We’ve talked numerous referring to the deep litter methodology with fellow yard flock householders, nonetheless so many are confused referring to the course of and anxious referring to the well-being of their flock.
We’re right correct proper right here to calm your nerves, put collectively you the suitable methodology to make the most of the deep litter methodology in your coop, and give you all our selections and strategies to make it worthwhile!
What is the deep litter methodology?
The deep litter methodology is a system of rooster coop administration that is additional healthful to your flock, and easier for you, the rooster keeper.
This method consists of layering and mixing bedding offers on the underside of the coop in a thick pile, which not solely saves you the work of commonly cleaning out the coop, nonetheless makes good compost for the yard/
The chickens help with mixing up the litter as they resolve and scratch on the underside 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 do you need to profit from the deep litter methodology?
1. A Extra healthful Flock
The deep litter methodology, when carried out appropriately, is a big correctly being booster to your flock. This method encourages healthful microbes contained within the coop, which may help forestall parasites and illness in your flock.
This method may even make your coop hotter contained within the winter, due to the litter that’s breaking down on the underside will add heat to the coop, along with insulate the underside to protect in opposition to the chilly.
2. It Makes Rooster Holding Simpler
The deep litter methodology is way easier on you, the rooster keeper!
With this system, you don’t must take time to wash 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 tons quite a bit a lot much less chore to do every week.
3. Bonus – Free Compost
This method is an environment friendly reply to present all that rooster bedding and poop into nitrogen-rich compost for the yard or your potted vegetation.
You gained’t have to maintain any extra massive piles of slowly decomposing rooster bedding, attributable to this system turns all of it into compost applicable on the coop floor.
How one can Implement the Deep Litter Methodology in Your Rooster Coop
Step 1
When first starting the deep litter methodology, it’s most attention-grabbing to start with a transparent slate, truly. Clear the rooster coop fully, pull out all earlier bedding, scrub the flooring, roosts, and nesting packing containers with cleansing cleaning cleansing cleaning soap and vinegar, and let your complete factor dry fully.
It’s necessary to substantiate your complete factor is dry sooner than you add new bedding.
Subsequent, stack stylish bedding on the underside so it’s not lower than six inches thick, nonetheless it might be as tons as 12 inches thick.
Step 2
The best layer of bedding will finally develop to be soiled from rooster waste. This might take a lot of days or per week, or extra, relying in your flock dimension and coop.
When the easiest layer just isn’t clear, it’s time to flip the bedding.
Use a rake or shovel and alter the bedding. You could flip the easiest layer to the underside, so the stylish bedding beneath is now on excessive.
At this diploma, 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 easiest layer as shortly as additional turns into soiled, flip the bedding and add extra stylish bedding. You’re making an attempt to always maintain not lower than six inches of bedding on the underside of the coop, nonetheless extra is finest (12″) all through the occasion you most likely can address it.
The bedding must under no circumstances be filthy, moist, or smelly.
In case you retain turning it and together with stylish bedding, the coop must always be clear, nonetheless 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 shortly as additional. We regularly do this contained within the spring, mid-summer, and late fall. When you do a coop cleanout, depart a lot of inches of the earlier bedding on the underside of the coop.
This earlier bedding has microbes that gives you a head start in your subsequent spherical of deep litter.
Prime Concepts for the Deep Litter Methodology
Ventilate your coop
Make completely sure your coop has relevant air circulation. This is not solely essential for the deep litter methodology nonetheless for the correctly being and wellness of your flock. The air can shortly fill with ammonia, moisture, and filth if there isn’t relevant airflow contained within the coop.
You might merely add air circulation to your coop by drilling some small holes contained within the wall near the ceiling or together with a rodent-proof vent into the wall.
Choose the exact form of litter
Various circumstances, after we’re requested referring to the deep litter methodology, people assume we’re talking about cat litter.
Just for the file, under no circumstances put cat litter in your rooster coop!
Litter merely refers once more to the form of bedding on the underside of the coop.
The best 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 contained within the coop, attributable to they’re terribly aromatic, which can hurt your chickens’ delicate respiratory capabilities.
Straw will work contained within the deep litter methodology, nonetheless must be turned extra incessantly due to it’s not as absorbent as shavings.
Defend a watch fastened mounted mounted and nostril out for components
We’ve heard of many rooster keepers using the deep litter methodology as an excuse to stop cleaning up after their chickens. Although this system is easier than customary weekly or be-weekly coop clean-outs, it’s nonetheless essential that you just simply merely make sure that the coop is obvious and healthful to your flock frequently.
The chickens must under no circumstances be standing of their very personal waste, the coop must under no circumstances scent harmful, and shouldn’t be attracting nasty pests like flies.
Defend your nostril attuned to smells like rooster poop and ammonia. In case you scent them, that you might presumably add extra bedding and/or flip the bedding extra typically.
Moreover, defend a watchful eye in your flock. All through the occasion that they ever seem to be lacking in correctly being, it’s elevated to scrap the deep litter system and start over than try to revive it whereas your chickens are struggling.
Widespread Questions In regards to the Deep Litter Methodology
How prolonged does it take the litter to interrupt down into compost?
That is decided by your native native climate, how typically you flip it, and what variety of chickens it is doable you will need. In case you’re in line with it, you possibly 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, nonetheless you’ll need to tweak the system in accordance with the place you reside. In case you reside in a terribly moist and humid location, chances are high you will want in order so as in order so as to add litter extra typically.
In case you reside in a dry native native climate, chances are high you will must moisten the litter occasionally. This solely must happen if the litter is dry and dusty and under no circumstances breaking down. Merely mist it with water from the hose to get it going.
As for cold climates, it’s most attention-grabbing to start the deep litter system when the native local weather is warmth so it’s already breaking down with microbial put together sooner than winter. It’s onerous to get the obligatory microbes going by way of the winter, nonetheless after they’re already present, it might help defend the coop warmth and should match completely by way of the winter.
What sort of litter/bedding is most attention-grabbing for the deep litter system?
We wish to make use of pine shavings for our deep litter system attributable to they break down shortly and are extra absorbent than totally completely totally different litter selections.
I’ve a concrete/picket/filth floor. Will it work?
Deep litter will work on all sorts of flooring, even concrete and stone, nonetheless there are some components to ponder.
In case you might have a picket floor in your coop, the deep litter system could set off the picket to rot quicker over time. Nonetheless, resist the urge to place down some type of flooring or barrier, paying homage to vinyl, as it might solely end up trapping moisture between the picket and the moisture barrier, inflicting the picket to rot even sooner.
Almost certainly the easiest components you are able to do to protect the picket floor in a coop is to paint it with mildew-resistant paint. Nonetheless, that’s most attention-grabbing carried out when establishing your coop, sooner than you progress a flock in, to provide the paint a considerable period of time to dry and remedy.
Merely change out your litter two to three circumstances a yr to take care of the coop floor in good state of affairs.
The deep litter system will work even elevated on filth flooring because of the pure microbes and bugs contained within the soil will give the deep litter system a elevate. You do must be cautious with filth flooring, though, attributable to predators can dig their approach into your coop.
How do I do know if it’s working?
If the litter is slowly turning into compost, you’ll know your complete factor is working due to it must. If it ever smells like poop or ammonia, it is doable you will need an extreme quantity of moisture, and that you might presumably flip it and add extra litter extra typically. (There have to be a terribly faint, sweet, virtually fermenting scent if you may need balanced microbe put together beneath the litter.)
If the litter should not be breaking down in the least into compost, you need extra moisture to encourage microbial put together. Or when you might have a smaller flock, they won’t be producing a great deal of waste, by way of which case chances are high you will wish to present the litter tons quite a bit a lot much less incessantly and don’t add an extreme quantity of newest litter at a time.
When must I start using the deep litter methodology?
It’s most attention-grabbing to start using this system contained within the early spring when the native local weather is warming up, and you have a whole three seasons of non-freezing native local weather ahead of you.
The deep litter methodology is a top-notch reply to take care of your chickens. Not solely is it healthful for them, nonetheless it’s moreover quite a bit tons quite a bit a lot much less current the outcomes you need!
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