Moist pine shavings

[All about the EGG]

I have a 4x4 Lowes my Little Playhouse for five hens. Some of you may remember these early in the year. Well, I have no heat, lights or anything. The coop is watertight, but the pine shavings are damp. When it was -25, the shavings were froze up pretty good.

I have about six inches in there, trying to do the deep litter method. The coop does not have a bad ammonia smell, or a rotten wet smell. I did dig down to the floor and it was damp. All the birds seem fine, they eat well and talk a lot when I am out there. One does have the squirts though. I might do a 100% change this weekend to see what happens.

Any thoughts?

 

[scooter147]

If I were you I would do a complete change.
Do you have proper venilation?
Did they spill the water?

 

[All about the EGG]

Ventilation is adequate, very small dog water bowl, have not seen it spilled yet.

 

[scooter147]

Is the coop elevated? If not you may want to elevate so air circulates under the coop, it maybe a condensation problem being transfered from the ground.

 

[All about the EGG]

Its about a foot above the ground, on blocks. Possibly the deep snow may cause a problem?

 

[scooter147]

I was running out of solutions, but you may have hit the nail on the head. If there is no air circulating under the coop and with the snow piled up that could easily be why you are having a condensation problem.

 

[xke4]

I could be wrong, but I thought in order for the deep litter method to work, you had to start with a dirt floor.

 

[beakkeeper]

Quote:
I think so too...

The point of that method is for the litter to begin decomposing and compacting, so a dirt floor would be ideal.

 

[lovemychicns]

I had the same problem. Use Stall Dry it will help alot. Link below. http://www.absorbentproductsltd.com/agricultural.htm

 

[WoodlandWoman]

What do you have for ventilation openings in this coop? Did it come with any or did you add any? I read your other thread, where you mentioned a problem with frost on the walls and even on the chicken's backs. I'd say you definitely have a moisture problem. I would look at the issue of ventilation, first, for this problem.

You have a little higher density of chickens in your coop and if they're spending more time in the coop because of snow or colder temperatures, that puts even more moisture into the coop. Part of it is from their poop and part of it is from the moisture in their breath, when they exhale. The water in their bowl also evaporates a little.