Deep litter?

[Gwenduckmama]

Reading about deep litter for chickens, but this doesn’t seem as good for ducks because their poop is so mucky. Thoughts?

We’re putting in lots of straw, then the next day I rake off the top layer of muck and add some fresh for the top layer, and if they’ve tipped over their water I take out anything wet. And after 4-5 days I take it all out and start with fresh. I’m probably using more than they need, but I really want them to have some fluff to nestle down in in case they get cold.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Reading about deep litter for chickens, but this doesn’t seem as good for ducks because their poop is so mucky. Thoughts?

We’re putting in lots of straw, then the next day I rake off the top layer of muck and add some fresh for the top layer, and if they’ve tipped over their water I take out anything wet. And after 4-5 days I take it all out and start with fresh. I’m probably using more than they need, but I really want them to have some fluff to nestle down in in case they get cold.

It works as long as you get in there and turn it yourself since ducks don't scratch around like chickens.
I shovel out the really wet mucky parts every few days.
Stir and turn about every other day in my run. When I add new I usually just rake the used stuff out of their house into the run and add the new in the house.

 

[corriemartin]

I've been doing deep litter with my ducks. I have about six inches of partially composted wood chips (like the kind that gets produced by tree trimming companies), and then have been adding pine shavings on top. I use a garden fork to fluff it up every couple days, and add more shavings when it starts getting stinky (which seems to happen every couple of weeks). It's over a foot deep now.

Once I put my night-waterer in a bigger catchment container, it stays pretty dry.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've used deep litter for years I love it. I go in daily scoop out the wet turn bedding and add new as needed. I do have chickens that help me turn.