Deep litter method

[mobius]

I'm glad to hear I can use just about anything.

Yes! Pile it in there and let chickens mix and distribute. Keeps them busy which is good. Mine keep me from working too hard! And. I am taking some of their mix from last year out of the run and now adding a cupful or two around my garden plants and herbs before adding some more mulch to top off the garden plants!

And don't forget shredded paper and shredded thin cardboard (like from cereal boxes).

 

[e72071]

I've been reading through this thread and this is great information. My only question is I see most people say they do this in the coop. What about the run area. Do you use the same method in the run? Our run is not covered so would we just throw dry bedding on the wet stuff and mix it up after rain?

 

[mobius]

I actually do this in my covered run. In the coop itself, which is small, I have a poop tray with sweet PDZ that I scoop out and add to my compost pile, and a heavy layer of pine shavings. That layer gets moved out into the run twice a year.

Yes you can throw dry bedding on the wet stuff. If you throw a little scratch on top the chickens will mix it for you.

 

[Jessiehughes86]

Hi! I'm a first time chicken mama and trying to figure out the best way to keep a clean coop! I have four little ladies (six weeks old) in a relatively small coop (52.8 x 28.9 x 28.5 inches). They range in a large enclosed run during the day, so it's only for sleeping and eventually laying eggs

How much pine shavings should I keep at the bottom? Because of its size, I don't think continually adding to it is really going to work...?

How often do I need to change the shavings?

When I do change, is it okay to compost it all (wood shavings plus droppings)?

They knocked over their water last night...should I pull out all the wet shavings?

Should I put any food in there?

Unrelated - do chickens need baths???

Thanks!!

 

[mobius]

what are the heightxwidthxdepth? How deep can you actually pile shavings in there? 6 inches? Looking for the floor dimensions...

Chickens like to take dustbaths. That is what they need. A whiskey barrel full of sand and topsoil and peat moss and wood ash would help a small flock.

Make or buy a waterer they can't knock over.

Compost old shavings/poo in the run or elsewhere.

Since coop sounds small put waterer and food in the run.

 

[Mraya]

Ok so I have just raked up all my old leaves from last fall and I have some old rotting logs full of bugs. The material is to bone dry it has already started to decompose . Can I use this in my run to start the DLM? It would be like my chickens are out picking and scratching out in the woods.

Mraya

 

[mobius]

Definitely! A great start!

 

[Mraya]

Definitely! A great start!

Do I have to worry about anything harmful that maybe in the material, I'll call it mulch.

 

[armorfirelady]

Hi! I'm a first time chicken mama and trying to figure out the best way to keep a clean coop! I have four little ladies (six weeks old) in a relatively small coop (52.8 x 28.9 x 28.5 inches). They range in a large enclosed run during the day, so it's only for sleeping and eventually laying eggs

How much pine shavings should I keep at the bottom? Because of its size, I don't think continually adding to it is really going to work...?

How often do I need to change the shavings?

When I do change, is it okay to compost it all (wood shavings plus droppings)?

They knocked over their water last night...should I pull out all the wet shavings?

Should I put any food in there?

Unrelated - do chickens need baths???

Thanks!!

Welcome !!
I started out with 4 & figured out soon that the more space the better. They grow quick

I started the DL in the small coop, about 3 inches, and just added more as needed. After winter the DL was about 6 inches in the coop. That's when I realized they needed a bigger coop.

In my larger coop I never change out the shavings. Just add stuff as needed, I use free shavings, grass clippings, weeds, grass.....anything that is free.

I feed & water in a different area. I find there is less waste, less mess & I dont want to invite rodents and predators to the coop because of the food.

My chicken bath themselves in rain storms, pruning themselves & dust bathing

 

[mobius]

Do I have to worry about anything harmful that maybe in the material, I'll call it mulch.

I think you and your chickens will be just fine! Most folks here who use leaves and grass clippings make sure there is not pesticide or herbicide on it, so something to be considered. I even asked about "are pine cones ok" a while back and was assured that they were . The more variation in materials the better and leaves are perfect as are the rotten logs (which are like gold for deep litter and I have used them too!). Even shredded paper!