Can we talk about deep litter versus cleaning the coop every week?

I switched to the deep litter method six months ago and my flock is way healthier. Before, I was scrubbing the whole coop every Saturday and my hens still had mites once. Now I just add fresh pine shavings on top and turn it over. The bedding heats up, breaks down the poop, and kills pests. My last vet check showed zero respiratory issues. Anyone else see a big change after stopping the weekly clean out?

3 comments

3 Comments

brian_jackson2mo ago

My Rhode Island Reds went from two rounds of scaly leg mite to completely clear after I stopped the full weekly scrub down. The deep litter in my 8x10 coop just sort of works on its own once it gets going. I add a thin layer of fresh shavings every other week and give it a stir with a rake. The best part is the coop smells like a forest floor now, not an ammonia bomb.

shah.olivia2mo ago

It's like that with my garden compost too. I used to turn the whole pile every week, stressed about getting the mix perfect. Now I just add kitchen scraps and leaves in layers and let it sit. The worms do the work and the soil is way better. Sometimes stepping back and letting a system do its thing is the real fix.

christopher_west12mo ago

That forest floor smell is a great sign of a healthy system. How long did it take for your deep litter to really hit its stride and start managing itself?

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