Is the Deep Liter Method difficult to accomplish?

[Messipaw]

I've read so many good things and post about the DLM. I would love to try it in our coop. Currently in our coop I have a mix of compost, pine shavings, leaves, PDZ and DE on the floor. The coop has a raised wood floor that my husband covered with a floor from home Depot. Our run is a running compost pile. It's a mix of everything-and I mean everything. It has leaves both dry and fresh, sand, DE, PDZ, pine needles, hay, wood shavings, grass clippings and food for them. I throw everything in there for my girls to work thru. My coop never really smells but that's because I over use the DE and PDZ. I'm so afraid of the creepy crawlers in my yard! Is it too late to try the DLM?

 

[Messipaw]

 

[LakeMomNY]

It sounds like you have a good start.

I would stop using the sand, DE and PDZ (though PDZ won't hurt the deep litter or compost.)

Just start with whatever you have in the coop now and add bedding as needed. The leaves, pine needles, hay, wood shavings etc you are already using are perfect. When the litter gets too deep for the coop to accommodate pull 1/4 of it into your run where it can finish composting with everything else and add some fresh material to the coop. If you have experience composting in the run you will get a good feel quickly if how much and how often you need to add or remove bedding. Just never remove all of it. And, if you do have an "ammonia emergency" PDZ won't hurt the process or the final compost, it's fine to toss some in.

You're practically doing deep litter already.

 

[LakeMomNY]

Love your yard and set up. Very pretty!

 

[Spitzboyz]

It sounds like you have a good start.

I would stop using the sand, DE and PDZ (though PDZ won't hurt the deep litter or compost.)

Just start with whatever you have in the coop now and add bedding as needed. The leaves, pine needles, hay, wood shavings etc you are already using are perfect. When the litter gets too deep for the coop to accommodate pull 1/4 of it into your run where it can finish composting with everything else and add some fresh material to the coop. If you have experience composting in the run you will get a good feel quickly if how much and how often you need to add or remove bedding. Just never remove all of it. And, if you do have an "ammonia emergency" PDZ won't hurt the process or the final compost, it's fine to toss some in.

You're practically doing deep litter already.

I agree with her post! You are pretty much are doing deep litter right now. Make sure it is atleast 6 inches deep. Just compost it and your good.!