Texas

[RachaelS]

I plan on using it. I've done a lot of reading on it and it seems like the way to go. Kind of like a big compost pile for them that you clean up every now and then. What I have read says once a year in the spring clean all but 2 inches of litter.

That would be great! Right now, I am still a little clean freakish, but if I can keep it going in the summer with the additional girls, then I am all game! Just amazing to see the diff in the soil beneath each time I clean.

 

[TammyTX]

Cedar chips are bad for chickens...??? I'll have to tell the chickens!! LOL

It's all I use outside and since I began using them I have had zero mites and NEVER had a problem in the years I've been using them. My coop is well ventilated.

I have read where cedar off-gases may be harmful to chicks but only if there is not enough ventilation. When I had the babies in the horse trough in the garage I used regular pine shavings because there was not a lot of ventilation inside the closed garage.

 

[gameandmore]

Do you guys use any type of bedding in your runs? Sand? Hay? Shavings?

 

[RachaelS]

Do you guys use any type of bedding in your runs? Sand? Hay? Shavings?

I think this is going to depend on you and what you want to deal with, each has theirs pros and cons. So far I like to use anything I can rake from the yard, but with winter stopping the grass growth, went to hay for a little bit.

 

[TammyTX]

I use cedar shavings and I have deep litter on my coop floor, but my roost hang outside the coop and their droppings fall to the ground (see the illustration above as an example). I have thought about doing layers of hay with the droppings, but I am a little afraid of it creating a very hot compost!

Because my chicken's poop mostly falls to the ground under the coop, I only have to clean out the deep litter 2 or 3 times a year. I change the nest boxes out every season or more if they get dirty....those shavings go onto the coop floor.

Rachael is right, there is very little odor...there is still a "chicken smell" but not that strong ammonia smell.

Some people use sand, pine needles or whatever they have on hand. Others prefer to sweep their coops out every couple of days. I say go with whatever suits your budget/time and is not harmful for the chickens.

 

[jajeanpierre]

That cracked me up about the amerucana cockerel haha!

I really want to get some now, it is just so hard to find adult ones... How do you think I would fare with getting chicks and putting them outside in a 4x2 cage with a heat lamp, inside the coop? Do you think it would be too cold for them?

You are asking the wrong person--I've only raised two groups of chicks. I'm buying one of the radiant heat brooders for my next bunch of chicks. I really hate heat lamps--temps vary a lot depending on the ambient temperature. If I were to get chicks now, I think I might just give them to the Silkies and see if they could raise them--but I'll have a brooder as back up.

If you are up near Dallas, there is a really super breeder near you in Gainseville. Paul and Angela Smith. They have excellent birds. He's the regional director for the Ameraucana Breeders Club. Go to the Ameraucana Breeders Club web site, click the breeders' link and it will list all the breeders and what they will ship (eggs, chicks, colors, sizes, etc.).

 

[gameandmore]

I think this is going to depend on you and what you want to deal with, each has theirs pros and cons. So far I like to use anything I can rake from the yard, but with winter stopping the grass growth, went to hay for a little bit.

I use cedar shavings and I have deep litter on my coop floor, but my roost hang outside the coop and their droppings fall to the ground (see the illustration above as an example).   I have thought about doing layers of hay with the droppings, but I am a little afraid of it creating a very hot compost! 

Because my chicken's poop mostly falls to the ground under the coop, I only have to clean out the deep litter 2 or 3 times a year.  I change the nest boxes out every season or more if they get dirty....those shavings go onto the coop floor. 

Rachael is right, there is very little odor...there is still a "chicken smell" but not that strong ammonia smell.

Some people use sand, pine needles or whatever they have on hand.  Others prefer to sweep their coops out every couple of days.  I say go with whatever suits your budget/time and is not harmful for the chickens.

Thank you so much for the advise, I will look more into the deep litter method.

 

[henless]

So does anyone else use the deep litter method? Since I have switched it has been night and day on the smell. Prior to using it the dirt in the coops got hard and smelt, had to clean out every weekend. Since, I switched, kind of by default with the boys that I was not sure I was going to keep anyway, no smell! I was using the "grass" clippings from the yard (all natural brush), but since it is winter have to buy hay. I LOVE it!!! You still have to clean it out, but not nearly as often. I know some think it may be a lazy way of doing things, but it works. Gives me more time to keep my kitchen clean (laundry done, floors swept, you know the places humans eat and sleep) LOL!!!

Anyone else? What are your thoughts?

I plan on using the deep litter method.

My coop/run will be dirt floor, so I'm hoping this will be the best way to go. I plan on using pine chips/leaves/grass or whatever I rake up. I've got about 10 bags of leaves raked up to use this summer and plan on raking up some more today.

 

[TammyTX]

I plan on using the deep litter method.

My coop/run will be dirt floor, so I'm hoping this will be the best way to go. I plan on using pine chips/leaves/grass or whatever I rake up. I've got about 10 bags of leaves raked up to use this summer and plan on raking up some more today.

My chickens LOVE to tear through leaves when I put them in the run. It's so much fun for them. You may have to replace leaves a little more often if using for deep litter because leaves tend to disintegrate quickly.

 

[Texasmja]

I am going to miss most of you on this thread but I see no reason to participate on BYC any longer. I will see most of you on FB. Thank you Walt for all of your help.

Melissa Ahlers
Lazy A Ranch