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The average broiler chicken grower can expect to lose 1-5% of their chicks each 45-day production cycle. Managing a flock in the early days is a delicate balancing act – keeping them warm (but not too warm), eating and drinking (but not too much or too little), and thriving. And all of that without breaking the bank.

Litter management can seem basic. But it’s one of those things – when it’s working properly, it blends into the background. When it’s not, it can be a downright mess. The choices you make about litter amendment can impact the welfare of your animals. It can impact the quality and lifespan of your equipment and your barn. And it can impact your bottom line in more ways than one.

Your litter amendment choices matter

Your litter amendment choices are likely influenced by cost, availability, and farm conditions. They are vital in reducing moisture, managing ammonia emissions, controlling pathogens, optimizing air quality, and maintaining overall litter health.

Several types of litter amendments exist, including acidifiers, adsorbers, microbials and alkaline materials. Acidifiers like alum and sodium bisulfate lower pH levels to reduce ammonia volatilization. Adsorbers like zeolites and diatomaceous earth absorb moisture and gasses, while microbial treatments introduce beneficial bacteria to break down organic matter. Alkaline materials like lime, although effective in controlling pathogens, can increase ammonia emissions if not used carefully.

However, many of these amendments aren’t available to organic production. are not organically compliant. The organic farming sector faces stricter regulations, and finding amendments that meet organic standards can be challenging – but necessary. OMRI Listed® poultry litter amendments meet organic certification requirements and production values, enabling organic farmers to manage moisture and ammonia without compromise.

Humidity can turn your barn into an ammonia hotspot

Humidity in poultry barns can create ideal conditions for ammonia production. Poultry barns are naturally warm and moist, and when poultry manure accumulates, ammonia is a byproduct. It can irritate both bird and human eyes and respiratory tracts. And when your immune system is compromised, your ability to thrive is impacted. Unhealthy litter can and will have a knock-on effect in your barn. If you’re not actively managing it, litter can also become a breeding ground for harmful bacterial and fungal growth. Not only can broiler growth be stunted (impacting your bottom line), but the wet material can also impact foot health, making the birds more susceptible to disease. Ammonia levels are especially high during the winter months and can create an uncomfortable environment for workers, particularly when ventilation is limited. Using the right litter amendment is crucial to keeping ammonia levels down.

Excessive moisture can also cause hock burn, breast blisters, skin burns, foot pad dermatitis, bruising...not to mention, wounds are entry points for bacteria and viruses. Absorbents can keep litter dry and skin healthy.

The choices you make now can cost you more later

When it comes to litter amendments, choose quality over quantity – or you could end up paying for it later. If the litter in your barn doesn’t absorb moisture, you will have to replace it more frequently to keep your birds healthy. If you don’t neutralize ammonia, you’ll need to ventilate your barns more – which is a double hit when you’re also heating or cooling your barn in more extreme weather. If you use aggressive litter amendments, birds can suffer conjunctivitis, contact dermatitis and burns to legs and under wings…not to mention, highly acidic materials (such as those containing sulfuric acid) can cause significant damage your barn and equipment, accelerating structure and component deterioration.

A proactive and intentional approach to litter amendment mitigates a whole host of avoidable issues. When we control ammonia, we help protect the wellbeing of our animals, our workers and the environment. Manure accumulation management is more efficient when using the right litter with the appropriate litter additive. Combined with proper ventilation, these are just a few steps you can take to keep your barn fresh and mitigate the negative effects of ammonia emissions.

Less downtime, better productivity

I mentioned diatomaceous earth (DE) earlier. DE is mined from open pit mines and screened to the appropriate size for litter amendments. Even better: it’s effective for both organic and conventional broiler flocks.

Let’s get down to why and how DE is helping support poultry growers. To start, it has great drying benefits. We've combined ours with citric acid in our patented product, Activated Barn Fresh™. It helps to lower the pH of litter, which means it’s safe for workers to handle too. It can easily be added to your existing bedding to help build up moisture reduction.

Your litter amendment should be safe to add to the barn on the same day you add your chicks. It should also reduce downtime between flocks and support windrowing, the practice of turning and composting used litter, which heats it up, killing pathogens faster. As a result, your barn will be ready to support new flocks quicker, creating a healthy environment and reducing the harmful impact of ammonia on young chicks.

Healthy chickens are happy chickens

Controlling litter moisture is one of the best ways to keep flocks safe and healthy. Wet conditions lead to all sorts of nasty problems – hock burn, dermatitis, and ammonia production to name a few – this can cause stress, respiratory disease and irritated eyes in birds.

You know what’s best for your operation. Protect your investment and make sure you’re using a litter amendment that works with you, instead of against you.