Deep litter wins!

[shodack]

My 7ish week old chicks have been out for a couple weeks now. I started right out with deep litter (although it will grow as I go, because I don't have enough composted material for their entire enclosure), including in the coop. I sort of had doubts about it working well inside the coop, just felt it would dry out, get "used" too much, etc.
Well, after a week of leaving the coop alone, except to let the girls out and close them back in at night, I just opened it up, expecting a semi-stinky mess. NOPE!! The only smell was that compost smell (like the forest floor, as some people describe), and poops were barely visible! The girls have been doing a good job of keeping it stirred up, I guess. I added a few handfuls of shavings, gave a very good stir, and went on my way. three minutes tops. I can totally handle that!
Anyway, for anyone debating trying it, I say go for it!

 

[Wise Woman]

We are going to be building a new coop soon and I am going back to deep litter. I currently have sand and poop boards because we converted a shed into a coop, but can't wait to get back to deep litter. I am looking forward to using some of the compost in my garden as well. I hate the sand and cannot wait to be rid of it. Thanks for posting your experience with deep litter.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Our experience with deep litter has been positive as well. Our girls are 12+weeks and after much research and thought we went with the deep litter in both the (covered) run and coop. The coop has pine shavings only and a poopboard with PDZ. I scoop the poopboard daily, maybe 5 mins. tops, but the floor has never been cleaned. I just add shavings every so often. The girls keep it turned. No odor, no flies, no visible poop.

The run is dirt, covered with lawn clippings, straw and peat humus kicked out from their dirt bath. Leaves to be added this fall. I replenish it from time to time.Same out there, no odor, no flies, no visible poop.

 

[jenshens412]

If your coop is raised and has a plywood floor, what goes down first? I was told to put down linoleum, but not sure that would work with the deep litter method.

 

[shodack]

jenshens412, my coop is raised. I went to Lowe's and bought their cheapest linoleum (I think it was like $.39 each 1x1' tile). It didn't stick well to the floor, but since it's covered with 6" of deep litter it doesn't matter much. When I stirred it yesterday I had no trouble scrapping it off the tiles to turn it. I've only had it in there for a few weeks, so I guess I'll see in a year or so how the floor looks. I hope that helps!

 

[ChickenMammX4]

I don't think it matters rather the coop is raised or not, or what material is used for the floor. The litter readily absorbes any moisture.

In my coop, the floor is OSB painted with DeckOver. DeckOver is a thick paint used to refinish decks. We have it on our pool deck and it's held up very well to the weather, sun & water. There was a partial bucket of it sitting in our basement, so we used it in the coop. The pine shavings keep any fresh dropping from actually sitting on the floor anyway.

 

[jenshens412]

Thanks, wasn't sure if a paint or linoleum would affect the decomposition.

 

[sroy]

We are going to be building a new coop soon and I am going back to deep litter. I currently have sand and poop boards because we converted a shed into a coop, but can't wait to get back to deep litter. I am looking forward to using some of the compost in my garden as well. I hate the sand and cannot wait to be rid of it. Thanks for posting your experience with deep litter.

Were just building our coop and run and was going to use sand in both. Could I ask why you don't like the sand? So many people speak so highly of it. Would like your take on it. Thanks

 

[ChickenMammX4]

We had thought about using sand in the run but our winters are cold and wet, even though our run is covered I was worried any wet sand might freeze making it hard and cold. I also didn't want sift poop. With the deep litter the poop disappears and decomposes along with the grass, straw, leaves etc.

 

[yolksonus]

We have sand in our run and do the DLM in the coop. The girls have been in the coop for two weeks so far. The coop is raised, wood floor painted with a semigloss enamel, covered in pine shavings. I go in and stir the shavings every day but I don't think that is needed. I did add some PDZ today just in case but really didn't need to. So far, so good.