Deep Litter Questions for Shed-Coop with Solid Floor

[EricaD]

So we're building a resin shed to make into our coop, and it has a solid resin floor. I really want to use the deep litter method but have searched and can't figure out if that's doable on a solid floor or does it have to be dirt? I want to keep the solid floor because it's predator/dig proof.

So, is anyone using deep litter successfully over a resin floor? If so, what adjustments have you made, if any? Should I throw in a bottom layer of dirt, then shavings on top of that?

Thanks!

 

[EricaD]

Bumping up - anyone???

Can deep litter work on a solid resin floor? Since it's not touching dirt and can't "breathe", will it still self-compost? And if not, is there anything I can do to make it work (perhaps start with a layer of soil and then litter on top of that?)

Our shed is almost finished and it's time to start the chicken modifications to get it ready for our chicks!

 

[harriedhomemaker]

I use the deep litter method. My coop has a glasbord floor - fiberglass reinforced with plastic. I have only had my chickens in their coop for seven weeks, but so far it seems to be working. There is no odor at all. Seriously. My kids' rooms smell worse than the chicken coop! Every morning I use a rake to fluff up the shavings and mix in the droppings under the roost. I add another inch of pine shavings every 10 days or so.

As far as changes to the deep litter method, I do plan to clean my coop completely out twice a year. I'm not sure that the litter will really compost in place without the moisture and microbes from the dirt, so I will clean it out and add to my garden composter to finish. I don't currently have dirt on the bottom of my coop but I may do that in the future. In The Small Scale Poultry Flock, Harvey Ussery cites an example of a woman with her chickens on a concrete floor. She put down two inches of dirt before adding the litter.

HTH.

 

[justacouplemorechicks]

I am using the deep litter method on a wood floor with a sheet of linoleum between floor and shavings. I love it. I turn it daily, add extra shavings once in a while and scoop out piles if they seem to be building up. I have been using it since December and plan to do a thorough clean out / replacement in June and try to stick with the twice a year cleaning. I throw scratch down on rainy days when everyone is bored inside and they spend hours turning the shavings over looking for food. I don't believe the shavings are actually composting but they are controlling the odor and I am very pleased with it. Whenever I scoop anything out I add it to my compost pile and the chickens run over to see if they missed anything!