DLM in run

[ChirpyChicks1]

Can I see pictures of your chicken run if you use the deep litter method?

I hate my chicken run, it’s fairy small, maybe 6ftx12ft. Worst part, it’s gravel. It’s gross, it’s dirty, and I hate seeming my birds constantly walking on those dang rocks. Buying sand is not an option plus it’s sloped so when we get rain the sand disappears.

I’m seeing comments on here about DLM in the run which I find interesting but I need more information

 

[1muttsfan]

One of my friends on another thread said that they use wood chips in their run. The kind that come from chipping trees, not the shavings you buy in the bag. She says that they have to be aged first and not fresh, I have a huge stack of fresh chips that I am going to try and my run later this year. I'll see if I can find some information maybe she'll come and post.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You could build up the sides & add on top of the gravel (drainage) whatever you decide to use for "litter". I use shavings cause no lumber mills in Hawaii and it works for me. Learned about DLM after building my Enclosure, so we added more 2x4 on top of the footings to build up the sides ... Love it! I just keep adding shavings as needed, got hard clay ground that they are slowly loosening up.

 

[MROO]

One of my friends on another thread said that they use wood chips in their run. The kind that come from chipping trees, not the shavings you buy in the bag. She says that they have to be aged first and not fresh, I have a huge stack of fresh chips that I am going to try and my run later this year. I'll see if I can find some information maybe she'll come and post.

If you've got pine trees around, the dead needles under the trees make awesome run litter. They're full of seeds and bugs and other little chicken treats, they compost on their own ... and they're FREE!

 

[nminusyplusm]

I use mostly straw and hay because there aren't many trees where I am so no free wood chips. Mixed in are pine needles, leaves, twigs and garden waste from my property:

I dug down and made a foundation out of cement blocks so it's below grade. I wanted to collect as much rain as possible since I'm in the desert. But I still have to add water to keep the compost cooking.

I love DLM so much. It's so easy, it just takes care of itself. There's no way I could have had chickens without it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here's mine, though it's mostly wood chips in the chick area right now. A little bit of grass clippings too but those are mostly decomposing. The area the adults are in just got an influx of dried leaves and more wood chips. Everything I put in the litter comes from my lot, that way it's free plus I can guarantee that nothing's been treated with chemicals of any sort.

This photo was taken a day after a heavy rain fall... you can't even tell since it drained through. The area outside got all boggy.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@ChirpyChicks1
I highly recommend using wood chips. A deep litter in the run with wood chips makes a very healthy soil and eliminates the compacted, unhealthy slime that you see in many runs when it rains. The rain water just soaks right in.

When I first started with chickens, the run had grass, of course. I let them use that until it had been pretty much destroyed. Then I started putting in wood chips. I had some trees cut down and had asked the tree guys to leave me piles of wood chips. A key here is that the chips must be left to cure - you don't want to put green, fresh wood chips down for them.

My wood chips had sat at least 8 months before I used them. One thing I look for is life in the wood chips. These were full or red worms by the time I started using them in the run.

Then I'd just bring over a wheelbarrow full and dump it in a pile. They love digging through them and will do the spreading while entertaining themselves.

So...if you don't have any wood chips now, what can you do? Contact tree services in your area and ask them if they would dump some on your property for you when they're working in your area. Keep calling around until you find someone that will do it for free. That saves them hauling them to their home base or having to dispose of them some other way. Be sure they know you don't want chips from areas that have been sprayed for anything. And that you only want chips from trees that aren't poisonous to animals (no yews, for example). Regular hard woods and pine are okay. Then have them leave you a pile and let it set until you see worm activity or 3-8 months before using in the run.

In addition to the wood chips, I use wood SHAVINGS inside the coop. When I clean out the coop, the used shavings go right into the run. You can start doing that now. Note, however, if you're using the fine shavings and you haven't been able to start using CHIPS yet, the shavings tend to mat down in the rain. They don't do that when you're using chips too, but just wanted to give a heads-up.

Benefits of the chips are huge. The ground under them stays healthy and will be full of worms. I'd often go out and turn some up and the birds would go nuts digging through for worms. The soil is soft and easy to dig.

One season, a couple of my daughters came over, and we dug down under the chips and they took some loads of the dirt over for their gardens. One was starting a raised bed and that was the dirt she used. That dirt smells amazingly healthy. And it looks great as well. That run was about 10x20. We dug out quite a bit (2 pickup truck loads) and when done, the birds spread it all around again and it didn't even look like anything was gone.

Here are a few photos. Keep in mind that this will work for a small run too, and is probably even more important for your bird's health in a small situation. The dirt below will be alive and healthy.

This photo was when we were first establishing the wood chips in the run. You can see in the back right corner there is still grass. I had just put in a pile and they were spreading.

This photo was after it had been fully chipped for awhile. I just keep dumping more in every now and then and let them do the work. Also put out all the shavings from inside in a big pile. They love digging through it.

Poor Mister. All those girls and he's stuck over there.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

Wow!! Great information, thanks so much everyone

 

[aart]

I have a large walk in run and never 'clean' poops from the run,
and there is rarely any nasty odors. The bedding of a good mix of dry plant materials use facilitates this nicely, it's basically no maintenance other than adding more material from time to time. I was able to start with a big load of tree trimmings from the power company that had been aged(6 months) so I avoided the toxic molds that can bloom with fresh chippings. I collect dry leaves in the fall (stored in feed bags in a shed) and add them occasionally, and other garden trimmings. I let my grass grow tall, mow and spread it out with discharge pattern, leave it to dry a few day, then push it into rows with the mower discharge, rake it up and add to run.
I have a slight slope so stuff migrates downhill, so when adding new materials I mostly put it uphill.

 

[1muttsfan]

Thanks to Leahs Mom