My winter coop secret: deep litter for warmth and less trash

This method cuts down on bedding and turns waste into compost for my plants.

3 comments

3 Comments

Yeah, the part about it cutting down on bedding really got me. I was a total clean freak with my coop, hauling everything out every single week. Took forever. Tried the deep litter method last fall and figured out it just works. Way less work for me, and the birds clearly liked the built up heat. Totally changed my whole winter routine.

irisp674mo ago

That built up heat is a game changer for sure. Just add a thin layer of fresh bedding on top every week or two to keep it fresh, right?

baker.simon1mo ago

My deep litter experiment lasted exactly one winter before I ripped it all out. First red flag was when I dug down in March and found a solid mat of ammonia soaked bedding that had basically turned into a compost brick. Had to take a pry bar to the floor. My birds got respiratory issues that spring too, vet said it was likely from the buildup. I'd rather spend 30 minutes a week doing a full cleanout than risk another vet bill and having to replace my whole coop floor.