What is deep litter?

[FC16]

Currently I have a very small flock (6 chickens) in my garden who roam free in a fairly big garden. To keep on top of the poop each day I just use the hose and it disappears. We are planning on moving the chickens to the back part of the garden where currently there is a shed.

The coop would go here where the shed is (the coop is smaller than the shed as we don’t have many chickens)
I will be putting a fence up around where the grey decking is in the bottom right of the picture, and from here to the back will be for chickens.
My question is, once I’ve hacked down all the branches and nettles a bit, and levelled it out slightly. What will be the best thing to put on the floor? It’s all just soil back there and I feel that will be boring for the chickens. Should I use sand or something?
I’ve heard people use a ‘deep litter’ method, what is this? Do you just let everything sort of build up?

 

[theoldchick]

https://the-chicken-chick.com/the-deep-litter-method-of-waste/

 

[aart]

@3KillerBs has a good write up on deep litter vs deep bedding.

 

[DobieLover]

Currently I have a very small flock (6 chickens) in my garden who roam free in a fairly big garden. To keep on top of the poop each day I just use the hose and it disappears. We are planning on moving the chickens to the back part of the garden where currently there is a shed.
View attachment 2992344The coop would go here where the shed is (the coop is smaller than the shed as we don’t have many chickens)
I will be putting a fence up around where the grey decking is in the bottom right of the picture, and from here to the back will be for chickens.
My question is, once I’ve hacked down all the branches and nettles a bit, and levelled it out slightly. What will be the best thing to put on the floor? It’s all just soil back there and I feel that will be boring for the chickens. Should I use sand or something?
I’ve heard people use a ‘deep litter’ method, what is this? Do you just let everything sort of build up?

It sounds like that entire area will be an open pen. I would let them denude it and then put down a layer of wood chips for them to scratch around in. You can also add other dry material to it and it will slowly compost.

 

[3KillerBs]

@3KillerBs has a good write up on deep litter vs deep bedding.

Thank you.

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

I would suggest that you only clear out the areas you need to clear in order to install the fence and let the chickens enjoy destroying the vegetation before worrying about adding litter.

After that, coarse wood chips -- the sort you get from a tree trimming service -- are often considered the gold standard for a Deep Litter run.

Where, in general, are you? People can give better targeted advice if we know more or less where you are because climate matters for many things and, specifically for litter and bedding, some materials are locally available.

For example, the primary material in my coop and run is often pine straw -- which is something I have to rake off my lawn anyway. But that's only readily available in large quantities in the US Southeast where the Longleaf and Loblolly pines grow.

 

[FC16]

It sounds like that entire area will be an open pen. I would let them denude it and then put down a layer of wood chips for them to scratch around in. You can also add other dry material to it and it will slowly compost.

This sounds a good idea, should I add things down like leaves and grass clippings too?

 

[FC16]

Thank you.

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

I would suggest that you only clear out the areas you need to clear in order to install the fence and let the chickens enjoy destroying the vegetation before worrying about adding litter.

After that, coarse wood chips -- the sort you get from a tree trimming service -- are often considered the gold standard for a Deep Litter run.

Where, in general, are you? People can give better targeted advice if we know more or less where you are because climate matters for many things and, specifically for litter and bedding, some materials are locally available.

For example, the primary material in my coop and run is often pine straw -- which is something I have to rake off my lawn anyway. But that's only readily available in large quantities in the US Southeast where the Longleaf and Loblolly pines grow.

Hi, I’m from the UK.

 

[3KillerBs]

This sounds a good idea, should I add things down like leaves and grass clippings too?

Yes, any dry organic material can be incorporated into a deep bedding/deep litter system.

IMO, a mix of materials is better than any single material alone because the mix of textures and shapes helps prevent packing/matting.

Hi, I’m from the UK.

I'm not so familiar with your climate, but that would be generally mild -- rarely BITTER cold and rarely HORRIBLE heat, right?

 

[FC16]

Yes, any dry organic material can be incorporated into a deep bedding/deep litter system.

IMO, a mix of materials is better than any single material alone because the mix of textures and shapes helps prevent packing/matting.



I'm not so familiar with your climate, but that would be generally mild -- rarely BITTER cold and rarely HORRIBLE heat, right?

Yeah I didn’t want to leave them with just mud after they’ve had lots of grass for so long so this sounds a good idea for them to forage around.
Yes in the UK it’s never really too hot but doesn’t get often get unbearably cold.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yeah I didn’t want to leave them with just mud after they’ve had lots of grass for so long so this sounds a good idea for them to forage around.
Yes in the UK it’s never really too hot but doesn’t get often get unbearably cold.

That gives you a lot of options.

Wood chips, wood shavings, leaves, grass clippings, straw, ... toss it all in and let the chickens stir it all up.