How often do you turn over the coop bedding with Deep Litter Method?

[Germaine_11.20]

I am using the deep litter method and am wondering how often it should be turned or Fluffed up? The big coop is 12 x 20 and when I went in today and was cleaning I noticed that in some spots it is really matted down.
So I turned it all over. Yuk. How often should I be turning it to prevent the mat down? It is at least 6" deep in there.

 

[farmin'chick]

I throw scratch wherever I want them to rake it up -- they do it themselves.

 

[Tala]

Uh, well I have mostly sawdust (fluffed out pine pellets) and I do find that it packs down fast, but it still works great so I looooove it! Anyway, I fluff it with a garden rake on my days off whenever the weather's nice.

Translation: about once a week, whenever it's convenient for me!

If I miss a week it's not a big deal. The chickens do scratch it up some themselves, and sometimes they dustbath in it, so it gets some raking even if the weather is too cold for me. Sometimes I do like Farmin' Chick and throw some BOSS in there to encourage them to help me out.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Hmmm Well, I guess I better pay more attention.

Tala, I wish mine liked the BOSS but only some of them do. I sprinkle the coop with DE but I get worrried that the dust could hurt them. I know it's food grade but I still wonder.

I wish we could get stall dry out here. No one carries it and when I called the company they said they don't ship it out here either.

Farmin chick--doesn't the scratch get lost in the deep litter?

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Mine were slow to catch on, but eventually they did. They were even slower to catch on to corn, but now they gobble it up.
My younger birds followed the adult's example, so now they all greedily gobble up almost anything I put out! lol

I bet if you kept trying they would eventually catch on

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I will keep trying because I have a 40 lb bag of it LOL The Marans love it though. I finally tried putting it in an empty feeder while they were hungry. I had a few going for it.

 

[kathyinmo]

I have the same problem here ... nobody likes the BOSS.

About the Deep Litter Method ... I add new pine shavings and DE every week. I also remove some that I think are too packed down or yukky.

I dunno the correct way ... but I think I am just suppose to stir it all up.

But, it drives me crazy if I see a clump or matted down area! I know one thing ..... I spend way too much money on pine shavings! I use tons of it, I swear!

 

[PandoraTaylor]

I rake it weekly, and toss scratch onto & into it. I use DE and hay also. so about once a month I remove any/all that is too packed or looks too dirty. and start fresh, I change the bedding around the water alot, as it seems it get wet often; either from my spilling when I fill or them dripping from the waddles.

 

[Uzuri]

I try to do it once a week to turn any damp spots out, but boy did it freeze solid in the cold we had recently. Finally was able to turn it this weekend, and I think I'll turn it every chance I get this week to try and air it out.

 

[Sissy]

I used the wood shavings and never remove any except in
in Sept.. and then In April when the coops get cleaned out.
I just add a little here and there I use stall dry. and toss a few handfulls
every now and then, have no odor but I also add some lime every
other month. or so. not much it goes a long way.
toss in a few handfulls of scratch, and they do the work for you.
I have 13 in the one coop and 7 in the other.6 in an other and 9 in another
but come April the 2 of the coops get wood floors easier to keep clean.
installed over 2x4s or bricks, dirt floors dont do it for me.
but they all have dirt runs.