Deep litter method

[joanna]

maybe a little OT, but what size pine shavings do you use in your deep litter situations? normally I've always bought small (not knowing they came in different sizes); but recently found a source for larger shavings and was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on it.

 

[Snufkin_MD]

In s small scale poultry (<500) in Japan, producers use deep litter method also. The key difference in the Japanese deep litter method from the one practiced here is that they try to keep certain moisture in the litter to facilitate "fermentation." When the litter is too dry, they spray it with EM (http://www.eminfo.info/), or once the cycle gets going spray with water, which is a big no-no consensus here, to prevent dust bourne diseases. Especially during the winter, they litter even heat from the decomposition to keep them warm.

It is also important to note that the coop in Japan usually have three sides open (or at least two) covered with hardware cloth for a better ventilation, thus the litter might get too dry.

It's exciting to see how differently people try to raise healthy and happy chickens. The part of the fun for me is to research and try. It's been great lurking around BYC forums. Thanks guys.

Snufkin

 

[cp_30256]

Hope you can help me, I have a 6x6 roosting house that just has to walls the back wall is open with chicken wire on it and in the winter I cover it with a tarp to help keep drafts out the front is open also and just has chicken wire on it up to the open doorway. It is built on the ground so there is no floor in it except for the dirt. what is the best way to keep it clean and smell free as possible. Can I also use the litter on it.

 

[patandchickens]

Sure, definitely use litter, then when the litter starts getting too messy or gets smelly, either add more litter or scrape the old litter out, put it somewhere to compost, and add new litter.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[newarkrooster]

I have just been able to move my Granddads old chicken house to my farm,not sure when it was built, my aunt says it was on the property when they moved there in 1941, it is a great old building with huge timber runners around the bottom and all of the wall studs notched into the timbers, and pine lap siding, so cool and nostalgic. I have had my 9 hens in a 4 X 8 coop with an 8 X 8 run. The new/old coop is 16 X 8, and I plan on a 16 X 12 run, my question is it has a no floor so I guess it has a dirt floor, I have som pea gravel available and plan to fill in a burm around the sides inside and out to kinda seal things up and then use the deep litter method, there is a saw mill near my farm where I can get all of the oak shavings I want free, aged or fresh, can I use oak shavings?

 

[BearSwampChick]

Check out Harvey Ussery's theories on Deep Litter method at www.themodernhomestead.us. Just type in "deep litter" in the search line. It's basically what everyone here has been saying. He's also a regular contributor to Mother Earth News.

 

[newarkrooster]

thank you that is a great article

 

[BearSwampChick]

Just bought the Mar/Apr issue of Hobby Farms and on pg. 39 there's an ad for Spalding Fly Predators to put in your deep litter. The website is www.8493.spaulding-labs.com. They are advertising it for horses, sheep, etc. but I'm sure it would work for chickens, too.

 

[annp]

That's interesting about the fly predators for sale.

When you're using the deep litter method, you may actually need to dampen it if it gets too dusty. You need moisture for the composting to take place.

 

[legacyln]

Ok, where do you get cheap shavings in quantity???

I'm new to chickens and my group are still chicks so I'm buying bales of pine shavings at Walmart in the pet section for the brooder. I am going to need a lot of litter when I move the gang to the new coop, their portion of which will be 10 x 20. Suggestions from the seasoned pros?