Poop board convert *warning-graphic/gross poop pictures*

[NookNook01]

I wanted to share a picture of my Poop Board and ramp, we finally finished the Chicken Shack this Fall!!! My Chooks and I LOVE IT~!~

 

[canesisters]

 

[CasieD]

I wanted to share a picture of my Poop Board and ramp, we finally finished the Chicken Shack this Fall!!! My Chooks and I LOVE IT~!~

Looks great!!

Makes me thing back to this spring when our new coop was all clean and shiny yet! lol

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

I wanted to share a picture of my Poop Board and ramp, we finally finished the Chicken Shack this Fall!!! My Chooks and I LOVE IT~!~

NICE!

 

[bamachicks8]

Nice

 

[Nambroth]

You know, I've been using hardwood fuel pellets, that I soak and break down into sawdust... It doesn't seem extraordinarily dusty... I wonder if hardwood sawdust is heavier than pine sawdust, and if that's the difference. I only have the 7 hens, but I spend all of 10 minutes at the coop each morning for maintenance... That includes feeding, watering, cleaning the coop, putting all my "tools" away, and collecting any eggs that were laid before I got out there.

I must caution against using hardwood, because hardwoods are known to harbor aspergillosis spores which is bad news for our birds (and possibly humans too). I do not know if the risk is removed when the hardwood flake is formed into fuel pellets or not, but I wanted to mention it just in case. Aspergillosis is nothing to mess with. I have friends that have lost birds to it.

 

[Gifa]

This would be the first I've read about it, and after looking it up, it looks like it's a common spore found in all bedding and environments... hay, straw, and compost, wet or damp housing, etc... So it sounds like any dark, moist place left undisturbed is going to harbor Aspergillus... I honestly think that the woods behind my yard and the straw I have down in their run poses a greater risk to their health than the bedding in their coop. I think because I do not keep water in their coop, because I clean and turn the bedding everyday, because I change it out and clean the coop every 4 months, because the coop is stilted 16 inches off the ground, and because there is ample sunlight and ventilation in the coop that conditions may not be such that allows a concentration of spores that is any higher than ambient concentrations present next to a naturally wooded area full of oaks in various stages of decay.

But it is something to be mindful about... So I will remain vigilante in my cleaning and maintenance duties and keep a watchful eye on things. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Nambroth]

Correct. It is a common spore, and has the potential to be even in pretty ideal conditions. The problem occurs any time we create an area of confinement and lesser airflow (compared to outdoors) such as in a coop, even one with excellent ventilation, unless you are fortunate enough to live in an area where you can have entire walls of your coop as screens. I know some poultry keepers have extremely open coops.

Combined with the tendency of hardwoods to more commonly harbor this spore, especially as they break down, it can be bad news for hardwood shavings in a coop.
Again, though, I do not know if the process for forming fuel pellets may eliminate any threat? I have no idea.

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

Damp anything is always bad news.

I believe aspergillosis is what killed Alex- Dr. Pepperberg's African Grey. That bird was unbelievably talented! I'm sure his cage was kept super clean too, I guess it's just one of those things

 

[Gifa]

Combined with the tendency of hardwoods to more commonly harbor this spore, especially as they break down, it can be bad news for hardwood shavings in a coop.
Again, though, I do not know if the process for forming fuel pellets may eliminate any threat? I have no idea.

Yeah... I wonder if there are any special regulations that manufacturers have to adhere to around mold content in these fuel pellets since they are stored/used in home environments. I will see if I can dig anything up on that.