What is the deep litter method you ask, well let me tell you all about it and why I like it? How does low coop maintenance sound? With using the deep litter you only have to clean the coop out like 2-4 times a year. When the coop gets a little smelly or looks like it needs some more material you literally just have to add more material of your choice.
Let’s talk first about what is the deep litter method
The deep litter method is basically making a compost pile in your chicken’s coop or run. You will turn and mix it occasionally and add new material as needed which in my case is probably around every week, but that can depend on your situation. If you are wanting to use the compost for your garden then you need to wait awhile and let it decompose, because chicken manure is high in nitrogen and can kill your garden. There are a bunch of articles out there talking more about this subject. Your chickens can also help by doing some of the mixing. If you throw them some mealworms or some sort of treat that will encourage them to mix the material around, but only give them treats in their run and not in the actual coop.
Now let’s talk about what materials you can use
There are a bunch of options for materials that would work well using the deep litter method. We use wood chips, and they work great for us. They are pretty inexpensive and are easy to find (at least where we live.) If you don’t want to use wood chips then you could use would shavings, which is what we use in their actual coop. Wood shavings work great in the coop and they are also easy to find around here. Your local Bomgaars, Tractor supply, or farm store would most likely have them. Another option is dried leaves, now I have never used them but have heard that people like them. I would recommend this for the run and probably not the coop. If none of these sound like the right material, don’t worry because there are still plenty more options such as; straw, grass clippings, or some other bedding of choice that will decompose.
You are probably still wondering why would I use this method over some other method
I have not always used the deep litter method, when we lived in the city I actually started out with sand, and then I switched to the deep litter method and I will never go back. If you want to hear more about why I will never use sand again then read here. I loved the idea of low coop maintenance (I mean who doesn’t 😉) so we did some research and then decided to switch to the low maintenance deep bedding method. I highly recommend it, you will be so happy and so will your chickens.
This method can help keep your chickens warm
If you live in a cold climate then you know that your chickens need to be warm. Yes, they have feathers and can easily withstand temperatures above 20 degrees Fahrenheit, but having that nice thick bedding helps keep them even warmer. Plus who doesn’t want to spoil their laying hens? They work so hard laying all those eggs, so I like to make them as comfortable as possible!
If you use the deep litter method let me know how you like it. Or if you use some other method I would love to hear other options that people use 💕.
Other articles that you may like:
- The best chicken breeds for your backyard flock
- How to keep your chickens cool in the heat of summer
- Why you need to store your eggs pointy side down
The 1912 Homestead 