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

[Chickenaddict]

I turn the pine shavings over once a week adding de and fresh shavings to the mix.

 

[briana1975]

I use a pitch fork and turn it every 2 or 3 days, sometimes every other day. Keeps it pretty dry.

 

[sonew123]

I have a 8 x 8 coop and a 20 x 20ish coop the big coop I go in with my mud kickers and walk through it for 10 minutes stiring every bit up and shovel out wet spots and add new shavings and DE all the time. It gets alot of circulation with the fan and with 35 chickens in there youd think they would churn it up when treats are thrown on it-but nope! I do it for them...

 

[kindir]

I have an 8 x 8 coop with 9 chickens in it and I stir it up about every 3 days or so. I also add new shavings about once every two weeks or if the odor starts building up. I do a complete change 2 - 3 times a year. My other coops are not really set up for deep litter method but I wish they were. I'll be re-doing my smaller coops this spring!

 

[Kismet]

I also throw scratch in the litter so the hens will churn it up. I add new shavings on top when they don't fluff up anymore - every three weeks or so. One of the advantages of the deep litter method that I see is that it provides insulation from the cold. On the coldest nights I have noticed that a few of Ameracaunas roost on the floor where it is warmer. I will clean it out in the spring when everything thaws out.

 

[Green Ridge MO]

I use clover hay and keep layering until spring when it all comes out on the garden. The hens love to pick through the fresh hay and eventually mat it down and I just add another layer. Usually in the spring, it comes up in crusty sheets that are partially decomposed. My hens are not that interested in grains as they have it available all times as well as layer pellets. The hens have definitely spent a lot more time in the coop with snow on the ground the last 20 some days.

 

[patandchickens]

There is no "the" deep litter method, and really no "should" -- you just have to find out what works best for your particular situation. Experiment.

If areas are getting packed and matted, you either need to remove those bits, or stir them in more frequently, or do things to encourage the *chickens* to stir them in more frequently e.g. scatter scratch or sunflower seeds.

Really, there are about as many different ways to manage litter (deep or otherwise) as there are people, and no one-size-fits-all... try different things and see what ends up working best for you

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[txchickie]

I stir it once every 3 days or so and add more DE at the same time, but just under the roost where it is particularly poopy

 

[Mountain Sunshine]

When you are turning your shavings and maybe adding more shavings how much DE are you adding each time?

 

[ange]

On my liter method, which is shavings woor, hardwood. I notice the chickens nhave poop in there, how is that> Are they just going in there to poop, they are not laying.