves, weeds, etc. I get free shavings monthly from an add on craigs list. It all breaks down eventually. I also throw in some bird seed once a day or so to encourage them to scratch deeper into the DL.
I always clean out the coop & old run every spring into my garden to be turned under. Last year I took my small rototiller into the coop and rototilled up the floor of the coop. I ended up removing 4 inches of the most beautiful, rich dirt from the previous 4 years of DL that was compacted.
Just good ole dirt. I have had hay & damp grass clippings mat down but I turn the DL all winter with a pitch fork to discourage it & prevent mold in the coop. My coop has plenty of ventilation (its made from cattle panels & billboard material) & other than winter the sides are kept up so there is always moisture in the coop. The girls tracking in snow helps during the winter. The only time its been super dry is during the summer but there is very little DL in the coop from spring till fall so a quick spray with the hose rectifies the problem.
My theory about DL is the less work it involves the better for me & the hens. As long as there is ample ventilation there is never any smell. Thats the FIRST thing everyone notices who visits the coop. Even in the winter. @Beekissed is a wealth of knowledge about this
