Why Do You Use Deep Bedding/Why Do You NOT Use Deep Bedding?

[Abrierley]

This is my first winter with my chickens and I have found that the deep bedding is a good way to simply keep things a bit drier and smelling better. I'm not a fan of the cold so it keeps me from having extra work also.

 

[NickyPick]

My coop is huge. We just expanded from a 12x24 to a 24x24 (with 10-15 ft in height). I keep tossing stuff in (shavings, grass, leaves) but it's still not looking much like any litter yet.

I have used deep litter for about 10 years now. The first coop was a 8x8, the second (attached) was a 12x12. I would toss in shavings, grass clippings and fall leaves when I had them. I think I only cleaned out the coops when the levels went over the door sills. I'd toss them every couple of months, but maybe once a year, I'd take stuff out and add it to the compost pile. Dang, my compost pile. Add that stuff to a garden and it would grow ANYTHING! I love not having to clean a coop often. I also love having such good compost. The best thing I've found with the deep litter is the smell goes away. It may be strong in the morning, but as soon as they move out to range, there's no smell. Part of that may be the fermented feed, but its probably a combination.

The last two years, I've had a friend that is obsessively into gardening, come out and scrape my roosts for all poop. He adds that to his compost, so we both benefit.

 

[sarahconnor]

I'm putting together an article on using Deep Bedding in a small coop and wanted to make sure I had as complete a list of pros and cons as possible.

I know why I DO use this method and I can think of some reasons others might not want to use it, but I'd like to hear the voices of community experience in order to create a useful article.

Deep Bedding being defined as: A dry, non-composting system where you keep adding bedding to the coop as it becomes soiled -- managing it by turning it as necessary (or getting the chickens to turn it for you) -- and clean it out only infrequently when the bedding has become both thoroughly soiled and piled up to the point of not being able to add more.

I started adding shredded paper to my coop floor. It started breaking down and the girls dig and turn in it so it almost looks like fine soil. It hardly smells and the paper soaks up the liquid, then breaks down and it’s getting deeper and deeper. I bring the paper home from work I just sort of stumbled on this and I like it a lot. If it starts to smell I’ll shovel it out and start anew. The girls and boys love to dig in it.

 

[Mick43]

I'm putting together an article on using Deep Bedding in a small coop and wanted to make sure I had as complete a list of pros and cons as possible.

I know why I DO use this method and I can think of some reasons others might not want to use it, but I'd like to hear the voices of community experience in order to create a useful article.

Deep Bedding being defined as: A dry, non-composting system where you keep adding bedding to the coop as it becomes soiled -- managing it by turning it as necessary (or getting the chickens to turn it for you) -- and clean it out only infrequently when the bedding has become both thoroughly soiled and piled up to the point of not being able to add more.

I've heard of this, but I like little bedding that feeds my compost and then I clean the coop out once or twice a week by shoveling it into a bin, I take to compost, as I organically garden.

 

[pelicanchook]

I have a big dormitory area for my girls, with their roosting racks about 4 feet off the concrete floor (with a ramp for them to access the racks). I put straw on the concrete floor - loads and loads of it, together with herbs, wormwood branches, fleabane - anything that adds a pleasant smell and is rumoured to keep lice at bay.. I turn the straw every morning, after the girls have pooped on it during the night. I change the straw about twice a year, and my friends line up for bags of old straw and aged chook poo to add to their compost bins. Definitely insulates the dormitory, and keeps it smelling nice. None of my girls have ever had lice or any other creeping nasties in their feathers. Does not ever get wet and nasty, but this is Australia, where rain is a welcome bonus, and whatever the girls deposit in the straw is dry by lunchtime.

 

[KJsFlock]

I'm putting together an article on using Deep Bedding in a small coop and wanted to make sure I had as complete a list of pros and cons as possible.

I know why I DO use this method and I can think of some reasons others might not want to use it, but I'd like to hear the voices of community experience in order to create a useful article.

Deep Bedding being defined as: A dry, non-composting system where you keep adding bedding to the coop as it becomes soiled -- managing it by turning it as necessary (or getting the chickens to turn it for you) -- and clean it out only infrequently when the bedding has become both thoroughly soiled and piled up to the point of not being able to add more.

I only do this in the winter when the snow is deep. My chickens live in an 8x10 insulated room in the barn. Right now the snow is too deep to wheel a wheelbarrow through so about every 2 days I toss in a couple flakes of straw. This helps with a clean layer on the floor and gives the chickens something to do arranging the straw. The rest of the year I clean it about once a month and use corncob bedding. They are free range so only in their coop at night.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

I'm putting together an article on using Deep Bedding in a small coop and wanted to make sure I had as complete a list of pros and cons as possible.

I know why I DO use this method and I can think of some reasons others might not want to use it, but I'd like to hear the voices of community experience in order to create a useful article.

Deep Bedding being defined as: A dry, non-composting system where you keep adding bedding to the coop as it becomes soiled -- managing it by turning it as necessary (or getting the chickens to turn it for you) -- and clean it out only infrequently when the bedding has become both thoroughly soiled and piled up to the point of not being able to add more.

I use deep litter method in the winter so I don’t let cold air in the coop . My coop opens by one 8’-24”side flopping down changing bedding let out all the warm air

 

[Linda Irvine]

I use deep litter in my 10x12 layer barn which houses 25 birds. To me it is a no brainer. I totally clean my coops 2x a year, in fall and in spring. All the shavings go into my compost pile. When I add all the fluffy new pine shavings, I also add leaf litter, small sticks, wood chips from my wood splitting area, grass and shrub clippings, and any other organic debris I find around. My thinking is this keeps the girls scratching a bit for green goodies and also promotes composting when the bedding eventually makes it to the compost pile.
I will often throw treats under the roost bars when the poop is piling up to get the chickens to turn that area thoroughly for me. Some people think that is gross but the chickens don't seem to mind so I call it smart! As needed, which varies based on weather (wetness, amount of time spent inside coop etc.), I will add a whole new bag of shavings to the 10x12 coop. This occurs approximately every 1.5 months. I just throw it on top, add treats, and the chickens do the rest.

I LOVE the deep litter method. My chicken chores daily, with my automatic door and large capacity feeders and waterer, consist of collecting eggs and enjoying my girls. None of my daily chores involve poop. This gives me more time to just enjoy my birds. This has been my first winter with deep litter where my birds are inside a majority of the time. I was worried about cleanliness. But other than slightly dirtier feet, the smell of the coop and the cleanliness of eggs has not been effected. Everyone is happy and healthy.

Thanks so much. A very thorough explanation describing why you do what you do...So well! My admiration. I have a first time Flock of Rhodies 10 hens and Caesar the Rooster. Your approach to coop poop is now incorporated into our daily lives.
Our gratitude.... Linda and her.RIRs

 

[zhillsweatherman]

I'm putting together an article on using Deep Bedding in a small coop and wanted to make sure I had as complete a list of pros and cons as possible.

I know why I DO use this method and I can think of some reasons others might not want to use it, but I'd like to hear the voices of community experience in order to create a useful article.

Deep Bedding being defined as: A dry, non-composting system where you keep adding bedding to the coop as it becomes soiled -- managing it by turning it as necessary (or getting the chickens to turn it for you) -- and clean it out only infrequently when the bedding has become both thoroughly soiled and piled up to the point of not being able to add more.

I use Hemp in the deep litter method, I love using help because there is hardly no smell. We rake the top everyday and ad as needed. Probably won't have to clean it out but once yearly. The hemp keeps bug, smell and flies down. Also a soft landing zone for the girls coming off the perch.

 

[SusanK_BNB]

That's a good idea.



I personally don't want the work of having to deal with poop boards regularly. I am, however, going to focus on small coops where there isn't really room for poop boards anyway.



Yes, I've tried just straw in the coop based on old-timers' recommendations and found that it matted horribly. But a mix of straw and shavings stays fluffy better than either alone.



I have teens, but I do my own coop cleaning. Still that makes perfect sense.



May I ask, in all respect and in search of information rather than in an attempt to convince you to change your practices, what it is, exactly, that makes you want to clean so often? Distaste for the idea of manure building up? Sometime else?



I think that it can't really be called deep bedding if you're not actually using bedding in a systematic fashion.



I'm sorry, but you've got it backwards.

Deep bedding is a dry, non-composting system that can be done on any type of floor.

Deep litter is a moist, composting system that is best done on a dirt floor (but which *can* be done on other floors with sufficient intensive management).

I clean more frequently because chicken poop can be a source of infection for my chickens and for me or any friends or friends' kids who pick up the chickens. While being careful about washing hands and not tracking in chicken poop on your shoes can protect us humans, the chickens can't get away from it if their coop is not cleaned out regularly. If there is an outbreak of some disease in your flock, the disease-causing organisms can be spread through the litter. There will always be some pathogens present, but less is more!