Too Much Run Flooring

[ambe0487]

I'm getting close to my second year in this current run/coop set up. I started with a coop of sand and then this last winter did the Deep Litter method. Once it was time to clean everything out of the coop, I scooped it out into the run.

We are through our first wet season since the last DLM coop cleaning and the run is turned in areas through out the week to help things break down.

My question is in the 2 years I've gained 3-4 inches of bedding (broken down to a dirt mash) on top of my river rock base used for drainage. Should I remove this "dirt gold" and start fresh or let it continue to breakdown? I'm afraid they will end up with too much debris in the run to break down.

 

[aart]

If it's broken down into 'dirt'....you might harvest some as compost for your garden.
And/or add some larger, slower decomposing dry plant material that will continue to 'process' the poops.

What ingredients did you use for your DLM?

 

[ambe0487]

@aart I don't have a garden actually or I totally would. I keep adding branches that we've cut off trees for added greenery, cover, seperation, as well as brown goods for the breaking down. I added my neighbors hops vines after he cultivated them last fall. I also cut down vies growing on my lilac bush on the opposite side of the Chicken fence this weekend for them to much.

Would you recommend anything additional to help it breakdown?

For my DLM this year I used dried leaves, pine pellets, dried prairie grass, pine shavings, stump grinding reminants with a sand bottom.