Deep Litter Method Explained

Deep Litter Method

Owning chickens comes with all kinds of choices, how to feed them, what types of watering system to use, and coop maintenance. One of the debates you find online is whether or not to use the deep litter method.

What is the Deep Litter Method?

The deep litter method is the layering of new bedding material over old material—a layer of straw, pine shavings, or other material scattered on the coop floor. Additional layers are added as needed. The layers then start to go through the composting process.

Who Started the Deep Litter Method?

The deep litter method started back in the 1940s in Ohio. The women took care of the household when the men went off to war. Well, the chicken coop wasn’t high on their priority list. The women would add litter to the coop and then get to it when they could. Soon, they realized the coop didn’t smell, and the chickens were in better health.

Because the raising of chickens declined over the years, so did the deep litter method. Large poultry facilities mainly used the method. Now that chicken ownership is on the resurgence, this method is making a comeback.

How to Do the Deep Litter Method

Place about four to six inches of pine shavings or other brown material such as dry leaves to start the deep litter method. Then let the chickens go to work. Pine shavings (carbon) and chicken poop (nitrogen) work together to create microbes that decompose materials.

When the poop starts to accumulate more than the bedding material, more bedding gets added. Stir the original layer and add an additional layer. Over time, this layering piles up.

Aeration is key to avoiding ammonia build-up. Be sure to turn the bedding every week or so. With a larger number of chickens, turning the layers often isn’t necessary. Add some scratch to the floor, and the chickens will turn the materials for you.

There is no need to add diatomaceous earth (DE). DE kills the microbes that decompose the litter and prevent infestations. DE is also harmful when inhaled.

A good rule of thumb is to give your coop a good clean-out in the spring. The shavings and poop that have been composted make excellent garden fertilizer.

Pros and Cons of Using the Deep Litter Method

Pros

When poop and materials break down over time, this produces heat. This heat is beneficial in the winter months to add a heat source to the coop. In addition, the heat in the composting materials kills pathogens.

The microbes doing the composting also prevent infestations of lice and mites. The infestations are troublesome when they infect coops.

Because you are adding layers and not removing material, clean-up is infrequent. Cleaning the coop, when using the deep litter method, only has to happen once a year. This cleaning is usually done in the springtime after the temperatures turn.

The deep litter method gives you suburb fertilizer for your garden and yard.

Cons

Ammonia does build up over time. Aerating and having a well-ventilated coop keeps this build-up to a minimum.

So Should You or Shouldn’t You?

The deep litter method is best used when the coop has a dirt floor. The dirt allows for any excess moisture to be absorbed. Moisture and poop are a bad combo for the nasal passages. It produces a strong odor of ammonia.

If your floor is wooden or concrete, you can still use this method. Apply a coat of paint or vinyl-type flooring over the wood or concrete. This flooring protects the wood from decomposing with the bedding. It also keeps any moisture in the bedding from seeping into the concrete.

Secondly, if you only have a handful of chickens, you won’t produce enough waste to benefit from the deep litter method.

Lastly, your coop must have ventilation. Airflow is crucial to the composting process. Ventilation also helps any excess ammonia escape the coop.

What I Chose to Do

I do the deep litter method. Even though I do not have a dirt floor, I have linoleum over my wood floor and excellent ventilation in my coop. My coop is an old shed with three windows. I currently have 25 chickens. I have been doing the deep litter method for six years and have had no issue with ammonia odors in the coop. I clean my coop out well once a year. I do a spot-clean every couple of months (those roosts and walls can get funky).

I hope this post helps you decide whether you should use the deep litter method or not.