Using deep litter method.. But it still stinks!

[Gonzo]

Hmmm.. I wonder how the river sand method would do? Dawn on the farm uses it, and really likes it. I've been thinking about maybe trying that later on. I could have 2 big sifters out there, and me and the kids could try sifting the sand. I wonder how that would turn out? My main concern is the amonia smell, and it hurting my chickens..

 

[SC_Hugh]

gonzo&hispeeps :

Am I doing something wrong? I cleaned out the coop in the fall, put de on the floor, and 1 bag of the wood shavings down, with more DE. I add a bag of pine shavings every month, and add DE every 2 weeks. all this for 27 chickens (5 are bantams), in a 10x12 yard barn which I converted to a coop. And the amonia smell was bad today! Theres vents on both front and back for ventilation.. Am I doing something wrong? The litter was even wet! Could it be all the rain we've had? What should I do? I went out this morning, fluffed up alot of the litter and added alot of DE, mixed it in, and add more shavings.. Anybody have any ideas on what I'm doing wrong or need to do?

My DLM is working fine, it has been six months so far, litter is dry, smell is minimal and chickens are happy.

Questions:

1. What kind of floor do you have in your barn/coop? Mine is a painted wood floor and dry as a bone.

2. Do your chickens roost all in the same corner of the coop? Maybe dropping boards would help control the problem.

3. How deep is your litter? Mine is 6-8" deep, but I also clean out under the roosts every month or two to remove the top layer of dirty litter and then rake the older litter under the roost and then add the fresh shavings near the nest boxes. Clean entrance litter to the nest boxes and used litter under the roost bars.

4. If your litter is too wet and smelly, then it may be time to remove it and start over again. Some of us can go a whole year and some of us might have to change it out every 6 months. Obviously, your nose will tell you when to do it.

My chickens don't get wet, they have a completely covered run.

Hope this helps,

Hugh​

 

[Gonzo]

Just a plywood floor. The litter is about 8" deep. Do you think tiling the floor would help?

 

[SC_Hugh]

Plywood floor sounds OK, as long as it isn't retaining moisture. Dry to the touch?

Where is the coop most moist? Everywhere? under the roosts? near the windows? near the door?

I don't think your moisture problem is from the outside air, I live in a very moist mountain area (6+ inches of rain this week). Either the rain is blowing in or leaking in or your 27 chickens are doing their part.

Also, my coop also sits 8" up off the ground, so moisture can't come up through the ground.

Good luck,

Hugh

 

[Break an Egg]

Sweet pdz looks like sand, I'm not really sure what it's made out of, but I use it in my bunny cages, I get it at the feed store.

 

[Gonzo]

I'd say the entire floor is damp. I only sits a few inches off the ground.

 

[joebryant]

A 10-x12-foot area is much too small for 27 chickens unless you also have a very large run outside the barn for them to go to and or free range.

 

[pkeeler]

I have 2 vents at the top one faces north, the other south, and they're the size of what we'd have with our central heating and air in our homes. I have 2 windows, one faces east, and the other west, but they're closed off for the winter. I opened them half way for now. Since working out there this morning the smell seems to be gone, but I know it won't last.

This is completely inadequate ventilation. Open your windows, you are going to cause serious respiratory problems for your chickens. They won't be cold. You can see the difference cracking open the windows and working with the door open made. You can spread chemicals or minerals till you are blue in the face, you need more ventilation than a couple of roof vents.

Open the windows fully. When possible, add a large southern window. This will let in sunlight, which is important for DLM.​

 

[Huston's Happy Hens]

Hey Gonzo -we're in MI and had the same issues - ended up opening windows when the weather allows - taking some of the shavings out - adding PDZ + agricultural lime+ new shavings- turn morn/night....seems to be working now!

 

[Gonzo]

If I open the windows, do I keep them open when it gets below freezing? I have them closed now, and even have them a heater in there. (I've been keeping it around 50 degrees) They have our whole back yard to run in. This spring I'm putting up 5 more smaller coops to house 5 ~ 6 birds in each.