Small coup and run with deep litter method

[Tracielacy]

Hi there, I have a very small coop and run that is much smaller than I thought it would be. I'm a new chicken mom with 4 week old orpingtons. I will have 3-4 chickens total. I am anticipating doing the deep litter method in both coop and run in texas with this coop. I have modified the inside of coop building up walls for deep litter. Will dlm work in my coop and run? I am in a small urban backyard with close neighbors so its very important that it doesnt smell. Below are pics of coop and run before I modified to make the walls deeper in the coop for dlm.

?

 

[DobieLover]

It is unlikely to work.
You should modify that setup to be the coop and then attach a proper sized run for the flock. You could attempt deep litter in the run but the coop will need to be cleaned regularly. And in your climate, it will be in desperate need of a LOT more ventilation.

 

[MadGardener]

I attempted DLM in my prefab coop this fall. The wood is so thin I was afraid plywood would be too heavy to add walls. The chickens thought the plastic I used for walls was delicious. Shavings (and poo -.-) got stuck between the wire and walls.

I second modifying the coop to have a larger sheltered area. I recommend not having wire on the inside of the walls. In Texas, you would do well with walls on the windward side only for added ventilation.

Your coop is similarly sized to the prefab I'm using. It's really too small for 4 chickens, but they can fit for night time only. If you have a very large run and the ability to let them outside sunrise to sunset it really helps. It's best to have extra room, and a plan B.

 

[rosemarythyme]

DLM requires a certain amount of volume to work, which you won't be able to fit in that run space. The coop is impossible for a DLM set up as it needs moisture as well.

I agree with DobieLover, best thing to do here is to convert this entire unit into a coop, and then add a much larger run in which you could use deep litter in. To turn it from 2 small "boxes" (tiny coop above tiny run) into 1 bigger "box" you'll want to remove as much of the inside coop wall as possible, plus the floor. Take out the old roosts too.

Nests might be able to stay as is, or may need to be relocated elsewhere or replaced - depends on the structure of the coop and how things inside stack up once done.

Run a new roost(s) lengthwise or widthwise across the newly open space, depending on how much roost is needed. Ideally you’d like 12” per bird but 10” can suffice in many cases.

Board up some of the external wire walls so that the roost area is protected from winds and rain. Do NOT fully cover up all the wire, you need ventilation and natural light, so at the very least a few inches under the roofline should remain open. If your climate allows for it, you can leave entire walls open with just the mesh, or make it convertible for the season by covering up open walls for winter, and then uncovering for summer.

Example of a modified prefab: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-renovated-prefab-coop.1440258/

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. You've gotten good advice about modifications to your prefab.

Here is my article on Deep Bedding: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

 

[gtaus]

Welcome to the forum! I think you have a very nice setup for the size of flock you expect to keep. Asking questions on how to improve your system is a great way to start off. Whatever advise you decide to use, just remember that it is your decision and you just want to find a way that works best for you and your flock.

Here are a few of my thoughts for your consideration.

Hi there, I have a very small coop and run that is much smaller than I thought it would be. I'm a new chicken mom with 4 week old orpingtons. I will have 3-4 chickens total. I am anticipating doing the deep litter method in both coop and run in texas with this coop. I have modified the inside of coop building up walls for deep litter.

I think you have a realistic flock size in mind. Many of us recommend 4 square feet per bird in the coop. I think you are on target there.

When I first started getting into having a backyard flock of laying hens, I always confused the concepts of (dry) deep bedding and (active composting) deep litter methods.

When I use the term deep bedding, I am talking about inches of litter material in the coop that is mostly dry, I do not add water or let rain water inside the coop, and the litter mostly stays dry as long as it is in the coop. I have used many litter materials, mostly wood chips, but last winter I used paper shreds in the coop and that worked out great for me.

When I use the term deep litter, I am referring to an active composting system which is moist and usually has direct contact to the ground. This allows worms and other organisms to work their magic in the litter, breaking it down, and turning it into great compost.

The modifications you made inside the coop by building up along the walls will serve you well with the deep bedding method.

Will dlm work in my coop and run?

I would suggest using dry deep bedding in the coop, but an active deep litter method would work fine in the run. I see your chicken run is covered, which may be a good thing your Texas sun, but to get things actively composting in the chicken run deep litter you will have to water the litter down to keep it moist. Compared to a compost bin where the material is piled 3 feet high, your chicken run litter at 6 inches or so will not compost as fast. It will compost over time due to the chickens scratching and pecking, constantly breaking down the material.

I am in a small urban backyard with close neighbors so its very important that it doesnt smell. Below are pics of coop and run before I modified to make the walls deeper in the coop for dlm.

A properly balanced chicken run compost system - deep litter - should not smell. In my chicken run, I dump all my spent coop deep bedding, grass clippings, wood chips, leaves, and just about anything else organic I can find like weeds from the lawn and garden. I suggest putting litter material in layers, like a lasagna garden, so you don't end up with too many greens in one place. The chickens will help as they will be constantly scratching and pecking in the litter, turning it over all the time.

IF your chicken run deep litter ever does smell, something is off balance, but usually is easily fixed by adding more wood chips, leaves, or other types of carbon source material. In that case, you might want to turn the litter over and mix it up yourself with a pitchfork just to knock down the smell and get everything back in balance. My chicken run compost system smells like the forest floor, is dry on top, but moist a few inches down where it is full of life - bugs and worms that the chickens love to eat.

In summary, I think you have a great setup for your 3-4 sized flock. I recommend using dry deep bedding in the coop, but you could create an active composting deep litter system in the run if you add water as need due to the covered overhead to keep your chickens out of the rain.