The deep litter method worked great...

[Camelot Farms]

until I started cleaning the pens yesterday....

It was a loooooong day.

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Yeah, I bet if your coop is big, it would take quite a bit of time. Mine is small.

I wanted to commit to the DLM, but ended up doing a modified version. I used DE, stirred things, added shavings, but frequently just shoveled out under the roosts. I need to use poop boards, and then I could really love DLM. The coops was so dry, and a bit warmer from the composting bedding.

What are you doing with all that bedding? Are you going to let it compost further in a pile somewhere?

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Just curious but...

How long had old litter been in the coop?
Size of coop?
How deep was the litter?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[Dixiedoodle]

This was my first winter w/ chickens and I used what I think is the 'dlm'. And I was wondering how long/big of a job it will be... So, I guess that has answered my questions! LOL

I have a cement floor and piled the shavings in there, adding a bucket or two whenever it started looking dark and broken down. It has been wonderful --no smells at all and no dirty eggs but I have used a poop board which I clean every morning and the shavings on the floor are dry.. MY plan was to clean out the run--which is allpoo, dirt and broken down shavings(looks very rich) and put that in the compost pile/garden and then move all the old shavings from the coop to the run and add all new shavings and DE to the coop.. Do you think that will work? That's been my plan from the start...

 

[cmom]

I use pine shavings and I sprinkle food grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE) on the shavings. Also my roosts in my coop are over wire which allows the poop through and I sprinkle the DE over the poop too. The pine shavings are on the floor in the rest of the coop. I have no problems with flies and such. My pine shavings stay nice and dry easy to clean out. I put them in my poop pit and rake out the poop pit every once in awhile. My coops are up off of the ground so I can rake out the poop pits under them. I put the shavings in my compost pile. which every once in awhile I give a toss to keep it mixed up with the other stuff that goes in. sprinkle with water and let it cook. My soil is low in acid so I think the pine shavings are good for my soil. I usually buy the pine shavings at my local feed store.

I also have shavings in my brooder coop.

 

[Wifezilla]

until I started cleaning the pens yesterday....

It was a loooooong day.

LOL

I spent yesterday cleaning the duck pen so I feel your pain

 

[ChickenToes]

I cleaned our duck coop last Tuesday. Not my favorite chore in the world, but it could have been worse. I think my problem with the DLM is that I don't add enough shavings. The litter is deep, but not as deep as it should be. You think I'd learn after a few years of doing this, but apparently not.

 

[AHappychick]

i guess I never put in enough litter to do the deep litter method. I clean everything out down to the floor every few months and replace with new. I compost the used stuff. The second I start to smell amonia at all its time for a cleaning. My main coop takes about 2-4 hours to clean depending on how easy it is to get my wheel barrow around, and the garage takes me all day or at least 5 hours to do all of the pens.

I cant wait to have a big farm. and bigger and better coops.

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
that is such a cool way to deal with the roosts I have a screened board but it does not go to a dirt floor like that, how SMART!!!

 

[vtchickenlady]

I use the DLM w/ hay or straw. When I clean the coop I usually have a 1 foot stack of hay under the roosts that are saturated w/ poop and pee. Does the DE make the pee drier? Sorry for the stupid question. I usually put baking soda on the wet boards and try to air dry before recovering with clean hay, which has been working ok - just wondering if I need to buy some DE.