Deep Litter Questions w/ Ducks

[benkelssmith13]

We are new to owning ducks & have 3 Pekins. We live in the city but were able to get a permit to keep them. We built them an open pen in our ginormous concrete garage. The indoor pen is roughly 5' x 6' just built with 2x4s & chicken wire. Then they have a little duck door that leads to their outdoor pen that is something like 12' x 14'. I want to do deep litter..... So far I have been using pine shavings, turning every day & adding a layer once a week. We don't keep their food or water in their pen. There is no smell in there except a very faint ammonia smell only when I turn the bedding. Is this normal? Should I be doing something different? I have even put my nose right up to the shavings & it just smells like dirt/poop. It is only a faint smell that I might even miss except that I cloth diapered & that smell is not foreign to me and only when I turn the bedding.

 

[Duckworth]

I’m not sure I understand your question. Are you asking why it doesn’t smell more or whether the lack of a stronger smell is an indication that the deep littler method isn’t working? Lack of odor is a sign that your ducks’ waste is being handled well.

 

[benkelssmith13]

I'm wanting to make sure I'm doing it right because of the faint ammonia smell.... Basically I want to make sure it's ok that there's the faint ammonia smell when I turn the bedding & that that's not harmful to them? Also it's fine to do deep litter in the summer too?

 

[Trimurtisan]

Im currently using deep litter in a 4x4 brooder with ducklings and guineas and just clean up the droppings and fluff the shaving daily, adding only when it really needs more. I'm having decent luck with it.

I started a thread regarding deep litter with ducks. You might find a helpful comment there, or even leave one.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ducks-and-deep-litter-discussion.1313925/#post-21416087

 

[Trimurtisan]

Oh, something I read, and am doing now is using diatomaceous earth. It has a bunch of different uses, but one of the best ones is it's a desiccant. My brooder has a wood floor, so I spread a bit on the floor, then mix a bit in when fluffing the shavings if they are moist from humidity, it's very humid here. In general though, it seems to help keep everything a little extra dry, which could also help cut down on ammonia smells.

The one time liquids did reach the floor, I put a layer of the DE, and let it sit for ~10 minutes, and just swept it up. DE is like 96% silica and extremely absorbent.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I am a little afraid of DE. I use it in my pool but not anywhere it can be inhaled. Just me. I use deep litter but don't turn, just fresh on top. Twice a year clean down to the concrete and start over. I am hot and humid like you but no smell. From the ducks, geese have stinky poo.