I only used deep litter method when I went on vacation for 2 weeks once! For daily basis, I use sand mixed with top soil and ashes for chicken coop and run. Less flies but I have to clean it out using cat littler scoop.
I use a mix of hay and straw, ( less straw) , when I feed and water I take a potato fork and pull the good up and turn the bad down. Once the hay is either eaten or gone it starts to smell. It then goes to the mulch pit and a new heavy layer goes down. About 6 inch. Kinda like a barn in a movie. Twice a year. Works for me
My husband has like I think a 4 x 4 that separates the coop floor from underneath the roost and under the roost we have sand and I scoop it out with a kitty litter scoop. It is super easy. Anyway, whatever size it is the board is high enough that when they scratch around in the Pines shavings, they do not get into the sand underneath the roost. We do the deep litter method, and I would say it’s a least, a foot deep with litter, we use pine shavings. We only change them out twice a year. We always put diatomaceous earth all around the edges and mix some of it up into the pine shavings. It helps to keep away lice and mites. It’s important that you use the food grade diatomaceous earth only. And you do not want to breathe that or have it all stirred up when your chickens are in there you can read the back of the package. I just have a nail on the wall for a Walmart bag and a nail for the kitty litter scoop and I scoop it out and after the Walmart bag is about halfway full, I tie it and throw it in the trash.❤️🙏 I hope that helps. It never ever ever stinks.❤️🙏❤️🙏😉😉😉😉 I watch a Lady on RU-vid. The channel is called. Welcome to chickenlandia, she has a video called get rid of those pesky flies in your chicken coop for good. She talks about the litter in that video but her channel is excellent. I highly recommend.❤️🙏
Thank you for sharing! I had read about using the sand similar to kitty litter. That might be the way to go. I like having it separate from the pine shavings. Thanks!
@@scrapyardchickens you are welcome. And I would look up welcome to chicken Landia. That’s an amazing site for information about chickens on RU-vid. God bless you!❤️🙏. It must be the very course sand not the sand you would put in a kids sandbox.
I don't use deep litter method, but am considering it. However, I do not believe you are doing it correctly. Rather than scraping out the two bags of litter that you put in, you put fresh litter on top of the old litter (until it builds to about 4"), and only do the full clean out every X amount of months (probably depends on season, but usually 3 months or more). What you seem to be doing is 'shallow litter', which yes, will get annoying because of the frequency. Also, get yourself a big decent hoe, will probably deal with the clean out far more efficiently.
I guess I should have clarified that my deep litter was specifically for under their roost. I would Layer fresh bedding under that area specifically. A hoe is a good idea! I'll give that a try!
