The Deep Litter Method??

[BDG]

Before I put a new layer of shavings or straw down, I mix up what is there, and put then new on top. It only gets cleaned out when it gets too deep.

New shavings or saw dust everyday? Hosing stuff down? Bleaching and disinfecting?

Whole waste of time, money and effort. They are solutions to established problems, not preventions for.

The incidence of coccidiosis and respiratory tract infections is much lower in birds on deep litter. Less infection in other livestock too.

When I do clean out, before any bedding, a layer of diatomaceous earth goes down, this soaks up the small amount of moisture that may leach through bedding and kills mites and other problem insects.

[T-oddity]

I've a small chicken run and coop, the run is straight on soil gets a bag of wood chip, woody garden shredding's every so often to keep things sweet and dug out for compost about once a year, the coop is deep litter, adding a sprinkling of wood ash on the droppings and fresh wood shavings every day or so and cleaned out when it gets a bit full and like BDG a liberal sprinkling of diatomaceous earth before the fresh bedding goes in.