Litter as a system: depth, moisture, ammonia, turning, replacement
Litter is not a carpet you lay at the start and throw away at the end. It is a living system that receives hundreds of kilos of droppings and water every day, and must absorb them, dry them and return them to the air without producing ammonia. When this system works, the feet are healthy, the air is clean and the chickens lie down cool. When it jams, the whole house deteriorates in three days. This lesson teaches you to make it work: materials, depth, moisture, daily actions, replacement.
11 min read · 5-question quiz at the end
By Abdul Hussein ChoumanFounder of NEXTEKCI · Agnibilékrou hatchery since 2006Lesson reserved for students following the steps
This lesson is part of Level 8 — Climate control and housing in a hot climate. It opens to registered students who have passed the level 7 exam. Levels 1 to 5 and the tracks remain readable by everyone.
What you will learn
- ✓Explain what the litter receives every day and what it must do with it: the water balance of a flock
- ✓Choose the material and calculate the quantity for a given depth
- ✓Measure litter moisture (handful test) and ammonia, and act on them
- ✓Apply the daily and weekly actions, and decide on replacement