Are Chickens Allowed in this... You must log in or register to reply here. Wood chips are great in absorbing those odors. Most materials can be looked up by googl’ing their name and adding “carbon to nitrogen ratio.”. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. JavaScript is disabled. You are welcome to sign in to our email list. Listen and discern who needs to lay. And I swear – this pungent fecal smell that occurs when you keep your chickens in the same area for a while – it’s not in our coop. Yes, straw can be used as bedding material for your chickens. Thanks for signing in. Would any of these other kinds of chipped wood work for the deep litter method? I know not to use cedar chips. It’s up to you to which level you want to take this! I instantly regretted putting that stuff there, because I had to hold my breath in order to avoid puking. Best Litter Type. Do you also love chickens? Cleaning out the coop can be a lot of work. All areas should be sized in correlation to your space and flock size. These organic materials are layered on top of each other to create beds 8-24 inches (20-60 cm.) Litter simply refers to the type of organic material that you lay down on the floor of the coop. So if you are looking to compost your deep litter and use it in your garden, you should avoid Black Walnut and other Trees that are allelopathic. Deep Litter Method for Chickens The chickens and I work together to make sure the deep litter in the Aviary gets turned. ... Would any of these other kinds of chipped wood work for the deep litter method? 9 Replies 6318 Views October 01, 2010, 04:43 by hillfooter : Deep litter method Started by Jomtie on The Hen House. Their omnivorous diet lets them seek out even the tiniest living things in your compost. Come next spring, you can empty out all bedding into your compost bin and start a fresh pile that will turn hot quickly. It is dry and not smelly at all. The best way is to use wood pellets, or pine shavings. Maybe you feel that you could control the smell with lime? My urban garden is small, so I am using my wheel barrow to get them out of my driveway. You need a space, for your interim storage, by your chicken coop that you can use to collect your carbon inputs. Thanks for signing in. In my opinion, the only case that justifies using shavings is show breeding. Since I keep my bedding dry during the winter, I can not speak from personal experience, however, here are some examples from other chicken keepers. In the deep litter method, you're basically forming a compost pile of your chicken's poop right on the floor of the coop. This one time – thanks to the lid, the smell was first uncovered after I had dumped the bucket onto my chicken run area: A sour whiff of alcoholic fruit rot paired with some gutty undertones of ripening nastiness. Alternatively, almost any source of carbon that is free and plentiful in your area can be used. Well, that is true to a degree. In fact they are so cool that we also love seeing... We all love to spoil our beloved flock with treats every once in a... Newark California Chicken Ordinance And now is the time to remember that this is a blessing and not a curse. But I am planning to release my book one day and might add more content to this blog. However, if you keep your backyard flock for entertainment and eggs, you don’t have to buy pine shavings anymore. The Deep Litter Method of Waste Management in Chicken Coops. From spring to fall, my chickens free range in … When you say to do this deep litter composting method inside the “coop”, do you mean inside the wooden building, or do you mean in the outdoor run? It’s best to do deep litter on a coop that has a dirt floor, but it can be successfully done on concrete or wood … The top may become dry but underneath is moist and thriving with life. I am not sending out a regular newsletter. But perhaps sand sounds likes a … The deep litter method is recommended by some but not all chicken keepers. 7 Replies 2146 Views April 15, 2014, 14:58 by mumofstig : Deep Litter Compost System Dry grass clippings or leaves, straw, or wood shavings all work well. I would definitely give it a try first. There are many carbon inputs that you can use for a deep litter in your chicken coop. With a bigger operation, it could be a wheel barrow full or a bucket load with the bobcat. Deep Bedding with Wood Chips in a Nutshell, It transforms poop into desirable fertilizer. After almost a year of having over 20 chickens, I have yet to empty my coop. Wood chips Sawdust Straw Small weeds (large weeds can be used but should be chopped up first). I live in middle Georgia and use wood chips, pine straw, and oak leaves for my deep litter. Food scraps will usually only sit out on the surface during the day. Never use cat litter in a chicken coop! However, it should not be far away from the coop itself. • Start your deep litter method in the spring, right after doing a good deep clean of the coop. Interested in the further advancement, I uncovered the spot the next day to find that the smell was still present under that coat of wood chips. Mostly it reminds me of a forest floor and that’s were chickens originally came from: as jungle fowl from a thick rain forest. In the deep litter method, turning the litter provides oxygen and the chicken droppings provide the moisture. You can use all organic materials that have a high carbon to nitrogen ratio. That alone is enough to break down your wood chips and turn them into compost. Burning can be done with wood shavings, straw, newspaper or hay, it just takes a little bit more wood to get/keep the fire going if it's particularly dirty. Many people find cleaning the chicken run an unpleasant task and would like to find an alternative to weekly cleanings. Deep litter is a … The deep litter method works best in non-commercial applications when the depth is between eight inches and eighteen. It smells good. Within this area you will set-up your composting bins. It’s called the deep litter bedding method, and it works best with shavings. One of the lost ideas is the deep litter method (deep litter is also called “built-up litter” or “compost litter.” People think they know what the deep-litter system is, but often they don’t. During the winter your chicken coop will benefit from the wood chips, because they absorb moisture, which keeps your bedding dry, a good start for healthy chickens. Web Design made in Cleveland by Lion Tiger Jaguar LLC. What is a deep litter system - HELP PLEASE Started by looe-looe-belle on The Hen House. Whenever I bring in a new bundle of straw they go crazy when I break it open. Here’s the deep litter method in an eggshell: Start by spreading a 3- to 4-inch layer of clean litter on the floor of the coop. The run area can be open/fenced in and will also be covered with wood chips. She described a method of growing garden plants right in deep layers of straw, hay, wood chips, compost, manure, leaves or other organic materials rather than growing plants in the conventional finely tilled soil garden beds. They also tend to soak up the most moisture, which keeps you run from getting soggy as well. But I have lots of oak, cherry and birch down in my yard which I am going to chip in my wood chipper. The deep litter method does two things. Simply add enough shavings to keep the floor composting nicely, and the chickens do the aeration for you with their scratching behavior. That way I can dump fresh chips into the run and roosting area with my bedding fork easily. One of the lost ideas is the deep litter method (deep litter is also called “built-up litter” or “compost litter.” People think they know what the deep-litter system is, but often they don’t. I believe you are creating a fertile run-off that randomly washes somewhere. A thick bed of carbon acts as a natural odor pad, absorbing and literally covering up the smell. Any less, and you lose the mass to absorb normal moisture levels in the coop. Deep bedding your chicken coop with wood chips, dangerous to your chickens respiratory system, Why Chickens & Composting Worms Are A Match Made in Heaven, Giving a footbath to your chicken to ease it’s limp foot. With the deep litter method, a carbon-based litter such as pine shavings absorbs nitrogen from chicken droppings, which ferments in an odor-free process to produce a rich, valuable humus just as in a traditional compost pile. Those will make it harder for plants to grow, when used in the … I like wood chips and leaves better than straw because of their size. I added a lot more wood chips and I'm leaving the nesting area lid open a crack during the day and that seems to have solved the ammonia problem. It comes in smaller pieces and the chickens will do a better job turning it over by scratching and kicking. If you have a wood floor in your coop, you may want to first cover it with a Tarp or a layer of vinyl tile. Never use cat litter in a chicken coop! Home Chicken Topics Chicken Care The Deep Litter Method of Waste Management in Chicken Coops. Especially during the winter. 2020 Top 10 Other Poultry Supply Recommendations, 2020 Top 10 Waterer & Feeder Recommendations. Promoters of deep litter talk about the ease of care, that all … Because the deep bedding method is related to composting you can use lists that classify good composting ratios. During the spring and summer months, my turn-around time is much faster. Depending on the amount, the chips will already heat up and start to decompose. I typically clean out my chicken coop twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. The deep litter method goes something like this: a deep base of either straw or shavings is added to the coop initially. Promoters of deep litter talk about the ease of care, that all … In a backyard setting, that means a couple of bedding forks per week. It is important to remove all the soiled litter before you begin. (In this case it’s less shoveling, using less wheel barrow loads, cleaning out less .. ). For chickens, the deep litter method helps keep down moisture and the build-up of ammonia in the coop between cleanings. My wood chip pile sits right in front of my chicken coop and run. When I say we stacked 6 inches of litter on the floor of the coop, I don’t mean cat litter. Because I speed compost with a hot pile, I want to give my compost additional time to break down further. Step #1 Start with a clean pen. After reading what has been learned from so much experience, I feel more confident now continuing on with trying the deep litter method. I live in NC and the summers get hot and the winters get some freezing nights. In contrast to the ideal C:N ratio for a compost heap, however, the higher the carbon content of the deep litter, the better. Chicken poop stinks, but buckets with vegetable and food scraps can even reach the point of “stank from hell.” Wasn’t sulfur associated with satan? The warmth accelerates the decomposition and I also try to produce extra loads of compost. I have even heard that “the chicken smell” is a reason to put a relationship with a chicken keeper up for debate. The floor is open/bare and will be covered with an initial layer of 6 – 12 inches of wood chips. A very easy way to minimize run cleaning is a variation on the deep litter method using wood chips. Which type of wood chips can I use as bedding in my chicken coop? The deep-litter method gives off heat as it composts on the bottom layer. If you weren’t using the deep litter method, you’d need to remove chicken droppings every few days to make sure your flock doesn’t get sick. Subscribe to get very infrequent messages about new blog articles and other interesting chicken stuff. My compost thermometer shows me the core temperature and I monitor it during daily egg collection. Most chicken keepers will agree, that staying dry is very important for your chickens. It also gives you some excellent compost for your garden or flower beds the following year! By doing this, the only water input comes from the moisture inside the chicken poop (or from occasional side-wind blowing in rain or snow – I use plastic tarp on the parts that are not wood but hardware cloth to prevent it). Can I use wood chips as bedding for my chicken coop? I know the chickens like it because they dig holes in the litter and cover themselves in it. Naturally, the composting process needs water input to work, because the generated warmth starts an evaporation process that dries out the composting material. It takes a couple of truckloads to cover the run to a depth of 4-6 inches, and I have to do it at least every year, sometimes twice a year. What makes them an excellent material is the fact that they are mainly carbon. Make sure to not dump these into your coop and run directly. More bedding is added regularly to keep things fresh and clean. Most recently, a method known as the Inoculated Deep Litter System (IDLS), was incorporated into a piggery installed on the Big Island in Kurtistown, Hawaii, and became operational in August 2009. Thanks so much for the link. The Deep Litter Method is sweet and simple. However, I would like to get more compost for my gardens and that is why I will sift out broken down compost more frequently. The deep litter method allows your coop litter to build up over a period of time. The Deep Litter Method is sweet and simple. Litter simply refers to the type of organic material that you lay down on the floor of the coop. Fall-Leaves on the curb are usually pretty clean, but sometimes you will grab a bag that contains all the blow-off from your neighbor’s driveway, including paint chips and other garbage. By keeping the decomposing material in the building, it creates heat and adds to the warmth of the coop. You get the most “carbon bang” for your buck. Wood chips Sawdust Straw Small weeds (large weeds can be used but should be chopped up first). Droppings that are present under the roost in the morning usually are no longer visible by afternoon. ... such as straw or wood shavings. Each deep litter bed is made with food safe USDA, FDA, and NFS-approved high density polyethylene (HDPE). However, if you have a “good source” of straw – go for it – it’s carbon – it will do the job as well. Your roosting and feed area needs a roof for rain protection and siding for predator protection. Remember, deep litter is composting in place so carbon, nitrogen and moisture must be kept in the proper balance. Types of Litter Used for Our Deep Litter Method. Indirectly, the chickens then feast on the life that is created by those scraps. Your chickens supply a steady input of nitrogen through their regular chicken feed. By nightfall, much of the scraps are already eaten or worked into the wood chips. Mar 27, 2013 #2 . If you can get your hands on any type of a free carbon source, than that’s the best one. The black plastic crate itself works as my composting mesh. That is why I suggest a roof above your roosting and feed area. There is also no need for you to add worms. The tree company might charge you a small delivery fee but you can ask them what kind of tree it is and be sure it’s free of toxins or pesticides. Stone-Drainage based bedding does smell less than bare soil, but you will have to use your hose often to flush away the droppings. When I need it, I can transport it easily in my crate to it’s final destination. Our region has plenty of trees and arborists that take care of them, with a truck to be emptied every day. Deep litter works great on concrete and dirt floors. But I have lots of oak, cherry and birch down in my yard which I am going to chip in my wood chipper. The same principal can be used to actually activate your bedding into a giant heat pad. After the pile has surpassed a hot-phase, above 140 degrees Fahrenheit and about a week long, it contains broken down material that can be moved on to the aging phase. Can I use straw as bedding for my chicken coop? A three-bin system usually has the collection on one side, a hot area in the middle and an aging area on the other side. Since space is precious on my urban lot, I do not have a dedicated aging area in my compost system. Upon opening the bucket, it looked fine, it even had fresh watermelon rinds on top. This close to the surface moisture keeps your worms active. The deep litter method is recommended by some but not all chicken keepers. It is important to remove all the soiled litter before you begin. I think I'll add even more wood chips. They take the longest to decompose which makes them last longer. The Deep Litter Method. The poops laid down by the birds are rich in nitrogen, so naturally—as in the compost heap—we want a lot of carbonaceous material in the litter to balance it. Here's a list of items... A chicken that is not provided with adequate enrichment and mental... Chickens are cool. Then, once a week more litter is added along with some tasty morsels that will entice the chickens to scratch and aerate their own compost which, in turn, promotes decomposition. Rain and your chickens will compact them. This is why the wood chips are so important. My “urban farming” solution is the use of crates. That increases the activity in your bedding and it will heat up, just like your compost pile does. Keeping your coop dry makes a difference and almost every chicken expert recommends it on their “how to winterize your chickens”-list. Since the chickens have a choice of various foods, other inputs rather attract insect life, bacteria and fungi. Several months ago, we called a local tree company and asked them to dump one of their trucks of wood chips on our front yard. Like a compost pile, you begin with a layer of pine shavings or other organic matter in the "browns" category. Some residents even bag the leaves for me. It ensures that booted chickens won’t mess up the feathers on their legs and does a good job with the droppings. Best case scenario, you have already taken measures to keep them out of your chicken coop and run in the first place. Many people find cleaning the chicken run an unpleasant task and would like to find an alternative to weekly cleanings. I am not sending out a regular newsletter. It is less ideal to scratch, the chickens can’t scratch it away as easily as they can scratch soil, sand or wood chips. To determine if the deep litter method is right for … I have a chicken coop and it never smells bad. A post shared by @chickenmanagement on Mar 28, 2017 at 4:55pm PDT, A post shared by @chickenmanagement on Mar 9, 2017 at 8:22pm PST. Soft voice and move slowly as you... Chicken keeping should be fun and relaxing. Put some straw or wood chips on it, sure, but just natural dirt as the "floor". A physical barrier and odor-proofing will attract less unwanted wildlife. The great news is that these beneficial microbes will also … Using wood chips for chicken bedding and maintaining them with the deep litter method is the best option I’ve found. 3 Day Pay-It-Forward PFM + FREE BYC Calendar Offer! One to elevate, a second one to collect the broken down compost and the top crate to hold and sift. Some people use wood shavings, some use leaves, and some use straw. The key to harvesting more compost is more sifting. But the “best bedding material” is also about your context. I hope they work for you too! Depending on your final use of the compost, you can get free wood chips from municipalities or have a tree company drop of a truck load of chips. While most wood chips are generally okay for your chickens, some of them contain compounds that can harm your chickens respiratory system and other contain plant-growth inhibitors. The deep litter method does two things. deep. During their daily scratching, your chickens will work in the droppings into your deep bedding. Using woodchips as deep litter in chicken runs. Every few days or so you’ll need to turn the litter using a rake or shovel. Ok, I admit sometimes it stinks – but only when a chicken just took a dump behind me and the little chicken poopy is still steaming. The deep litter method is simply covering the floors and ground in the coop and run with the “litter” of your choice. Stick a compost thermometer into the pile to monitor the temperature if you would like. I have an 8×12′ coop attached to a 20×20′ covered run, 22 chickens (20 hens, 2 roosters, and getting more pullets from Meyer in June!!). Using wood chips for chicken bedding and maintaining them with the deep litter method is the best option I’ve found. Besides the occasional turning to aerate the material, your compost will be fine by itself. Dry grass clippings or leaves, straw, or wood shavings all work well. This is also called “ The Old-Timers Method ,” because it’s been used successfully by many chicken farmers for decades. I topped them off with more wood chips from my storage and replaced what I had just taken from the inside. Chicken poop is high in nitrogen and has a tendency to smell bad. You have to figure out what works best in your situation. Instead I have opted for a combination of chicken litter and fungi.The dimensions of the pile are approximately 8'x5'x3.5-4'. I use the deep litter method inside the coop, using wood shavings from my neighbor’s sawmill. I stack three crates on top of each other. While most wood chips are generally okay for your chickens, some of them contain compounds that can harm your chickens respiratory system and other contain plant-growth inhibitors. I start off by adding approximately 3” of shavings to the floor of my coop. When I say we stacked 6 inches of litter on the floor of the coop, I don’t mean cat litter. No bank or stock market gives you that kind of return on your investment. After about a week no more odor occurred, even after uncovering the spot. Domerdoc, Mar 27, 2013. First, it saves you from doing the tedious chore of cleaning pens in miserable weather. In return, I bring them a carton of eggs. What other kind of materials can I use for deep bedding? That’s when I need to reach you. 6) Use coop litter … The sheer amount of wood chips will quickly absorb all moisture and dry out. If you have more space, to include an aging depot, place it outside the run to prevent more chicken manure input or cover it up with a tarp. Once a crate is full, I add a bunch of worms and cover it to prevent seeds from entering. Click HERE! The litter from over the summer goes in the compost so it can be ready for the garden in the spring. The deep-litter method gives off heat as it composts on the bottom layer. The following days, I kept turning the spot about once a day and added a fork full of chips. Always check the contents in your storage area for contamination. Litter can get wet but the important thing is the run shouldn't get wet to the point that there's standing puddles. I layer the crates with newspaper and fill them up with the sifted compost. Second, it provides a nice soft bed for your animals. But I am planning to release my book one day and might add more content to this blog. Wood chips are so more cost effective than buying straw bales. Hello all and a great big thanks in advance, I was convinced via this forum to abandon a plan to use excess 10-10-10 to jump-start wood chip decomposition.