Litter management
Litter management points:
• The top priority is to keep the litter dry. Well
managed ventilation and good gut health are key
points.
• The litter should be neither too wet nor too dry
(about 25 to 30% of water)
• Litter should be friable and ‘moveable’. The birds
help to maintain this condition by scratching and
dust bathing. Providing a small daily ‘scratch feed’
of whole grain, preferably good quality wheat or
insoluble grit may encourage scratching
• Water pressure in drinker supply lines should meet
suppliers specification to avoid leakage
• Drinkers should not be overfilled. Hanging plastic
drinkers of the ‘bell’ type should contain no more
than 1.5 cm depth of water. Furthermore these
drinkers should be suspended at such a height as
to minimise the problem of spillage resulting when
birds collide with them. If the birds can just reach
to drink, and also be able to walk underneath these
drinkers, the height is ideal.
• Where nipple drinkers are provided, they should
be suspended so that the birds have to reach up
to drink. They should also be provided with (large)
drip cups, in order to reduce spillage directly from
the nipples on to the litter.
• Litter depth should be 5 to 10 cm depending on
type of floor
• Additional litter should be added, on top of the
existing, in order that moisture content is kept
low. The requirement for additional litter is very
low during the summer, but high during cold wet
weather.
• Wet patches resulting from water spillage should be
promptly removed, and additional litter provided.
• During cold and / or wet weather, it is important
to regularly work the litter with a fork, in order to
break up accumulating droppings, and to ‘open up’
any compacted litter. Usually some fresh material
will be added at this time.