Found my preference for coop maintenance!! Nesting Pads!!

After having chickens now for a couple of years, I am finding new and better ways to maintain them. I always peruse Farmtek, but recently I came upon a website that seems to be comprable to Farmtek called QC supply. I found my nesting pads to be cheaper $2.33 vs $2.99, S&H same.

I have been experimenting with coop cleaning preferences and switched to sand from pine shavings/bedding. I have sand on my coop floor and in the run, and I LOVE it. Initially I had pine bedding in my nest boxes, but then I tried straw in the nesting boxes but found myself cleaning it off the floor constantly because my chickens love to scratch and kick it out of the box. Also, I found it very difficult to scoop out droppings with straw. Definately not as sanitary with straw. So, I switched back to pine shavings, but still had the problem of the chickens kicking it out onto the coop floor.

I finally ordered the NESTING PADS!!!! HALLELUJA!!!!!!!!!!!!! This should solve my problem, (I know, I'm a little OCD, I'm a nurse can't help it!) I hate having this nice and tidy sand floor littered with pine shaivings!

I also have started using oxine, can't stand the slime that builds up on the waterers.

Now... if I can just get them litter box trained.... : )

LOL It is possible to train them to poo in a particular place only but I doubt you've the time to do that individually to every bird

PS: don't ever look at my coop. You'd have a seizure! It doesn't stink at all but it doesn't look sanitary for sure. Secret is, it's dry. And I dust about with food grade DE to keep it that way. Wood shavings, sawdust, leaves, pine needles, straw... it's all in there. Plus poop boards that I do clean.

I use DE as well, also poultry dust and I deworm with Ivermectin quarterly. Don't let me fool you, my coop is cleaner than my house, how sad, lol!!

I love the nesting pads...I'm ordering another six so I can swap out when I clean them every couple of months...I'll never go back to pine shavings. And I've recently changed from pine shavings to sand in the inside coop....much easier and much less to remove each morning..I love the great suggestions on byc!

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Yes, isn't that the truth! I just need to find the right rake to use inside the coop for quick and easy clean up. I use a kitty litter scoop to pick up the droppings.

I have a linoleum floor in my coop and 3/4 of it is covered with sand. I do have a poop roost as well. My nest boxes had shavings in them and the girls scatter it all over the place. More work than cleaning the sand. A BYCer mentioned nesting pads from eggcartons.com. They are not like the ones you purchased. They are 13 x 13 Excelsior Nesting Pads and 20 count cost $19.95. I just added them to the nest boxes this afternoon. I will see how the girls adapt to them. Also will see if there is any mess as I was told there shouldn't be any.

The ones you purchased, are they soft for your girls to sit on?


http://www.eggcartons.com/images/EP1313.jpg

This is what my nests look like after an egg is laid. Shavings almost all gone. I have indoor/outdoor carpet underneath so the egg doesn't get broken.
Could not find a pic with the messy floor. Seems I only take pics after the cleanup!

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Yes, isn't that the truth! I just need to find the right rake to use inside the coop for quick and easy clean up. I use a kitty litter scoop to pick up the droppings.

I use a reptile sand scoop and I have found I do not like bending down to clean the coop floor. Another BYCer suggested http://goliathscoop.com/index.html. I am asking "Santa" for one.

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That is exactly what my silkies do! They kick out the shavings onto the floor and make a bare spot to lay the egg!! I like those nest pads you posted, I will have to try them after I try the pads I ordered. I will let you know Mama Hen : )

With the QC nesting pads, can they be rinsed off and reused? Or do they need to be replaced? I currently use pine shavings on the floor and nest boxes, but would like to change it to something else.

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They can be rinsed off and reused for a long time apparently. I don't know how soft they are, they should be here in 2 days, I will let you know : )