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

[Manhen]

i don’t because no animal wants to be walking in their own poop and the bacteria it can cause is gross... i spot clean daily and do a weekly full cleaning

When that weekly cleaning comes around...do your children say "duck mommy!"?!

 

[Manhen]

The wood chips broke down into dirt and I am adding in shavings this winter (mostly because we cannot access wood chips right now) but those are also mixing in a breaking down nicely.

Interestingly, the wood shavings (cellulose) and the manure (nitrate oxidizer) results in a free radical reaction (an uncontrolled version of the free radical reaction is fire). That is why is produces heat. I heart chemistry.

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

We use industrial hemp and the deep bedding method in our coop. It's convenient, keeps things dry, and zero smell.

How are you liking the Industrial hemp? I plan on using and have bought 3 bales. I'm getting my chicks very soon so I haven't got a chance to use it yet. Everyone that has used it raves about it.

 

[Misfits Farm 92]

How are you liking the Industrial hemp? I plan on using and have bought 3 bales. I'm getting my chicks very soon so I haven't got a chance to use it yet. Everyone that has used it raves about it.

I have the hemp bedding too. I don't mind it but I think its overrated. It's not much different from the other popular chicken beddings.

 

[The Coop-D-etat]

I have the hemp bedding too. I don't mind it but I think its overrated. It's not much different from the other popular chicken beddings.

Ah, I see. That makes sense. Usually hype is what gets a product going and it don't live up to that said hype. I was just curious cause I get it for dirt cheap from a friend of mine who owns a feed/farm store. That's another thing it's really spendy otherwise from online prices at least

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

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 don’t because:
1. I have a very small flock of 4 girls and our 4x6 coop is very easy to clean.
2. It gets hot here in the summer
3. I like the look of a fresh, clean, coop with new bedding
4. I have heard if you don’t don’t do it correctly in can smell

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

I'm just too OCD to use the deep litter method. I clean the coop out every weekend and give it a super good cleaning every couple months.

Same here!

 

[K0k0shka]

I don’t because:
1. I have a very small flock of 4 girls and our 4x6 coop is very easy to clean.
2. It gets hot here in the summer
3. I like the look of a fresh, clean, coop with new bedding
4. I have heard if you don’t don’t do it correctly in can smell

I think you're confusing deep bedding with deep litter.

 

[BReeder!]

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.

The part of the definition that says, "you keep adding bedding" is my reason for not doing DLM. I just put down 3-4 inches of shavings and we are good for 6 months usually. I also have poop boards under my roosts so most of the manure lands there and is removed from the coop and added to our compost bins in the garden. It's just cleaner and less costly to not do DLM for me. It costs $10-$15 each time I change the bedding and that's only twice a year. I use sand on three poop boards which costs about $3 twice a year. That's $26-$36 annually. Constantly adding bedding would be another $4-$5 every month for a bag of shavings and I would still have to clean out the coop twice a year to remove the composted bedding and start over.

Just my $.02.

 

[BReeder!]

I think you're confusing deep bedding with deep litter.

Um... based on the definition used in the OP how are they any different?