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

[K0k0shka]

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

They are two different practices using two different processes. Deep bedding is dry and non-composting. Deep litter is moist and composting.

 

[K0k0shka]

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.

We aren't talking about DLM here though. And the part that says "you keep adding bedding" means "sprinkle some on top to cover the poop", not "empty a whole new bag every month". I'm on month 5 after my last cleaning, and the bag I got for the purpose of adding more bedding between cleanings is only missing maybe 1/10th from it. I doubt I'll have used even a third by the time it's time to do the next cleaning in the spring. And when I do the big cleaning, I only use 1 bag of pine shavings to cover the floor with a thick new layer after taking everything out (they are packed tight in the bag and expand when fluffed out, so 1 bag is all I need for a nice deep bed). So that would be less than 3 bags total per year. And no poop boards to scoop or any other cleaning to do for the rest of the year. To me, that's a pretty good deal.

 

[BReeder!]

We aren't talking about DLM here though. And the part that says "you keep adding bedding" means "sprinkle some on top to cover the poop", not "empty a whole new bag every month". I'm on month 5 after my last cleaning, and the bag I got for the purpose of adding more bedding between cleanings is only missing maybe 1/10th from it. I doubt I'll have used even a third by the time it's time to do the next cleaning in the spring. And when I do the big cleaning, I only use 1 bag of pine shavings to cover the floor with a thick new layer after taking everything out (they are packed tight in the bag and expand when fluffed out, so 1 bag is all I need for a nice deep bed). So that would be less than 3 bags total per year. And no poop boards to scoop or any other cleaning to do for the rest of the year. To me, that's a pretty good deal.

I get the sprinkle idea. I still think I would use a bag a month. That said, my coop for is 10'x4' and I have 10 full size chickens (they do have constant access to an outside run). Covering droppings from 10 chickens is several handfuls of bedding each day.

As for DLM and DB, the process of adding and stirring is the same. The moisture difference is interesting though. I don't see many sources talk about adding moisture to DLM, but can see how that would assist with feeding the micro organisms DLM relies on. Is DB not a composting method then? In other words, does it result in dried lumps of poop in dry bedding that simply doesn't have to be changed completely too frequently? If that's the case, I guess I'm doing DB with 4" of being and the chickens handle the stirring. I'm just not adding bedding and using poop boards to calorie the majority of the poop to prolong the lifetime of my bedding.

 

[K0k0shka]

I get the sprinkle idea. I still think I would use a bag a month. That said, my coop for is 10'x4' and I have 10 full size chickens (they do have constant access to an outside run). Covering droppings from 10 chickens is several handfuls of bedding each day.

As for DLM and DB, the process of adding and stirring is the same. The moisture difference is interesting though. I don't see many sources talk about adding moisture to DLM, but can see how that would assist with feeding the micro organisms DLM relies on. Is DB not a composting method then? In other words, does it result in dried lumps of poop in dry bedding that simply doesn't have to be changed completely too frequently? If that's the case, I guess I'm doing DB with 4" of being and the chickens handle the stirring. I'm just not adding bedding and using poop boards to calorie the majority of the poop to prolong the lifetime of my bedding.

Yeah, you need to add moisture to do real DLM because the composting process needs water. And that's why I don't like and don't do DLM. If you do it wrong, it smells and attracts flies in the summer, and just freezes solid in the winter (if it doesn't produce enough heat to stay thawed). It's a balancing act of a chemical equation that I just don't have the patience for (but some people love it, and more power to them).

It looks like you're already doing DB then. Removing some of the poop via the poop boards balances out not adding new bedding, so the end result is probably about the same. And yes the idea is that the poop dries out. Ideally, with DB, everything stays bone dry, and the floor is a mix of shavings and dried poop. Which is great, because dry poop doesn't smell, and bacteria don't like dryness, so the poop being there is not a problem. You certainly don't have to add more shavings every day, even without a poop board. As long as the shavings-to-poop ratio is such that the poop dries out, it's all good. Your coop is a similar size to mine (in square feet) but you have twice as many birds as I do, so it would get dirty faster, but given that I've added new shavings twice in 5 months, for a total of 1/10 bag's worth, even if you had to do it once every month it still wouldn't be too bad.

I posted this earlier, but in case you missed it, here's what my floor looks like right now (picture is from today) - this is 5 months after the last cleaning, and a couple of weeks after having added the second dose of new shavings, just enough to cover the surface.

 

[Happy hen lover]

SO TIRED OF THIS COLD.!!! I dream of nice days so
the hens will want TO GO OUT!! I'm so sick of the frozen poop balls! all over the coop. I never realized how much they pooped !?!

 

[ozzie]

@K0k0shka have you had any problems with flies? I am using the deep bedding method and I wouldn’t say I have a bad fly problem but there’s more around than if I didn’t have chickens. I do see some flies in the coop as well. Mine would look like what you have in the pic. There’s no poop smell. It’s summer here now so I am hoping as the weather cools there will be less flies around as a result.

 

[3KillerBs]

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

Is DB not a composting method then? In other words, does it result in dried lumps of poop in dry bedding that simply doesn't have to be changed completely too frequently?

Ideally, with DB, everything stays bone dry, and the floor is a mix of shavings and dried poop. Which is great, because dry poop doesn't smell, and bacteria don't like dryness, so the poop being there is not a problem

You explained that so well that I don't have to respond further.

@K0k0shka have you had any problems with flies? I am using the deep bedding method and I wouldn’t say I have a bad fly problem but there’s more around than if I didn’t have chickens.

I have never had a fly problem.

Having animals you will always have more flies than if you didn't have animals, but the fly larva can't grow in the bone-dry manure.

They *could* grow in mismanaged Deep Litter in the run, but IMO it's more likely that they'd grow in the run no matter what.

 

[K0k0shka]

@K0k0shka have you had any problems with flies? I am using the deep bedding method and I wouldn’t say I have a bad fly problem but there’s more around than if I didn’t have chickens. I do see some flies in the coop as well. Mine would look like what you have in the pic. There’s no poop smell. It’s summer here now so I am hoping as the weather cools there will be less flies around as a result.

Nothing that I would call a problem. In the summer, I keep one fly trap in the coop and one in the run. This kind, from Amazon.

It's just a sticky trap that you bait with honey, so it doesn't smell like those jar traps. It's about 10 inches long. For the duration of the summer, I had to change the run trap once, and the coop trap never filled up completely. Sometimes I'd see a fly or two buzzing around in the coop, sometimes not. But nothing too obvious.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

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

Oh oops. Yes you are right.

 

[BDutch]

I use deep bedding in the winter because everything is frozen solid and I couldn't clean it if I wanted to. It may compost and provide warmth in some climates, but not here. I just keep adding shavings and they keep adding poop. In the spring I scoop everything out.

Mixing shavings with straw makes warmer bedding and doesn't clutter easily.

..
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.
..

I have a small chicken coop. It has a "deep" poop board with raised edges. One side can be folded down for cleaning. On the bottom I put cardboard and start with a layer of dry material bedding such as wood shavings. I add more shavings / grasses (summer) / leaves (autumn) / hay from cleaning the nest boxes / straw (cold winter) once a week. I clean the poop board approximately once a month by taking out the cardboard, sliding it out along the folded down bar. The bedding goes on the compost pile. The cardboard in the garbage bin.

The coop/small run combi has a dirt floor. The chickens rarely poop there. So this only needs smoothing and a little cleaning with a rake, once a month too. Only last week I put straw on top bc it was freezing a lot. And the chickens didn’t go anywhere with the cold and snow.

The chickens have acces to a larger run from sunrise through an automatic pop door. They poop only on the poop board, in the run an free ranging.