We’ve talked hundreds regarding the deep litter method with fellow yard flock householders, nevertheless so many are confused regarding the course of and anxious regarding the well-being of their flock.
We’re proper right here to calm your nerves, prepare you the suitable method to make use of the deep litter method in your coop, and give you all our options and tricks to make it successful!
What is the deep litter method?
The deep litter method is a system of rooster coop administration that is extra wholesome to your flock, and easier for you, the rooster keeper.
This system consists of layering and mixing bedding supplies on the bottom of the coop in a thick pile, which not solely saves you the work of frequently cleaning out the coop, nevertheless makes good compost for the yard/
The chickens help with mixing up the litter as they resolve and scratch on the bottom of the coop, which in flip exposes them to healthful microbes boosting their immune system, all whereas breaking down that bedding into beautiful compost.
Why should you utilize the deep litter method?
1. A Extra wholesome Flock
The deep litter method, when carried out appropriately, is a big nicely being booster to your flock. This methodology encourages healthful microbes inside the coop, which might help forestall parasites and illness in your flock.
This system may even make your coop hotter inside the winter, as a result of the litter that’s breaking down on the bottom will add heat to the coop, along with insulate the bottom to protect in opposition to the chilly.
2. It Makes Rooster Holding Less complicated
The deep litter method is much easier on you, the rooster keeper!
With this method, you don’t should take time to clean out the coop every week. You merely give the current litter a flip with a pitchfork, and add new litter on excessive. With the enterprise of life, it’s so good to have one a lot much less chore to do every week.
3. Bonus – Free Compost
This system is an effective solution to present all that rooster bedding and poop into nitrogen-rich compost for the yard or your potted vegetation.
You gained’t have to care for any further giant piles of slowly decomposing rooster bedding, because of this methodology turns all of it into compost correct on the coop floor.
How one can Implement the Deep Litter Method in Your Rooster Coop
Step 1
When first starting the deep litter method, it’s most interesting to start with a transparent slate, truly. Clear the rooster coop totally, pull out all earlier bedding, scrub the flooring, roosts, and nesting packing containers with cleansing cleaning soap and vinegar, and let the whole thing dry totally.
It’s essential to confirm the whole thing is dry sooner than you add new bedding.
Subsequent, stack modern bedding on the bottom so it’s not lower than six inches thick, nevertheless it might be as a lot as 12 inches thick.
Step 2
The very best layer of bedding will in the end grow to be soiled from rooster waste. This can take a few days or per week, or further, relying in your flock dimension and coop.
When the best layer isn’t clear, it’s time to flip the bedding.
Use a rake or shovel and change the bedding. You want to flip the best layer to the underside, so the modern bedding beneath is now on excessive.
At this degree, you’ll add some new bedding to take care of the litter not lower than 6 inches deep and clear up the coop.
Step 3
When the best layer as soon as extra turns into soiled, flip the bedding and add further modern bedding. You’re making an attempt to always maintain not lower than six inches of bedding on the bottom of the coop, nevertheless further is finest (12″) within the occasion you possibly can deal with it.
The bedding should not at all be filthy, moist, or smelly.
In case you retain turning it and together with modern bedding, the coop should always be clear, nevertheless deep down, that bedding is breaking down into compost.
Step 4:
Two or 3 occasions per yr, you’ll wish to wash out all that bedding and start over as soon as extra. We usually try this inside the spring, mid-summer, and late fall. When you do a coop cleanout, depart a few inches of the earlier bedding on the bottom of the coop.
This earlier bedding has microbes that offers you a head start in your subsequent spherical of deep litter.
Prime Concepts for the Deep Litter Method
Ventilate your coop
Make fully sure your coop has appropriate air circulation. This is not solely necessary for the deep litter method nevertheless for the nicely being and wellness of your flock. The air can shortly fill with ammonia, moisture, and filth if there isn’t appropriate airflow inside the coop.
You can merely add air circulation to your coop by drilling some small holes inside the wall near the ceiling or together with a rodent-proof vent into the wall.
Choose the exact sort of litter
A great deal of cases, after we’re requested regarding the deep litter method, people assume we’re talking about cat litter.
Just for the file, not at all put cat litter in your rooster coop!
Litter merely refers back to the sort of bedding on the bottom of the coop.
The proper bedding for the deep litter system is pine shavings. They break down shortly and are ultra-absorbent.
We always warning in opposition to using cedar shavings inside the coop, because of they’re extraordinarily aromatic, which could hurt your chickens’ delicate respiratory applications.
Straw will work inside the deep litter method, nevertheless must be turned further incessantly as a result of it’s not as absorbent as shavings.
Preserve an eye fixed mounted and nostril out for points
We’ve heard of many rooster keepers using the deep litter method as an excuse to stop cleaning up after their chickens. Although this methodology is easier than standard weekly or be-weekly coop clean-outs, it’s nonetheless necessary that you just be sure that the coop is evident and healthful to your flock all the time.
The chickens should not at all be standing of their very personal waste, the coop should not at all scent harmful, and shouldn’t be attracting nasty pests like flies.
Preserve your nostril attuned to smells like rooster poop and ammonia. In case you scent them, that you could add further bedding and/or flip the bedding further usually.
Moreover, protect a watchful eye in your flock. Within the occasion that they ever look like lacking in nicely being, it’s increased to scrap the deep litter system and start over than try to restore it whereas your chickens are struggling.
Widespread Questions Regarding the Deep Litter Method
How prolonged does it take the litter to interrupt down into compost?
That is decided by your native climate, how usually you flip it, and what variety of chickens you may need. In case you’re consistent with it, you probably can have some beautiful compost in just a few months.
Does this work in moist /dry and chilly/scorching climates?
Deep litter can work in all climates, nevertheless you’ll have to tweak the system in accordance with the place you reside. In case you reside in a extremely moist and humid location, likelihood is you will need in order so as to add litter further usually.
In case you reside in a dry native climate, likelihood is you will should moisten the litter every now and then. This solely should happen if the litter is dry and dusty and by no means breaking down. Merely mist it with water from the hose to get it going.
As for cold climates, it’s most interesting to start the deep litter system when the local weather is warmth so it’s already breaking down with microbial train sooner than winter. It’s onerous to get the obligatory microbes going by way of the winter, however after they’re already present, it’s going to help protect the coop warmth and may work fully by way of the winter.
What sort of litter/bedding is most interesting for the deep litter system?
We wish to make use of pine shavings for our deep litter system because of they break down shortly and are further absorbent than completely different litter decisions.
I’ve a concrete/wood/filth floor. Will it work?
Deep litter will work on all types of flooring, even concrete and stone, nevertheless there are some points to ponder.
In case you may have a wood floor in your coop, the deep litter system could trigger the wood to rot quicker over time. Nonetheless, resist the urge to place down some kind of flooring or barrier, harking back to vinyl, as it’s going to solely end up trapping moisture between the wood and the moisture barrier, inflicting the wood to rot even sooner.
In all probability the best points you’ll be able to do to protect the wood floor in a coop is to paint it with mildew-resistant paint. Nonetheless, that’s most interesting carried out when setting up your coop, sooner than you progress a flock in, to supply the paint a great deal of time to dry and treatment.
Merely change out your litter two to three cases a yr to take care of the coop floor in good situation.
The deep litter system will work even increased on filth flooring because of the pure microbes and bugs inside the soil will give the deep litter system a elevate. You do must be cautious with filth flooring, though, because of predators can dig their strategy into your coop.
How do I do know if it’s working?
If the litter is slowly turning into compost, you’ll know the whole thing is working as a result of it should. If it ever smells like poop or ammonia, you may need an extreme quantity of moisture, and that you could flip it and add further litter further usually. (There should be a extremely faint, sweet, nearly fermenting scent if you may need balanced microbe train underneath the litter.)
If the litter should not be breaking down the least bit into compost, you need further moisture to encourage microbial train. Or when you may have a smaller flock, they won’t be producing plenty of waste, by way of which case likelihood is you will wish to present the litter a lot much less incessantly and don’t add an extreme quantity of recent litter at a time.
When should I start using the deep litter method?
It’s most interesting to start using this method inside the early spring when the local weather is warming up, and you have a whole three seasons of non-freezing local weather ahead of you.
The deep litter method is a top-notch answer to take care of your chickens. Not solely is it healthful for them, nevertheless it’s moreover so much a lot much less provide the outcomes you need!
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