Took me 6 months to try deep litter bedding... wow

I always cleaned out my coop every two weeks because I thought deep litter would smell bad and be gross. Then my neighbor Sarah showed me her coop that she only cleans twice a year. No smell, no flies, and her chickens were scratching around happy. I gave it a shot back in March and now in September my coop actually smells better than before. Has anyone else seen a big difference switching away from straw?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabeth_gonzalez8d ago

And the hay breaking down actually makes a natural compost that keeps the bedding fluffy instead of getting all nasty and wet.

nina1808d ago

This "natural compost" idea sounds great, but I'm pretty sure my attempts at being a backyard farmer would just turn things into a science experiment gone wrong, you know? I'd probably end up with a smell that makes the whole neighborhood wonder if I'm hiding a dead body under all that hay. Isn't that how these "simple" processes always go for us well-meaning beginners?