I also dump my kitchen scraps in that area....off to the left or right of the actual roosts and the "drop zone"....the chickens eat what they want, while the rest gets buried there, much like in a compost bin. You wouldn't believe what is buried in that small area....all my canning scraps, tons of garden refuse, weeds and grasses removed from the gardens, all the corn shucks, and such....you name it...that little space under my roosts has eaten it like it never was and gives back rich, fine compost in return.