Losing my mind on coop/run conflicting info

[ChickenMamaC]

I currently have sand in my coop and have been experimenting with deep littler in my run.
All based on advice I’ve received here, I should mention.

I have alfalfa hay and pine pellets to “start” my deep litter. I know many people say NOT to do deep litter in the run, but my plain dirt run was needing to be scooped daily and I had a ton of flies.

Anyway, you read once source and sand is gospel. Another says it will give them an impacted crop. Same goes for hay. And straw. I don’t know how you are supposed to balance your chickens’ health and your sanity (as in run cleaning every dang day...)

So, if you do deep litter IN YOUR RUN, what materials do you use? If you don’t, how on earth do you keep it clean?
If you use sand in your coop, has it been negative to your birds’ health in any way?

We ave also had an extra rainy summer so I have been dealing with a wet run regularly. It’s all crazy-making.

 

[nminusyplusm]

I do deep litter in both coop and run. I think most people say you shouldn't do it in the coop because deep litter isn't and shouldn't be dry, but you can do both providing your coop's floor is deep enough and sealed well.

You did right by adding stuff to your run. It will prevent fly problems and make your life much easier.

I use straw (sometimes hay) as my main add in because that's what's available where I am. I have never had a bird with an impacted crop.

If I had access to free wood chips I'd add that (after they've properly aged). I also add twigs, leaves, pine needles, kitchen scraps, yard waste and whatever else I can find. You want to make sure you have a mix of different sizes so it doesn't compact and get matted which would create a stinky anaerobic mess. The good microbes and bugs need air pockets to do their work.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I will start with my country home. (I am in the city now)
We lived on sand. It was sand EVERYWHERE. I never had an issue with sick birds from it. EVER. I did deep litter in the coop and that sand was the run.

Here in town we are on clay. Heavy, slippery horrible clay.
My in town coop has a wood floor that is painted with porch and floor paint. I use wood shavings in there and clean out every 2 to 3 weeks.
The run is deep litter. I add grass clippings, leaves, twigs, veggies from the garden (keeps them digging) and straw if I don't have enough other litter.
No flies, no stink either.
I clean it out in the spring and turn the soil. What I take out heads to the compost pile to finish off then the garden the following spring.

I assume it doesn't rain a ton where you are either.

It works well for us with our sparse rain.

 

[ChickenMamaC]

I will start with my country home. (I am in the city now)
We lived on sand. It was sand EVERYWHERE. I never had an issue with sick birds from it. EVER. I did deep litter in the coop and that sand was the run.

Here in town we are on clay. Heavy, slippery horrible clay.
My in town coop has a wood floor that is painted with porch and floor paint. I use wood shavings in there and clean out every 2 to 3 weeks.
The run is deep litter. I add grass clippings, leaves, twigs, veggies from the garden (keeps them digging) and straw if I don't have enough other litter.
No flies, no stink either.
I clean it out in the spring and turn the soil. What I take out heads to the compost pile to finish off then the garden the following spring.

I assume it doesn't rain a ton where you are either.

It works well for us with our sparse rain.

Normally we are in fairly severe drought but this summer it has rained almost every day for two month. I'm sure that's adding to my frustration!!

 

[PirateGirl]

I don't do deep litter because I feel I have nothing to add to it. There are no trees on our property, so no leaves. We do not mow our lawn, we let it grow to be a field of wildflowers, so no grass clippings. When I weed the garden I throw everything into the run, but that's really like a 2-3 times a year thing because there aren't many weeds in the raised beds. I just leave the run as dirt. Part of it is covered and part is not. I think whether or not this works for you depends on 2 things, how many chickens vs how many square feet your run is and the type of soil you have. It doesn't stink. I don't scoop poop. I don't ever "clean" the run. Sometimes the soil gets compacted and hard, and then periodically I take a pick to it and break it up (maybe once a month at most), and this allows air in as well as makes it so the chicken waste doesn't just sit on top but can get mixed in and compost properly. The chickens love when I do this and scratch around even more because it also unearths bugs and worms that they could not get at before. Your run and your waste management does not have to be high maintenance. It may just take some trial and error to see what works for you. If you have material to add to deep litter, try it, worst case, it doesn't work and you shovel it into a trash bag and dispose of it.

 

[nminusyplusm]

Normally we are in fairly severe drought but this summer it has rained almost every day for two month. I'm sure that's adding to my frustration!!

I feel your pain, fellow New Mexican! It's the rainy season right now down state...

Deep litter is great for absorbing the torrents of water that get dumped here but it's also excellent at keeping the dust down during the rest of the year.

 

[21hens-incharge]

How big is your run and your coop? How many birds?

If you need to get them up out of wet soil try laying a pallet in the run or a couple saw horses with some plywood screwed to the top.

 

[adrikeen]

I have tried several methods and a lot depends on your surrounding area and what the seasons have now evolved into. I wound up sticking with deep litter. I use hay during summer and winter and add in grass and leaves during fall and spring. I have not had any issues. I rake once a week and turn over the litter. I usually change out the litter each season.

 

[nminusyplusm]

I also want to add that when I first started there was almost zero vegetation in my yard, just desert sand and caliche. I had nothing but straw and a few pine needles in the run. It did take a while to get going and in the begining I turned it to keep it from getting compacted. But I started a garden and that gave me more material to work with. And then after that, when I saw how well it was working, I planted seeds (threw BOSS around empty patches, lol) just so I'd have more forage and organic matter for the DL.

 

[PirateGirl]

I also want to add that when I first started there was almost zero vegetation in my yard, just desert sand and caliche. I had nothing but straw and a few pine needles in the run. It did take a while to get going and in the begining I turned it to keep it from getting compacted. But I started a garden and that gave me more material to work with. And then after that, when I saw how well it was working, I planted seeds (threw BOSS around empty patches, lol) just so I'd have more forage and organic matter for the DL.

This is good to know! I'm in southern CO which is much like northern NM in terms of things that do and don't grow as well as soil and weather. (I can't believe today's rain that came out of the south!) I like to throw what I can in the run. Perhaps I will work harder on building up something and see how it goes.