Deep Litter question

Quote:
Dust? My deep litter Compost is slightly moist, contact with the soil seems to keep it that way. I have in the past dumped water into the deep litter in the winter to start off the composting process. There is no smell or dust with the traditional deep litter composting process, this has been done since ancient times by European farmers in their barns. Dust means too dry, Ammonia smell means not enough oxygen. Tossing scratch onto the deep litter has the chickens mixing it up for you. An occasional forking with a spading fork I have found necessary in the winter when I've had to leave the chickens "Cooped up" due to snow/blizzards.

My coop is raised up about 8". Anytime you are off the ground, you will get dust. I gave up worrying about it long ago. In the spring when I take out all the bedding for compost, I put on my full mask respirator and crank up the air compressor and blow all the dust out of the coop. I guess I could try to add water to it occasionally but it gets cold here in the winter and it would stay frozen for awhile.
 
I also chose to ignore the dust as the system seems to work for me without having moist compost.
 

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