Results from First Year with Deep Litter Method

[Beekissed]

Can anybody tell me how to keep the litter in the coop? Somehow it keeps disapearing. I mentioned it before that I had around 5-6 inches and then within two or three weeks I could see the wood floor. It's not getting kicked out of the coop so I'm thinking they are eating it? I just added another 3 inches of leaves that I got from my sister and I'm working on finding more. Also, unrelated, but my andalusian ate a downy feather. I'm worried about her getting a compacted crop or something.

DL, if it's any good, should always be diminishing over time. Just like when you put mulch on the garden and it seems to disappear. DL turns into soil/dust, depending on the moisture level. Just keep adding...but I'd go deeper than 3 in. I'd add 6-8 in. at a time, particularly if using leaves...they are dry and crumble down into nothing with all the tramping of the chickens.

Eating feathers is second nature to chickens...I wouldn't worry about it unless they are actively picking feathers off one another until they are balding...then it's an issue, possibly a dietary deficiency. Right now birds are in molt and it's not uncommon to see them picking stray feathers from one another and eating them...it won't cause a crop problem.

 

[sophiaw00]

DL, if it's any good, should always be diminishing over time. Just like when you put mulch on the garden and it seems to disappear. DL turns into soil/dust, depending on the moisture level. Just keep adding...but I'd go deeper than 3 in. I'd add 6-8 in. at a time, particularly if using leaves...they are dry and crumble down into nothing with all the tramping of the chickens.

Eating feathers is second nature to chickens...I wouldn't worry about it unless they are actively picking feathers off one another until they are balding...then it's an issue, possibly a dietary deficiency. Right now birds are in molt and it's not uncommon to see them picking stray feathers from one another and eating them...it won't cause a crop problem.

Thanks so much. I would have added more, but that was all the leaves I got at that time. I am going to go on the hunt for more but at this time of year they are mostly already burned up.

 

[Wonky Woods]

Just scored another 50 bags of leaves from my immediate neighbors. Exhausted just from walking back and forth collecting them. Some will go towards deep liter for the hens run and coop, others go in the huge raspberry patch, some to our woods, and the rest will go into the compost bins. I've already put about 30 bags into the organic garden and spread lots around the planter beds already. So far to date I've collected 169 bags and most of the leaves are down in my area except for the wooded areas her in my suburban neighborhood. Growing in deep liter has really improved our soil tremendously. My one neighbor mulches all her leaves with all her fancy gadgets she has and has a little over an acre of property that she cleans ever leaf out of. Those are the leaves that go directly into my garden. I've also talked to all my neighbors and they do not use any fertilizer or weed killer what so ever on there lawns. This is our first year with hens so should be interesting to see how the garden grows once poo is added in.

 

[Beekissed]

...for free leaves!!!!! What a tremendous leaf season you have had!!!! And to have that all in your neighborhood is a huge blessing indeed. You'll have enough leaves to use them for spring and summer bedding as well...can't beat that with a stick, can ya? I still wonder what I was thinking when I used to buy pine shavings for bedding, even as infrequent as I did, it was still too often when you think about all the free bedding currently going to the landfills all over the nation.

 

[FarmerPhronc]

DL, if it's any good, should always be diminishing over time. Just like when you put mulch on the garden and it seems to disappear. DL turns into soil/dust, depending on the moisture level. Just keep adding...but I'd go deeper than 3 in. I'd add 6-8 in. at a time, particularly if using leaves...they are dry and crumble down into nothing with all the tramping of the chickens.

Luckly, I have trees with leaves, that I use for throwing down in their run. Come spring I hope to build grazing boards and grow grass/greens in the area they have cultivated for me.

 

[lynnehd]

Luckly, I have trees with leaves, that I use for throwing down in their run. Come spring I hope to build grazing boards and grow grass/greens in the area they have cultivated for me.

Love my grazing beds.

 

[lynnehd]

Just scored another 50 bags of leaves from my immediate neighbors. Exhausted just from walking back and forth collecting them. Some will go towards deep liter for the hens run and coop, others go in the huge raspberry patch, some to our woods, and the rest will go into the compost bins. I've already put about 30 bags into the organic garden and spread lots around the planter beds already. So far to date I've collected 169 bags and most of the leaves are down in my area except for the wooded areas her in my suburban neighborhood. Growing in deep liter has really improved our soil tremendously. My one neighbor mulches all her leaves with all her fancy gadgets she has and has a little over an acre of property that she cleans ever leaf out of. Those are the leaves that go directly into my garden. I've also talked to all my neighbors and they do not use any fertilizer or weed killer what so ever on there lawns. This is our first year with hens so should be interesting to see how the garden grows once poo is added in.

I don't know what you consider a reward at the end of a good day's work, but I'd be having a glass of wine. In fact, I'll have one in your honor.

 

[Beekissed]

 

[amenfarm]

I need a bumper sticker: I brake for bagged leaves!
and lynnehd I had a glass of wine after getting the 15 bags of leaves in the car and trunk-they bearly fit!. Thanks heavens my husband got them out the next day, I was wet because it was raining! My daughter's in-laws were happy to get a dozen eggs for calling me instead of the city!

 

[Beekissed]

That's what I plan to do also...as soon as these new pullets start laying and I manage to keep the pup out of my coop, I plan to go back to the places where I got the biggest score on leaves and give them some eggs.