Recommended Height of Deep Litter Poultry Pen and Cage Poultry Pen

The fundamental principle is that the poultry house should be high enough to allow for proper ventilation and also prevent heat. It should also be low enough to prevent the wind from demolishing it. However, the ideal height of pen in a deep litter system is 12 feet.

In the case of cages, the principle is the same. However, the building may be higher since cages will be placed inside it. The height may therefore be above 12 feet depending on the number of tiers of the cages that will be placed in it.

Poultry Deep Litter System

Deep litter is an animal housing system, based on the repeated spreading of straw or sawdust material in indoor booths.

An initial layer of litter is spread for the animals to use for bedding material and to defecate in, and as the litter is soiled, new layers of litter are continuously added by the farmer.

In this fashion, a deep litter bedding can build up to depths of 1–2 meters^.

“The usual procedure for built-up floor litter is to start with about 4 inches of fine litter material with additions of 1 to 2 inches later as needed without removal of the old.

A depth of 6 to 12 inches is maintained by partial removals from time to time.” (Plamondon) Many consider this to be a natural means to disposing of animal feces.

“The deep litter cultivation is a modern ecological breeding technique based on decomposing feces by microbiological methods, a post processing method for poultry Manure.

Read Also: Poultry Housing Management: Poultry Pen/House Construction Guide

Advantages of Deep Litter System

1. It is an economical
2. Hygienic, comfortable and safe to birds
3. Built up litter supplies vitamin B12 and Riboflavin to the birds
4. Controls diseases and vices
5. It increases the efficiency of production
6. Materials such as paddy husks saw dust, dried leaf, chopped straw and groundnut kernels depending upon the availability can be used as litter materials.

Points to be considered while adopting deep litter system

1. The deep litter system should always kept dry.
2. Only right numbers of birds should be housed
3. The house should be well ventilated
4. The litter should be stirred at least once in a week-wet litter if any should be replaced immediately with new dry litter and birds must be   fed a balanced ratio.
5. The time starting deep litter system should be in the dry period of the year as it allows sufficient time (At least two months) for bacterial action.
6. Placing of water should be given due attention to keep litter dry.