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Coops needs a layer of bedding (also called litter) on the floor to help manage droppings and moisture levels as well as to provide a layer of cushioning and insulation to keep your birds comfortable.
In this section, we will cover the six main types of litter that are used and how to maintain them. We will then also explore the use of droppings boards and deep litter systems as different methods for helping to manage waste.
There are six main types of litter that are commonly used:
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Disadvantages
Look for large flake pine or aspen shavings with minimal dust. Do not use cedar shavings as the aromas can be irritating to chickens
Initial bedding layer should be 10 to 12 cm thick. Turn over daily if not using a dropping board and weekly if using a dropping board. Needs to be completely replaced every 3 to 4 months.
Old shavings can be added to your compost pile.
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Disadvantages
Choose a quality straw with long shafts to prevent your birds from foraging on it.
Initial bedding layer should be 10 to 12 cm thick. Turn over daily if not using a dropping board and weekly if using a dropping board. Needs to be completely replaced every 3 to 4 months. You may wish to use a different bedding type in spring or summer.
Old straw can be added to your compost pile.
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Disadvantages
Initial bedding layer should be 10 to 12 cm thick. Remove visible droppings and soiled litter daily. Turn over bedding weekly. Needs to be completely replaced every 3 to 4 months.
Old hemp bedding can be added to your compost pile.
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Use coarse-grade construction sand (not play sand) to avoid chemicals and risk of chickens consuming too many particles.
Initial bedding layer should be 10 to 12 cm thick. Droppings must be removed daily since they will not compost in sand. Can easily be removed with a cat litter scoop.
May only need to replace every 1 to 3 years.
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Leaves or pine needles must be dead and completely dry before being used or they will mould. Avoid using oak leaves and any sources that may have been treated with chemicals.
Initial bedding layer should be 10 to 12 cm thick. Turn over daily if not using a dropping board and weekly if using a dropping board. Needs to be completely replaced every 2 to 3 months.
Old leaves or needles can be adding to compost pile.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Shredded paper is not recommended for long term use. Do not use inked paper as it can get slippery when wet and is toxic to birds if consumed.
Initial bedding layer should be at least 12 cm thick. Turn over daily and replace every 1 to 4 weeks depending on how soggy it gets.
Wood shavings and straw are the most common, although hemp bedding seems to be gaining popularity. Whatever litter type you use, it’s really important to follow the recommendations for maintaining it to prevent your birds from getting respiratory problems from ammonia build-up, bumblefoot from having their feet in contact with wet litter, and diarrhoa from a build-up of pathogens and parasite eggs in the environment.
A dropping board is a wood, plastic, or metal sheet that sits under the roost to collect any droppings that the birds produce overnight. These must be cleaned daily to remove waste that produces ammonia and may contain harmful pathogens or parasites.
The main advantages to using a dropping board are that it:
The main disadvantages are that they must be cleaned every day, can make the coop look dirty unless they are made of a material that is easy to wipe clean, and they can be difficult or annoying to clean if you have a small coop where you have to crouch or stoop to reach the dropping board.
Another alternative to dropping boards is a deep litter system. This is where you allow droppings to fall directly onto the litter and keep adding new layers of fresh litter on top to allow composting to occur.
If managed correctly, deep litter systems have the advantage of being very low maintenance, keeping the ammonia levels low inside the coop, and producing rich compost that can be used in your garden as fertiliser. Deep litter systems also work well in winter because the heat produced by the composting process will help keep the coop warm.
Deep litter systems don’t work well if your coop is too crowded with birds because the manure will build up too quickly. You also don’t want to use deep litter systems if your coop has issues with water runoff and damp since this can cause the bedding to mould rather than compost.
To set up and maintain a deep litter system, you first need to choose an absorbent bedding material like wood shavings. Other alternative beddings include leaves (as long as they are completely dead and dry) and shredded carboard. Straw can also be used, but you need to make sure it doesn’t get too compacted since this increases the risk of growing harmful moulds.
Do not use hay, cedar wood shavings, aromatic wood shavings or black walnut shavings since these can produce substances that are harmful for chickens.
Start with an initial 10cm to 15cm thick layer of litter. This is a good depth to allow absorption, oxygenation, and turnover by your chickens. The litter can be placed directly on top of a dirt or concrete floor. If you have a wooden floor and walls in the coop, you may want to create a barrier using sheet metal or fibreglass to prevent the wood from getting eaten away.
You will know when it’s time to add more litter by the smell in the coop. As soon as you smell ammonia, add another 5cm or so at a time. Ideally, you want to learn the frequency to manage the litter before you can smell ammonia with the aim of adding smaller amounts of bedding more frequently.
You can use a pitchfork to turn over the litter about once a month to prevent it from caking and causing damage to your birds’ feet. If the litter levels are getting too high, just move the top layer to the side until you reach the compost layer, remove the compost, and then spread out the top litter again to cover the coop floor.