Deep litter method

[greenfingers]

Hi - I am new to this site. What is DE?

 

[flopshot]

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1560-Food_Grade_DE

 

[Sweetbriarpatch]

Thanks for all the information!

We've got 10 chicks between one and three weeks old. They currently live in a box in the garage with a heat lamp and my husband and sons are working on the coop. I feel as if we'll be prepared now.

 

[Portalguy]

Using deep litter and DE, is there any proven method to keep the lower part of the walls from rotting out?

What materials are folks using for floors? I am thinking of concrete laid over gravel and then larger rocks underneath; for thermal mass, easy cleaning, and burrowing vermin.

This is for an 8'x10' coop.

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

Concrete is a good floor, easy to clean or disinfect even if you don't have to do it often, and relatively predator proof. Many here have plywood floors covered with linoleum as well. Mine is just dirt with buried wire around the outside, but it is hot here and I wanted the cooling effect of the ground, plus did not have a lot of money to devote to a coop. Some also raise chickens on wire.

 

[southpaw2022]

Well I will be building two new coops soon, and just came across this thread... like the idea of no floor...just the dirt... hmmm
what about if I put 4X4 pressure treated lumber buried to about ground level as the base for my walls and then build the coop from there? do you think the pressure treated wood would be bad for the chickens or ducks??

 

[tdgill]

liking the DLM very much.

its interesting how the litter breaks down and seems rather non offensive nor disgusting. I mean, there's alot of poop in there! My litter seems to be more on the dry side, I found some site I will try to relocate where (hmm maybe it was youtube?) a poultry farmer demonstrated the difference between too dry litter and good litter by grabbing a handful. not that i can do that but it was interesting.

I was putting shovelfuls of dirt/sod with the grass for my birds and have learned that is probably a better thing than I expected. Since plywood floor painted with polyurethane won't allow any of the moisture or microbes benefit as if on a dirt floor coop.

I was adding pine shavings mixed with a small amount of laying around hay till it got deep enough for a warm cozy floor, but stopped adding and started just turning the litter for now.

My one concern now is that feed crumbles have gotten mixed in too, but havent gotten spoiled by water spillage. I keep my waterer on bare floor away from the deep litter. I remembered reading about keeping feed and food area clean but have only been able to be successful at keeping those areas dry. I am not as concerned with the scratch grain getting in as those crumbles....opinions?

 

[ambersparks]

Is sand considered deep litter? I am considering using it in my coop/run. Do you just rake it and turn it and let it be? What do you do when it's time to really clean it out??
Amber

 

[tdgill]

I think most people rake the poo out maybe on a more regular basis than deep litter. I'm guessing sand isn't quite as absorbant as pine and straw. I considered a sand box under my roost to be able to just rake the poo out...not sure yet as everything in my coop, run, chicken plans are in a state of constant rethinking and reworking. Nothing so far is permanent! hahahah. I think thats part of the enjoyment - just messing about with the little fuzz butts

Sand in a run probably works good if you have some muddy issues, I would think it allows the water to drain thru in a rain, and if its deep enough...

just guessing until someone more experienced chimes in...

interesting tho, never thought of sand as deep litter but the more i ponder it and the more i see how poo breaks down, it seems more plausible.

 

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
So it's okay for them to go all night without water? My babies spent their first night in the coop last night and were in their run all day today. They're now back in the coop, where I have both food AND water (the water is suspended). Do they not need the water at night? The few times I've been out to check on them (yes, I'm still a new "mommy" and worry about them being out there all alone - lol), I see them drink occasionally, so I'm worried about them being thirsty if I remove the water from the coop and have it in the run only.

Thanks!