More birds more mess | Managing Deep Litter

[MattH]

Cedar just doesn't want to decompose...it will likely be around when you and I are gone.    I've got cedar fence posts on my land that are over 50yrs old and show no decay whatsoever, even though they have been lying on the ground under other rotting lumber for many a long year. 

I'd put at least one vent right beneath your roosts at the floor level, about 4 in. off the floor and try to keep bedding away from that vent.  

I don't know how you'll manage DL well in a space like that with 11 birds...I've got 12 birds in my 10x12 coop and still had to jack up my coop this winter season to allow me more head room for when I build up my DL. 

That makes sense, because every farm I've ever been to has cedar fence posts that have been there forever! I used the 4sqft per bird rule when adding the last 6 birds.. I figured the lack of 4.5 sqft wouldn't matter too much, after today I think the extra room I had with only 6 birds was probably perfect. I doubled my run space for the 6 birds from 96 to 193 sqft. I read a lot about the run and it seems 10sqft was about right per bird... which should give me at least 83sqft extra. If DL just won't work, I will make a poop board and try to keep up with the waste better. Does this sound like the best option? Can I still continue the DL in the other area of the coop? I can cut another vent plate close to the floor in my pop door pictured to the left of my coop.

 

[Beekissed]

That makes sense, because every farm I've ever been to has cedar fence posts that have been there forever! I used the 4sqft per bird rule when adding the last 6 birds.. I figured the lack of 4.5 sqft wouldn't matter too much, after today I think the extra room I had with only 6 birds was probably perfect. I doubled my run space for the 6 birds from 96 to 193 sqft. I read a lot about the run and it seems 10sqft was about right per bird... which should give me at least 83sqft extra. If DL just won't work, I will make a poop board and try to keep up with the waste better. Does this sound like the best option? Can I still continue the DL in the other area of the coop? I can cut another vent plate close to the floor in my pop door pictured to the left of my coop.

That's not a bad idea and I wouldn't worry too much about building a deep litter in the coop, just a nice, dry layer of bedding in there and then dump it in the run when you go to refresh. The poop board is probably your best option. I would definitely pursue a composting deep litter in your run, though....you'll have happier, healthier chickens and cleaner coop and eggs from it.

 

[MattH]

Alright poop board it is.. thanks to everyone for all the great ideas and help. So about this DL run, how do I go about this? Where do I dump the droppings from the poop board, or do I spread them out?

 

[Beekissed]

Alright poop board it is.. thanks to everyone for all the great ideas and help. So about this DL run, how do I go about this? Where do I dump the droppings from the poop board, or do I spread them out?

I'd just scatter your droppings from the poop board. For the DL in the run, you'd want to place something at the bottom of your fence to contain the materials and then just start layering them in. The old bedding from your coop is a great place to start and can be added to in various ways throughout the year. I always advise people to try and mimic the forest floor if they can....leaves, green matter, twigs, pine cones, pine needles, bark, etc. You can even throw your kitchen scraps in there...what the chickens don't eat, they will bury...this will attract worms and bugs from under the soil into the DL, creating more foraging opportunities for your birds and loosening the soil under the run, allowing it to absorb rain better.

I use garden clean out(weeds, veggie plants and vines), corn stalks and shucks, wood chips, hay, straw, bark, etc.....just keep adding as you need more dry material in there and pretty soon you'll have a nice litter pack that will help keep your run smelling better, will help with fly control and will keep your birds healthier. I'd build it to a foot deep if you can and then maintain it. Keep the materials light and of varying particle sizes so the birds can move them around easily.

Just monitor it for smell and moisture levels and adjust accordingly. You may have to go in there and flip the top layer in the summer months to keep the poop turned in or the chickens may do it for you...they will especially do it for you if you are adding kitchen scraps and such to the DL.