Deep litter? PDZ,? Sand?

[Rhoise]

Ok it's almost finished, what should a newbie put in a raised 4x4 hen house with covered outside run for litter........the PDZ stuff sounds pretty good for inside? maybe with pine shavings in the nest boxes? and outside its pretty dry here in Idaho i dont mind scooping tri weekly etc so far just 2"sand in outside run over dirt from leveling pavers for coops foundation...Ideas???

 

[Sakmeht]

Hi, we're in Nampa and I've got almost the same type set-up as you and I use sand in the run. I really like it for ease of cleaning. Inside my coop and nest boxes I use pine shavings and whatever thatch from the lawn the chickens dig up. I'm thinking of switching to sand in the coop as well, so that I don't have as much waste to get rid of. We have a garden but no compost pile. I've had several people comment on how they don't smell anything and I'm sure it's because the sand is so easy to rake and clean.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Wow, that looks nice...it looks like to have a large outdoor pen which is most excellent as they will spend most of their time out there. I would put a deep pine chips inside, it adorbs the moisture from poop which is what smells, sand doesn't. You say you don't mind cleaning it so often but I bet you can think of other more fun ways to use your time. I totally clean my coop once a year and that goes in a garden or spread out on the lawn especially in places where I'm reseeding.
Just my opinion....if I had a contained run I might use sand in that, but the run I have now is only for chicks and I will reseed it in clover and grasses this summer.

 

[harrisville chicken]

I have a similar coop (see my page). I use sand in the run and pine pellets (the kind sold for pellet burning fireplaces) inside. The pellets are great at absorbing moisture quickly. I clean the pellets out 3 times a year and add them to my compost pile. I use pine shavings and some grass clippings in my nesting boxes.