for those that use deep litter method...please advise me

[ROCKIN R FARM]

Quote:
I do not see why you could not still do the deep litter method. Just make sure the area under the window gets shoveled out or just keep the shaving back away from the window were it leaks.

 

[Beekissed]

I'd get some exterior caulking and try to fix that....better to fix than try to adapt. If you have a lot of wet weather, you will constantly fight to keep your bedding dry and that is excessive type moisture, not the usual you would encounter with just chicken poop.

If it's just the old crank type windows that don't close all the way, I'd staple and tape plastic over that window for the winter or put up a temporary and better overhang on that side of the coop.

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

There is a link posted in post #2 by Featherz. The gentleman that has the blog did a really good article about deep litter method. I suggest everyone to go and read it. I did and learned a lot from his posts. I even learned some things new to me about the deep litter method. I was taking all the litter out when I was cleaning out the coop and he suggested not to take it all out but leave some behind and build off that one. Helps keep diseases down. There is a lot of great info on bis site. I spend the rest of the night reading around on his blog just from starting with the DLM.
Rockinrfarm
Deana

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

Quote:
Carol,
That is not my coop and run that belongs to another poster. I need to get some loaded up on the computer for all od
F you to see my coops. I like them for the summer, now I am not sure how they will work out for the winter lol. I will see if I can get them posted tomorrow
Dean

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
I agree. I never remove all of mine and I never remove any in my broody pen~ever. Every set of chicks gets a good dose of anything and everything my flock may have to offer. So far that has paid off very well for me.

 

[SaskCritters]

This is an excellent chain of posts - I've learned a lot.
My daughter and I started with 8 day olds back in June... just getting ready to lay now.
From the beginning we planned on the deep litter method, so I built our coop accordingly.

For our 20 birds - we have an 8x8 wood framed, insulated coop. The floor and bottom two feet of the walls are finished with pressure-treated plywood. I couldn't be bothered with linoleum etc.

Then we layered in spruce-fine-fir saw shavings (not sawdust) from a pallet plant down the road. ($10 for a 4'x'4'x5' bag)
The next boxes are about 30" off the floor, so the birds have the entire floor except for space taken by the waterer and feeder.
The bedding is now about 6" deep, no smells, no mess - clean & dry - it's fantastic!

I thought of putting 8" boards at the doors, but haven't got around to it - we just kick any litter out of the way as we walk in - and some falls into the coop - not the end of the world.

The only issue we're having is dust - from the feed perhaps? We need to heat in the winter, and dust buildup will be a fire hazard.
Will start misting the coop every now and then to see if that helps.

Have a great week!

 

[jeanmarie]

Oh dear, I don't know where we get the idea we have to clorox our chicken coops. We're so used to thinking of manure as icky and awful, but were were never shown how to use it responsibly and cleanly. I highly recommend deep litter, and I wouldn't even change it yearly. You only need to remove used bedding if your coop gets too full! Then only remove part, and add more fresh wood shavings, rice hulls or dried leaves, whatever you use (or a mixture). You chickens will be healthier because of the good microbes, which actually make important nutrients such as Vitamins B12 and K, which chickens take in when they scratch through the litter. Rake in new poops and fluff up the little daily, add fresh bedding as needed for absorption. If you smell it, you need more fresh better, more fresh air, or more stirring the litter, or all three. If your coop floor is not dirt, throw in a few handfuls of dirt (or active compost, if you have it), to get some good microbes in the mix. Best wishes!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

If deep litter is dusty, it's because it's too dry. Dust can be from the protective coating on the blood feathers, bits of litter, dry broken down manure, food that's gotten spilled or even powder that some people add to their coops. Having a minimal amount of moisture will keep the litter from being too dusty. Wet litter is stinky. You don't want it wet, but you don't want it bone dry, either.

Adult chickens don't need their coop heated in the winter, although they should have a draft free end of the coop to roost in. They also appreciate heated water that doesn't freeze over. Most people going into their first winter with chickens think they need to add heat, but they really do adapt and do fine without it. They still need at least some ventilation in the winter, too.

 

[darkmatter]

See my BYC page for pics of my setup of Deep Litter. I use a sub-ground level deep litter composting pit and only need to clean it out once a year when I want compost for my garden. Only an earthly smell, never ammonia in a properly managed compost pit.

 

[nancyjkelly]

Someone asked a question a few days ago about the possibility of an increase in mites. I have not found an answer and as a new chicken keeper I wonder that too. Does the deep litter method allow for an increase in external parasites?