DeepLitterMethod with or without a droppings board?

[Carolyn252]

Hi. We're building our first run and coop. Need advice about whether or not to install a droppings board. I'd rather not have one. Don't want a droppings pit, either. For a small (four foot by four foot) coop, sitting directly on the earth floor, with only two hens, we're planning to use the deep litter method. I'd like to know if chicken-keepers with similar coops have been able to keep their coop odor-free without using a droppings board. I'm planning to use pine shavings and food-grade DE for the coop floor. Lots of ventilation. Will paint the four inch wide roosting perch with a DE solution before installing it. Also, how much space should we leave between the back wall and the roosting perch. That is, how much space does a standard size chicken need for its tail and hind end so she doesn't bump into the wall behind her?
Thanks!

 

[Me + Peeps]

I don't have a droppings board and their doing fine i would give maybe a foot of space for the roost depending on the breed

 

[Carolyn252]

Thanks!!

 

[PunkinPeep]

what is a droppings board?

 

[CityChook]

Quote:
I don't have a droppings board. I just stir up the shavings once a week (or when I think of it...) and add a bit of DE if it's humid out. I have 4 hens and no smell. In fact, non-chicken-folk always comment when they come over to see the girls that they didn't think it was possible to have chickens with no smell.

Now, you might have a bit of a challenge with a dirt floor, just because there's the opportunity for more moisture, but you could always use some DE or Stall Dry (cheaper) and you'll probably be fine.

I put my single roost about 16 inches away from the wall because I didn't want poo running down the wall - gross. I think 12-14 is probably common.

Good luck!

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
I don't have a droppings board. I just stir up the shavings once a week (or when I think of it...) and add a bit of DE if it's humid out. I have 4 hens and no smell. In fact, non-chicken-folk always comment when they come over to see the girls that they didn't think it was possible to have chickens with no smell.

Now, you might have a bit of a challenge with a dirt floor, just because there's the opportunity for more moisture, but you could always use some DE or Stall Dry (cheaper) and you'll probably be fine.

I put my single roost about 16 inches away from the wall because I didn't want poo running down the wall - gross. I think 12-14 is probably common.

Good luck!

How often do you have to actually clean out the shavings and such? I'm getting ready to start doing this when my new coop is built, but i need more details. Any tips?

 

[CityChook]

I clean out the shavings twice a year. Once in the Fall (late October) before the snow flies. Again in Spring (late April) once the snow starts melting.

Make your shavings 4-6 inches deep (I go deeper in winter for warmth) and sprinkle with DE for mite/fly control and smell management. I use a flour sifter to do this, but you could just toss handfuls, too.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
Right now i have just 3 chickens, but in the spring, we are hoping/planning to get more chicks, so eventually we would have 25-30 laying hens in our 8x8 coop.
I'm am trying to plan for how much i will need to spend on certain supplies. So i'm wondering how much or how often you use the d.e. And also, we meant to buy pine shavings but actually bought "large pine flakes." Is there any reason these aren't as good?

 

[CityChook]

no idea what pine flakes are.

I use the DE about once a month.

8x8 is not even close to enough space for 25-30 chickens. You will likely have major smell issues and probably some aggression problems. 4 sq ft per chicken is the minimum.

 

[Carolyn252]

Quote:
Beth/PunkinPeep, suggest you read this:

also read about the deep litter method:
[url=https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1560-DLM[/url]Hope that helps.[/url]