Is nothing OK?

[BoltonChicken]

I was at the local farm store and asked them about the deep litter method and they said they had never heard of it.

Which goes to show how much some of these "farm store" clerks know.

only dirty, lazy people would do that and that's where alot of diseases come from.

Completely untrue. If you use a dirt or sand base and overlay it with pine shavings the chickens will scratch the dirt around and the pine shavings will wick off the moisture. Rake and add pine shavings as needed. The old pine shavings will compost. If you are worried about disease add some DE to the litter.

I personally would not use linoleum only. There needs to be something that will wick away the moisture.​

 

[mdbokc]

A linoleum only floor would likely be like my poop boards that are scrapped each day. My floor with pine shavings (not fine, coarse or medium) stays much cleaner than the poop boards. Agree with another poster about the possibility of injury due to poor traction with the up and down action. Plus mine love to peck thru the shavings checking things out. As it is, I only change the floor pine shavings once a year since most poop is on the boards. It is not the deep litter method, just a layer a couple of inches thick. I add a bale of shavings after 6 months which adds another inch of shavings or so.

 

[kansasgirlinutah]

Quote:
That was my thoughts exactly.

 

[CindyG]

Thru the summer I usually clean the shavings out every couple of weeks but in winter I just keep adding to as the deep litter is an insulator from the cold floor. Also, when I put the new shavings in I just put a big pile in the middle of the coop and boy, do the chickens love to roll around in that till it's all spread nicely. They practically bury themselves, it's fun to watch.

 

[Denninmi]

Quote:
I'm sorry, but if the employees or management of a "farm store" haven't heard of something as fundamental as the "deep litter method" which has been a very common and widely acclaimed method of poultry management for small scale producers for a number of years, they can't be very knowledgeable about poultry in general.

Reminds me of when I go into Home Depot and ask the person for a specific type of hardware or plumbing fitting or whatever and they give me the "deer in the headlights" stare because they don't have a clue what I'm asking for.

Here's an interesting little article about the Deep Litter Method:

http://www.plamondon.com/faq_deep_litter.html

 

[TouchO'Lass]

Quote:
Concur! To know nothing about a practice, then dismiss it out of hand, without experience, AND judge and disrespect people and a process they know nothing about?
VERY unprofessional. I'd love to be there when you tell them...

Most organisms need the triangle to survive: Warmth, darkness, moisture. Remove the moisture immediately and a wee-beastie has far less chance of multiplying/surviving.

I would also want something on the lino for the reasons already stated: First; to keep my girls from hurting their feets on possibly slippery flooring, and Second; to wick away moisture.

Not to mention what seems to be a passion with mine, kicking around shavings!

 

[kansasgirlinutah]

Wow, excellent article Denninmi. I would love to print it out and take it over to that farm store, just to give them some good information on the subject and maybe educate them some. You all are awesome people and I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience on BYC. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generous attitudes and helpful spirits.