Cleaning A Deep Litter Coop, Start To Finish | Low Maintenance Backyard Chicken Care | Egg Layers

With the deep litter method, we only clean our coop 2-3x/year. Here is what the cleaning process looks like. Click "SHOW MORE" for more resources below!
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DEEP LITTER 101 (Video): • DEEP LITTER METHOD Exp...
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0:00-0:35 - Intro
0:36-7:07 - Removing Old Litter
7:08-10:31 - Fresh Bedding
10:32-11:55 - Final Thoughts
We're not experts, so we always recommend talking to the pros for the best advice. This post and comments below contain affiliate links, which may lead to a commission if purchased. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

[@theunclepudge]

Would DEFINITELY love a video of how you guys apply the deep litter to your garden!!

[@hai6089]

Yes I am so curious!

[@wilsons_acres71]

I do a deep litter in the winter. What I do is add a thick base layer, then add layers a month or two until Spring. I've gone a year w/o cleaning w deep litter and no issues. I sometimes will hon and move the litter around w a rake.

[@arialhamel4266]

Yes! And how long it takes to get to

[@StarrshineFreedomLover]

Ditto!

[@toliscy]

Yes

[@denisev1409]

I love the chicken that put her head in the treat bag. She knows what's up 😂

[@electricninja2122]

Yes of course we wanna see the composting video. How long do you leave it on the compost pile before moving to the garden? Do you put in in a veggie garden, or just on fruit trees?

[@paulawhitehead2561]

Would love to see a video on how you apply it to your garden.

[@deejaybell7111]

Definately want to see how you apply it to the garden. Have litter I've cleaned out for last 5 months. More poop than shavings. Can I till it into this falls garden bed and then plant into it this coming spring. Didn't know if it would still be too hot. Thanks for your advice.

[@paradiseacres9724]

Great question! I am wondering the same 🤔 I have been using my broadfork to work our chicken bedding into the parts of our gardens that are resting until spring... I sure hope it goes well! 🙏🏻😁🤞

[@mikeesmith376]

Tell us about your new coop! I would love to see a tour of the new coop, and to hear how you like the big coop vs the coop that you built on the last property. Thanks for the awesome content.

[@thelifeoflindseyfitz3247]

I would also love a video about how you use it in your garden

[@jenniferhaasch7961]

I put tar paper down on the coop floor and duck taped the seams, kept the wood from rot.

[@vexim_art]

I'd love to see a video about how you apply the chicken bedding to your garden as compost! Great video as always

[@OakAbode]

Wonderful. :) Thank you!

[@sweettoothmomma2621]

​@@OakAbode how long do you let it set before applying to the garden?

[@mandys6323]

I use a respirator whenever I clean out my chicken coop. I would recommend it because I don’t think it’s healthy to breathe that dust. Maybe I’m a little too cautious though. 😅

[@OakAbode]

No I think this is a great idea! I couldn't see much dust while cleaning, but the camera angle shows quite a bit. Definitely a good idea!

[@jasondipinto9284]

@@OakAbode I was thinking this too! 🙊👏🏼 a dust mask and possible some garden gloves might go a long way to keep my face and hands clean. 🙌🏼

[@a-a-rondavis9438]

Ah, fresh salmonella dust lol. The litter cannot be dry like that. Also, the chickens will get infected as well. Salmonella is HIGHLY transmissible.

[@aliciamendoza423]

More videos on how to use this for the garden. And more chicken videos. Maybe an update on which ones you have and what they’re laying 😊

[@abseiduk]

Nice, I like these detailed 'how to videos' it helps a lot.

[@melissaa7259]

I’d love the garden fertilizing video!!

[@bethnia9053]

Total gardening nerd here! I employ deep litter as well and compost that garden gold! Thank you for your videos and info!

[@annking1576]

How long between cleaning coop & putting it in your garden? Do you separate the piles of litter so you know how long it has to sit before using in garden?

[@lyndsaystevens9086]

I would love a video on how you use it in Garden!!

[@abbypetitt6788]

Yes! Plz do a video about adding to garden!

[@anniegraf4027]

YES PLEASE DO A VIDEO ON HOW YOU USE THE BEDDING FOR YOUR GARDEN PLEASE!!!!

[@crashphelps]

Would love to see how you use this in the garden!

[@edithspears2422]

Yes. I would definitely love to see a video on using the bedding on your garden!

[@g.s.35]

Yes pls show us how u apply it to your garden!!!

[@kellijobatts]

Please share your garden, and how you use your golden litter!!!

[@robingriffin6498]

ABSOLUTELY! I need a video!! lol

[@amylocke531]

PLEASE make a video on how you go from deep litter method waste to garden

[@pantherman4699]

Love the crow at the end. lol

[@Bioluvskatz]

Yes PLEASE! A video on how to use it in your garden!!!

[@alejandrasuarez-carias320]

Interested to see how you use this in your garden!!!

[@jerryhealy3924]

Application of Manure to your garden would be great. Thankyou

[@heatherray2025]

Yes, I'd love to know how to use in garden!

[@SimpleSpur_92]

Interested in how you put the deep litter in your garden! Yes please for a video on this subject

[@zone6b481]

I would definitely recommend a dust mask.

[@melissaroot1092]

Yes, would like to know about garden application

[@jeffboersma221]

Hey your content has been super helpful getting going! This video has a lot going on. Your wood chip waste is extremely high. Use med flake- use your nose. Ammonia smell- douce certain spots. You my friend are using wrong shavings/ way to much and WAY to much wood/wrong carbon to the garden. I use mediums flake- use nose to add more- once a year on compost. Litter gets put on a pile for a few months or until next year to eliminate semnia or others. It takes time to compost but be careful on your garden veggies. Wash twice!

[@jeffboersma221]

Salmonella(and others) was what I meant 🤪

[@jenneyosborne7120]

Would love to see how you use your compost in your garden! Also a video on how to compost. We are just starting with chickens a gardening.

[@primitivedaisy]

My husband and I are planning on raising layers this year, I am so glad I found your channel! We are in Wisconsin as well, so your info will come in handy. Thanks! 😊🐝

[@TwinkiesDesigns]

I love your videos! Thank you! For some feedback - the music is crazy making. 🙈 Much prefer the simple voiceover.

[@jennlizzy2019]

Good information and thank you. I would like to give you friendly advice. Cleaning a chicken coop should always include wearing protection from dust. Histoplasmosis, chronic asthma, and other respiratory concerns are connected to poultry agriculture and care. Please keep yourself safe. 😊

[@K_mc01]

Do you have a video about composting the old litter and when you apply it to the garden?

[@cathyscovill8961]

Thanks for sharing this with us. Please do a video on how to add it to the garden!

[@dianedrury1157]

Yes please show us how much you mix into your garden beds 😊

[@laurentingey7392]

Yes, please show how you apply in the garden. Thank you for these videos.

[@charlesfoster8814]

That was the best ending of a UTube video I've ever seen! Sure was looking forward to see you operating the tractor! I use the roost/nest box liter in my garden and on my grafted citrus! My grafted citrus are three times bigger than the trees I gave to my dad!

[@maggiefrancis4194]

Definitely love to hear how to use this in the garden! I enjoy all your videos! Getting our first Olive and Easter Eggers because of your great video on them!

[@MelSr8]

Def curious how you add this to the garden.

[@alphastarcar]

Your channel is awesome, thanks for the info!

[@ronkerber2792]

I use the same method but use flakes. Moisture is what causes smells, dry bedding is a must. I also dust perches and nesting boxes with diatomaceous earth, safe and only gets rid of micro pests. Hang the water from a wire or rope several inches above the bedding and that problem will be solved, don't use chain, don't want the girls toes stuck. Hope you and everyone have wonderful Holidays.

[@LavenderandLinen]

I’m late seeing this, but I would love to see a video on how you use the bedding!!

[@jedimom7934]

Love all your videos! I’m planning on chickens for the first time!

[@Nicholas_Powell]

I would greatly appreciate if you showed us your deep litter to garden fertilizer method.

[@wendyhart]

I’m using the deep litter method myself and I would love to see how you use it on your garden!!! Please 🙏🏻 show us!! Thanks so much!!

[@scottk229]

Love the video, we had about 5 chickens when we moved in to our 5 acre property. Bought them as day olds. A couple days after they started to lay eggs a mink got in a killed most of them. That ended our chicken experience. 15 years later were thinking of trying again.

[@veronicagiles7025]

We are just about to build a new coop that will hopefully hold 6-8 larger birds. I have done this but totally on accident I didn’t realize this was a thing. And now I am super excited to use this on my trees in the yard! Thank you for sharing !!

[@carlymahoney8175]

Definitely do a video on how to add it to your garden!

[@Homestead925]

i do this method but still new to it but i may add more bedding then the first time after i clean it out in the spring

[@SeventhSamurai72]

Yes please on a video showing your use of the material in the garden. Thank you😃

[@dustitice6399]

Please start doing an everyday vlog! With letting out the girls, collecting eggs, their breeds, and potentially some goals you have for them!

[@janzoo1111]

Yes! Please show us how you apply to your garden.

[@olgamika7734]

Yes please! Show us how to use in the garden.

[@HeinemannHomestead]

Would LOVE to see how you use this in the garden! I’ll be emptying my first time deep litter in spring and would love to use it when we plant in June.

[@user-kr9js5fh1o]

I’m beginner here so I’ve been researching the most cost effective, low maintenance & clean bedding options. I’m curious if you have experience with using the deep litter method on a concrete floor? Will it draw moisture?

[@expat2023]

From 🇷🇺 with ❤️!

[@unclebubbaknowseverything9143]

Howdy from Texas!! 🤠

[@amyoungswallow]

Definitely interested in how you add the bedding to your garden!

[@rayleenzavala8641]

Can you make a video on where you get your chickens or where a beginner should get them !?

[@TheBoytoy09]

Thanks for the video, I too started using the deep litter method, it saved me a lit of time and money 💰! I'm fairly new to this chicken thing and I was constantly cleaning it at least once a week until I found your videos.

[@melvanini]

I'd love to see a video about how to use the litter!

[@catherinejohns1224]

Great info. Would love to see a garden application video as well. Thanks so much!

[@marissamills]

Like others already said, of course we want the composting video!

[@nancyfleming4822]

Would love to know how long you need to compost the the litter before you can use it in the garden.

[@kathymarkey3092]

great video - thanks so much. Yes I would definitely like to have a video on using this in the garden.

[@atherisGAY]

Heyo, I've been watching your deep litter videos and watching this one, I wonder why you don't scrape the not broken down wood shaving layer to one side and just take out the lower layers and keep the upper layer as the new bottom.

[@sharonross4535]

Def want to see how you apply to your garden. Thank you for a great video. God Bless

[@Janetsdragonfly]

Please do using deep liter in garden

[@gardengirl22]

Yes please and is there a video that shows your entire coop? Right now mine is just thrown together and come spring I need to get them a good coop. I'll have 4 chickens by then.

[@tanyamickel1751]

I would love to see how you use the deep litter in your garden. I'm wanting to do this next spring.

[@jamesjessee4064]

Nice video ❤️

[@danpozzi3307]

Great info. I do deep litter with leaves and compost so I like it wet so at the end it’s already compost now

[@catalinavelasquez7796]

Please show us how you use it for your garden. I really would like to learn how to use the material for my own garden.

[@lyndseyward1384]

Same as many others! Would love to know how yall apply it to your garden:)

[@davidtaylor9936]

Yes please! How to 🐔 compost garden

[@23lbuss]

Hello! We have a concrete floor, do you suggest putting anything on top before the bedding? Thank you, great videos!

[@langhals04]

We would love to know how you use this in the garden!

[@jennytaylor5320]

I would love to know how you use it in your garden. I am doing the deep litter method now and will be cleaning it out in the spring or next fall. I only have 12 chickens.

[@elainepaugh745]

Yes.....how to use it in the garden

[@joemccarthywascorrect6240]

Would a mix of shavings and sawdust work? I have access to quantities of sawdust and am wondering if that would be good for extending the shavings and flake? Right now we have our birds in a commercial TractorSupply coop, and I am cleaning it out once a week, but next summer I hope to make an all-new larger (and more user friendly) coop. Meanwhile, I am going through my bedding supply faster than I thought I would. I take my coop cleanings out to a little spot I’ve cleared and bury it in the red clay that passes for soil here. I hope that by springtime it will amend the soil enough to be a decent vegetable plot. Before planting, I want to run a rear-time cultivator over it a couple times to really loosen the soils and mix the “good stuff” around. Thanks and keep the videos coming!

[@claudinedecarlisle8647]

Yes, please share how you use it. And what are the dimensions of this coop? Trying to calculate how much bedding to get.

[@forrestnewman1268]

Can you compost using the deep litter method if you’ve added Saturday Line?

[@christopherolson2235]

what do you guys do with the stuff you shovel out? Could I put it in my garden over the winter? We live in Northern WI and are garden is empty until June..

[@terributler215]

Can you use straw in place of the wood chips? Thanks.

[@mrs.m5890]

Thanks for all the info. I do have a question. We have a smaller coop. Every morning there are piles of poop under the roosts. Do I lightly turn that over every day? Our chickens dont really move the bedding around. Do I ever turn from the very bottom? Or only just turn the top? Then once a week im supposed to add a light layer of new bedding? Im new to this and ive started smelling ammonia. Thanks for any suggestions.

[@steveme120]

think the wood chips needs more water to brake down , understand you don't what to that in the coop but this will mean you will need to allow more time to brake down in the compost pile ?

[@sallyboothe911]

I use deep litter method, have cleaned out twice. I would like to see how you use it in the garden. You may show it if so thank you, but I would like to see how you prepare the litter to use it. Just like regular compost or is there something different I need to do. Thanks

[@bighaasfly]

I have LOTS of oak trees and in the fall we have LOADS of dry leaves. Could run over the leaves with the mower and then use that for bedding instead of wood shavings? Just wondering.

[@Sarahelizabeth1112]

Can you use this method with all types of flooring? We are getting a coop that has an linoleum floor.

[@partnertuff]

When you remove the dirty bedding you are removing the newest bedding with it. Do you wait several days after putting down fresh bedding to clean out the coop, giving it time to be useful before you remove it?

[@marthamann5234]

Yes please tell how you use chicken waste in your garden.

[@Jane-xh6fv]

Would you recommend sawdust as a bedding material? I can get a truckload for $35. Also I’ve heard mulched fall leaves work really well. Have you used these before?

[@anthonyskinner2087]

Do you have a tarp under the layers ? Or are you right on wood floor ?

[@mandieveaks8499]

I'll be starting out with a tray for litter I'd like to do a deep litter method but won't be able to but would there be a way to still compost it? Any ideas?

[@twins548512]

I use the fine bedding in my coop but I also have a poop shelf…. Less clean up of the bedding. Is that shelf completely taking the purpose of the deep litter method away? We have sand under our poop shelf. 🤔

[@kristinamccotter9031]

Can this method be used from day one when their ready to be outside in the coop? Lkne 6-8 weeks old?

[@PikNikTime]

Hey! I haven't gone through all of your videos yet but is this a barn you use for your chickens in addition to your coop? Is the coop only for them at night??