Deep litter question!

[U_Stormcrow]

Oh, this page:
https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2012/02/deep-litter-methodcoop-cleaning.html

I don't think that litter is doing what the poster thinks it is doing.
That material is all dry, and it crumbles and breaks apart into dust, which collects at the lowest level.
But it is not actively composting and giving off heat.
Of course the floor is "warmer" in winter just because it is better insulated, but insulation does not make heat. It just keeps the heat wherever it is (so not a problem in summer either.)

If you want it to actively compost (bacterial action), you need to add water to it. Don't do that indoors


I think what you were originally planning should be fine, although I might begin with only 2-3 inches rather than 6. You can keep adding bedding, and let it build up, and eventually clean the whole deep pile out once a year or so.

If you get concerned about temperature, stick a thermometer down in the bedding and see what temperature it is, or stick you hand in it to see if it feels hot.

If it DOES get too hot, you can clean it all out and try something else. But I'm pretty sure it will be fine.

One nice thing about chicken bedding: you are not stuck with it forever. If it doesn't work well, just clean it all out into the compost pile and try something else. Or start dumping something else on top of it.

In general, I prefer materials that are in small pieces and can be scratched around by chickens (wood shavings, wood chips, dead leaves, short pieces of hay or straw, etc.) I do not like things that are in long pieces (this often includes hay or straw), because they make a big tangled mat that the chickens have trouble scratching and I have trouble cleaning. I typically prefer a mix of materials, based on what is available free or cheaply at each season.

^^^^ this is correct. Deep Litter is a SLOW compost method, MUCH cooler than hot composting yard waste. It produces measurable heat, yes, but not significant heat - in much the same way that (for most purposes) 1/16th inch is measurable but insignificant. The key to deep litter, apart from ground contact, is to fill entirely with "brown". "Green" like fresh grass clippings will create a traditional hot compost system, and add extra moisture to the coop - which is unwanted.

and here's my deep litter (and deep bedding)

 

[cp2894_]

Where in the midwest? Do you get snow and cold?

Welcome to BYC! @cp2894_
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 3121446


That would help immensely, looking forward to seeing them.


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
- Large flake pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 8 years.

Thanks for the tutorial on adding my location! I live in Indiana so we do get snow. And thanks for explaining what you do for your coop and run! Very helpful. I went out this morning to measure and take pictures of the coop and run. They still need quite a bit of work but it was built by the previous home owner for their dog and seemed perfect for a coop and run. Let me know if you think it'd be too small though. the run is a little over 9x9

 

[cp2894_]

^^^^ this is correct. Deep Litter is a SLOW compost method, MUCH cooler than hot composting yard waste. It produces measurable heat, yes, but not significant heat - in much the same way that (for most purposes) 1/16th inch is measurable but insignificant. The key to deep litter, apart from ground contact, is to fill entirely with "brown". "Green" like fresh grass clippings will create a traditional hot compost system, and add extra moisture to the coop - which is unwanted.

and here's my deep litter (and deep bedding)

Ahh that makes sense. Thanks for showing your deep litter! So it's definitely not good to use grass clippings then?

 

[cp2894_]

I use deep litter method in SW Neb. Love it! My climate is :
in summer up to 100*
it's maybe 4-6 inches deep
in Winter down to -20's I go to 8-12 inches deep.
It won't be too hot. They will burrow in it sometimes, and no stink.
Remember chickens love to be outside in run. So coop will be only when sleeping on roosts, and locked up during storms.
I use only mini flake pine shavings then I scoop under roosts with metal cat litter scoop. You'll find when they're grown (on roosts) their poop will be in a line under the roosts .
I finally put in a poop tray type litter box to catch it now that they're hens but that's a way off.
Enjoy your little ones they grow FAST . I have 5 also, get them used to your touch and voice by giving them wetted feed out of your hand, while talking softly to them. Be patient, I do it once a day and that will help when you need to inspect them at adult age. Enjoy your little fluff butts your doing great learning lots now.

Thank you for the advice on getting them used to me! I was wondering about that. I definitely also plan to use a poop tray. I'm glad to know it won't get too hot for them

 

[cp2894_]

Welcome to BYC.

This is my article on Deep Bedding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

As others have noted, Deep Bedding is a dry system that does not actively compost.

I have Deep Litter in my open air coop but I do not manage it in such a way as to create a hot compost and it does not get warm at all.

Chickens are creatures of the forest floor and I believe that my cold composting Deep Litter system mimics their natural environment to the extent possible in the southeastern US instead of southeastern Asia.

Thank you so much! Your article was very insightful exactly what I needed.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Ahh that makes sense. Thanks for showing your deep litter! So it's definitely not good to use grass clippings then?

Grass clippings are awesome for a (conventional) compost pile. They are not for deep litter. The chicken's droppings provide the nitrogen needed (replacing the green grass) for composting the brown leaf material, while keeping moisture level relatively low, which keeps the process slow, allows it to control ammonia odors, and keeps you from having to constantly refill with fresh leaf litter.

If you want to compost your lawn clippings, and who doesn't?, better in a seperate area that you can turn frequently, or in a thin layer inside the run, where the chickens can turn it frequently for you. In any event, you want to avoid a dense wet mat of composting material - that's a recipe for anaerobic composting which both smells bad and is the perfect breeding ground for a lot of things your really don't want around your chickens, many of which can be toxic.

/edit and that's what BYC is for. Theory and experience both, which helps to separate this resource from many of the "opinion pages".

 

[aart]

I went out this morning to measure and take pictures of the coop and run.

That is way too small for 5 full grown birds.
Can you use more of the shed to build an adequate coop?
Is the shed itself well ventilated?

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks for the tutorial on adding my location! I live in Indiana so we do get snow. And thanks for explaining what you do for your coop and run! Very helpful. I went out this morning to measure and take pictures of the coop and run. They still need quite a bit of work but it was built by the previous home owner for their dog and seemed perfect for a coop and run. Let me know if you think it'd be too small though. the run is a little over 9x9

View attachment 3121693View attachment 3121694

I'm sorry, but that little box is much too small and doesn't have any ventilation.

Here's some general information for you.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

4 hens

• 16 square feet in the coop. 4'x4' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber.
• 4 feet of roost
• 40 square feet in the run. 4'x10' or 5'x8'. 6'x6' is a bit too small, 6'x8' is more generous and easier to build than 5'x8'.
• 4 square feet of ventilation. A 2'x2' window is theoretically enough, but in practice doesn't create any air FLOW so better to spread the venting around (and even better to exceed the minimums, especially in warm climates).
• 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice

6 hens

• 24 square feet in the coop. 4'x6' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber. If you can't walk into it, put the access door in the middle of the long side to make sure you can reach all areas of the coop because a stubborn chicken WILL press itself into/lay an egg in the back corner where you can't reach.
• 6 feet of roost
• 60 square feet in the run. 6'x10' or 8'x8'.
• 6 square feet of ventilation.
• 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice

This is what your ventilation should look like with plenty of airFLOW but no drafts:

Can you use more of the shed to build an adequate coop?
Is the shed itself well ventilated?

This.

Many people have successfully converted all or part of a shed into a chicken coop.

 

[cp2894_]

I'm sorry, but that little box is much too small and doesn't have any ventilation.

Here's some general information for you.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

4 hens

• 16 square feet in the coop. 4'x4' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber.
• 4 feet of roost
• 40 square feet in the run. 4'x10' or 5'x8'. 6'x6' is a bit too small, 6'x8' is more generous and easier to build than 5'x8'.
• 4 square feet of ventilation. A 2'x2' window is theoretically enough, but in practice doesn't create any air FLOW so better to spread the venting around (and even better to exceed the minimums, especially in warm climates).
• 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice

6 hens

• 24 square feet in the coop. 4'x6' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber. If you can't walk into it, put the access door in the middle of the long side to make sure you can reach all areas of the coop because a stubborn chicken WILL press itself into/lay an egg in the back corner where you can't reach.
• 6 feet of roost
• 60 square feet in the run. 6'x10' or 8'x8'.
• 6 square feet of ventilation.
• 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice

This is what your ventilation should look like with plenty of airFLOW but no drafts:

View attachment 3121770



This.

Many people have successfully converted all or part of a shed into a chicken coop.

Thank you for letting me know all of that! I'll try to figure out a way to use more of the shed to make a bigger coop the ventilation diagram is also really helpful.

 

[cp2894_]

That is way too small for 5 full grown birds.
Can you use more of the shed to build an adequate coop?
Is the shed itself well ventilated?

Aw that's a bummer I don't want them to be in something that's too small for them though so thank you for letting me know! I'll try to figure out another way we can use the shed. It's not very well ventilated but we can fix that.