Poop board or no poop board?

[kkapotsy]

Enclosed is pic of coop! It's 4x4 with nest boxes so really 3x4. The roost bar is where the builder put it, and I'm trying to decide how to reconfigure. I really want poop boards with pdz, at about the height of the 2x2 that runs along that left wall, about 12" wide and the span of that 4" wall. (And was going to mount hanging feeders beneath). Will that give my birds enough clearance to get to the roost? Or should I just leave the roost where it is and lay sand on the floor with feeders outside?

 

[kkapotsy]

Bump! Anyone have any insight?

 

[JackE]

Yeah, I'd kick out that "RoostBar" and run a couple of 2X4"s across the coop, the other way. 4X4', How many birds you putting in there? Maybe you could get away with just one roostboard.
And I would scrap the crap board idea, in a little coop like that. You'd have to be reaching in there and scrapping that crap covered board every other day or so. No fun.
Another thing I would do, is buy a bucket of Blackjack #57 roofcoat, and dump it in there to protect the wood floor. I'm not a big fan of sand either, but, if that's what you want to do.

 

[kkapotsy]

Thanks for the input!!

I have latex primer and peel n stick tiles that I'll be laying down on the floor. As far as the pdz goes near rave reviews, no scraping would be doing it kitty litter style and scooping every day or every other day or so. I like the method for cleanliness and being in a neighborhood would prefer to NOT piss off my neighbors with a stinky coop. Will be having four birdies, hopefully I haven't put too many but we made a huge run and will be part time free-ranging so we'll see. But definitely enough roost space as-is for four.

But yeah if I do boards, the boards will have a lip and contain pdz which I'll clean using litter method... then just pine shavings on the floor. But will foot wide poop board and the two foot clearance be enough for the birds to get on the roost?

 

[JackE]

With only 4 birds you could just have the one roostboard, and put it up about 30", and have the poopboard just under that. Then, you could hang your feeder and water bucket under there. And the birds will have no problems hopping up there. With 4 birds, it shouldn't be that big a mess to keep up with. I've read stories about poopboards, with a lot of chickens. UGH, not for me.
From your picture, from what I can see. I would have the roostboard, pooptray, and the waterfount and feeder right in front of the doorway, from where you took the picture. Now of course, make everything easily removable. Like have the roostboard sit in a notch, and the poopboard just sitting on a shelf. So everything can be easily removed for further coop cleaning. With 4 birds, and if the coop has plenty of fresh air flow/ventilation, the coop should not stink at all, with reasonable care.
And, if your coop doesn't already have it. I would build a hardware clothed screen door for more airflow in the warmer months.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

With only 4 birds you could just have the one roostboard, and put it up about 30", and have the poopboard just under that. Then, you could hang your feeder and water bucket under there. And the birds will have no problems hopping up there. With 4 birds, it shouldn't be that big a mess to keep up with. I've read stories about poopboards, with a lot of chickens. UGH, not for me.
From your picture, from what I can see. I would have the roostboard, pooptray, and the waterfount and feeder right in front of the doorway, from where you took the picture. Now of course, make everything easily removable. Like have the roostboard sit in a notch, and the poopboard just sitting on a shelf. So everything can be easily removed for further coop cleaning. With 4 birds, and if the coop has plenty of fresh air flow/ventilation, the coop should not stink at all, with reasonable care.
And, if your coop doesn't already have it. I would build a hardware clothed screen door for more airflow in the warmer months.

X 2 on all points. The nice thing about the poop board is that it provides extra "floor space" by preventing the waste from getting down below the roost -- my waterer and feeder are hung beneath mine and it has worked out wonderfully. Even with my current flock of 20 the poop board is not at all nasty or hard to keep up with. I generally tidy it up a few times a week in the summer and more frequently in the winter (in the winter the shorter hours and unpleasant weather has the birds spending more time up at roost so more waste to clean up).
One of the first things I had added to our coop (I stole the feed/tack room on our barn) was a screen door when summer rolled around -- it is a fabulous way to let air *and* light into the coop.

 

[kkapotsy]

That is exactly what we are doing. We live inLA and these birds need lots of airflow!! So we are doing a screen door that we will replace the regular door with in the warm months! (Wth hardware cloth!) thank you so much for the help! I'm popping that roost out today to work on flooring and then onward to poop boards!

 

[JoeP]

With only 4 birds you could just have the one roostboard, and  put it  up about 30", and have the poopboard just under that.  Then, you could hang your feeder and water bucket under there.  And the birds will have no problems hopping up there.   With 4 birds, it shouldn't be that big a mess to keep up with.  I've read stories about poopboards, with a lot of chickens.  UGH, not for me. 
 From your picture, from what I can see.  I would have the roostboard, pooptray, and the waterfount and feeder right in front of the doorway, from where you took the picture.  Now of course, make everything easily removable.  Like have the roostboard sit in a notch, and the poopboard just sitting on a shelf.  So everything can be easily removed for further coop cleaning.  With 4 birds, and if the coop has plenty of fresh air flow/ventilation, the coop should not stink at all, with reasonable care.
And, if your coop doesn't already have it.  I would build a hardware clothed screen door for more airflow in the warmer months.

X 3 on all points. Well said.