Deep litter method

[gsim]

Whatever is handy and free is best bet. Pine needles might be a good bet seeing as you have no grass. You might also be able to connect with neighbors who do have and cut grass, or even with a lawn care co. Could meet them to take clippings off of their hands.

Gerry

 

[jodiea60]

As I am reading through this thread about the "Floor" with 8-10" of litter on the floor, and the floor rotting.....Is a floor optional for the run area?

 

[billfields]

Quote:
My run is dirt, I have the 8-10 inches of shavings inside, on the floor of the coop. I do dump grass clippings in the run to give them something to scratch (and I expect find bugs) in. What's left do dry up but are at best a very thin layer of dry grass on the ground. I see the deep litter as being an in the coop thing.

 

[gsim]

Quote:
I would not build a floor for a poultry run area. Chooks need to be in direct contact with dirt. It is a natural thing. Then there is the cost and maintenance issue. Best put your money into a larger run with a good tall fence of welded wire and electrification.

Gerry

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
A floor is optional in the Coop itself also. See my BYC page, I have a sub-ground level dirt floor composting pit for my deep litter method. You just have to have the Coop raised on brick, concrete, stone or other method to keep the wood parts away from the ground/dirt----like any structure/shed you want to last.

 

[wrybread]

Our coop was initially going to be a movable tractor but hubby got ambitious and now it's too big to move but too small to walk in and out of. The roof is on hinges and it takes two people to open it and then I have to get on a chair and climb into it to clean it.

I use a shop-vac (without the filter) to clean out the poop but that's a pain in the rump! I'd love to use the deep litter method so I don't have to clean it but once or twice a year but the problem is that it sits on the ground with just chicken wire for flooring to keep predators out. Do you think the deep litter method would work with that?

Any help or suggestions would be HUGELY apprectiated!

 

[Beekissed]

I don't see why it couldn't work for you. Next spring, have your hubby get ambitious again and build you a coop in which you can walk!

 

[wrybread]

Quote:
I'm working on it!!

 

[AlienChick]

Good luck to you!
And keep in mind that in order for it not to smell, it must be kept DRY!

 

[Prisserbabe]

so let me get this straight; the deep litter method is where you just but wood shaving on the floor of your coop and throw scratch in there and the girls scratch it around which mixes it up and as it start to get gross and smelly in there you add about 1 in of more wood shaving and once a year you take everything out and put it in your composte or plants etc. correct or am i missing something?

haha thank you