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- #21
Trevorusn
Crowing
So if I understand correctly, you only replace the coop bedding 1-2 times a year using pine shavings, but basically leave the run alone? Basically the deep litter method, correct?? I am game for that, I just always thought it would stink though and lead to pests or whatnot, plus the wood shavings never seemed to dry once exposed to a good amount of precipitation. As for run size, they free range when we are home but I was planning on adding an addition as they get older, or getting an all new larger coop/ run built.Yeah, well. Most of that is hogwash.
PDZ absorbs ammonia, DE just does nothing much in most situations.
I would not recommend sand in your climate, it'll freeze solid in the winter.
Any moisture will 'feed' organisms, water is life, and in some places you want to keep things as dry as possible to keep the bad bugs from proliferating. Even if you squeegee, that wood and the ground under it will stay damp. Not good for chickens, and their 'odors'. Wet poops stink.
You'll need to think about the long term 'big picture', for now and over winter.
Those prefab 'dollhouse' coops can be very hard to maintain in a harsh climate.
Is there a larger run than what is under the coop/run combo shown?
What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture
-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
-Runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).
There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.