Deep litter....

[Sussex19]

So I've got slightly confused with deep litter systems; our coop is raised of the ground and has a wooden floor.
So far what I've been doing is putting a thin layer of wood shavings down, and then every couple of days adding another layer over the poop.
I don't turn it and neither do the chickens, so it just stays in the layers composting slightly until it gets cleaned out.
As I understand it this isn't typical deep litter as it doesn't get turned.
Is there any problem doing it this way?
It seems to work well for me, so unless there's any real problem with it I'll probably keep doing it.

 

[NatJ]

I'm not sure what to call it either, but it should work fine.

 

[Sussex19]

Thanks for the quick response, yes, thats sort of what I thought, but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

 

[NatJ]

Thanks for the quick response, yes, thats sort of what I thought, but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

The only thing I can think of is smell. If it stinks, that's a sign you need to change something (like more wood shavings or more often or something of the sort.)

But from what you've described, it sounds fine to me.

With the typical deep litter that does get turned by chickens scratching, they bury the droppings for you, so you don't have to add more as often. But it doesn't really matter who buries the droppings, you or the chickens, as long as it happens often enough to avoid bad smells, or a soggy mess, or any other problems.

 

[Sussex19]

The only thing I can think of is smell. If it stinks, that's a sign you need to change something (like more wood shavings or more often or something of the sort.)

It doesn't smell; or at least the only times it does is if I've been very busy and missed adding a layer, but even this is just chickeny, not bad smelling.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You have more of a deep bedding system. As long as it works for you and your flock, no reason to change it.

 

[Sussex19]

You have more of a deep bedding system. As long as it works for you and your flock, no reason to change it.

Thanks!
That's reassuring, that I'm not doing anything wrong!

 

[Happy hen lover]

That's basically what I do with mine. Used to stir it up with a little rake but didn't notice any difference. Now that hens are older almost 2 years old now.and they poop mostly while sleeping I do scoop up those under their roost once a week or so. My bedding lasted almost a year. I finally changed it out once I found out thier inside waterer had leaked and found bedding had got wet . I love this method and I have raised coop also.
I've now got a poop box/ catcher of sorts to catch the stuff they used to lay in a line under roosts.

 

[aart]

so it just stays in the layers composting slightly until it gets cleaned out.

It's not actually 'composting', it's just drying out.

 

[3KillerBs]

A dry system like that would be considered Deep Bedding, rather than Deep Litter, which is a moist, actively composting system.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/