Deep litter base

[Trev]

I have used both cat litter pellets and Bedmax, both worked well but the Bedmax is cheaper, I first started using it because I had a leak and the loft floor was constantly getting soaked, once a week I used to just clean the worst of the shit under the perches or infront of the nest boxes weekly and rake the rest over adding a harkers loft dressing, due to health issues of my own and Mum being ill this year I didn't clean the loft out for months. The only problem I had was the feeders getting full of rubbish every day, I lifted all the drinkers so they weren't a massive problem but the feeders weren't quite so easy.
I have also used barley straw as a deep litter, I do believe that using a deep litter does reduce stress in a loft, especially if, like mine, a loft is overcrowded.
The only issue I'd really have with deep litter is that although the loft and droppings are always dry, it does potentially mask any early onset health issues that you would usually pick up through monitoring their droppings.
At the moment I'm just cleaning the loft weekly and putting a loft dressing down every time I clean out.

[NeilA]

Trying a mix of calcium carbonate and VL loft granules as a base
Then maybe a layer of clean dust free barley stray on top I saw a chap on you tube use straw as a base to slow dust the drop through I think he had pea straw though

[NeilA]

I sometimes use the wood pellet cat litter. Once it breaks down a bit it makes a good base and can just be topped up if needed and spot cleaned.
The other thing I have found good is bird sand. I would put a sprinkling of limestone flour on the floor first. We use it in our bird aviary in the shop. It’s easy to clean out every week. We just sieve it once a week. After this it is as good as new. Just needs topping up every so often. I may use this myself this winter.

Does the sand come dry in large bags Andy ?
I couldn’t seem to find it local apart from little bags

[Andy]

I sometimes use the wood pellet cat litter. Once it breaks down a bit it makes a good base and can just be topped up if needed and spot cleaned.
The other thing I have found good is bird sand. I would put a sprinkling of limestone flour on the floor first. We use it in our bird aviary in the shop. It’s easy to clean out every week. We just sieve it once a week. After this it is as good as new. Just needs topping up every so often. I may use this myself this winter.

Does the sand come dry in large bags Andy ?
I couldn’t seem to find it local apart from little bags

Yes Neil, you should be able to get it in 20Kg bags.

[NeilA]

Sounds good Andy