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

[staceyasmith]

I just wanted to share a story with you.....as you are a part of it!! 3 years ago I was building my "new and improved" BIG coop - my first coop was a glorified dog house on stilts and was fine for my first three girls BUT, as we all know, chickens are ADDICTIVE! I started with 3 and now have 19 girls and my "accidental" rooster!! I did TONS of research on line while planning my feathered friend's new "digs" and ran across your thread. It changed EVERYTHING!! I redesigned my entire interior around the "poop shelf" (as we call it). It is so EASY to keep the coop clean! We scoop it every day (sometimes every other day) into buckets and when they are full, they get dumped into the compost pile - easy! We have been using a combination of play sand and DE in the tray but your comment of "no dust" has me wanting to try the Sweet PDZ - the DE dries up the poop and takes care of the smell as well but is SUPER dusty. I wear a mask to scoop! Two things we did differently - first, we put our roosts (we have 2) into brackets so they can be lifted off. It makes cleaning easier and makes cleaning/replacing the roosts a BREEZE. Also, instead of having open space under the shelf, I enclosed it with hardware cloth and a door large enough for me to crawl through (when necessary). The area has its own pop door to a separate pen outside. I use this area for new additions to the flock (so they can be face to face with the others but separated), an area for broodys to hatch and raise their chicks and a separation area for injured birds (thankfully, only used once for that purpose). I just wanted to let you know that your original designed inspired it all! Thank you!

 

[aart]

try the Sweet PDZ - the DE dries up the poop and takes care of the smell as well but is SUPER dusty.

PDZ can be dusty too, especially if you get the powder instead of the granules.
Even the granules are dusty tho.<shrugs> Chickens can sure be dust generators.

 

[Finnie]

So I'm finally getting around to building my poop board. In skimming through this thread looking for images to copycat, (really missing our old view images feature here, sigh) I've noticed some people use OSB for the floor of their tray and some used 1/2" plywood. What do you all think about 1/4" plywood? Would that be too flimsy?

I have all 3 types of wood in my garage. The 3/4" OSB just seems monstrously heavy!

 

[aart]

What do you all think about 1/4" plywood? Would that be too flimsy?

I used ~1/4" luan underlayment with 2x2 on edges and vinyl liner, only change from this would be to make support brackets go all the way to the 2x2 edge underneath.

More here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-178#post-18966048

 

[Finnie]

I used ~1/4" luan underlayment with 2x2 on edges and vinyl liner, only change from this would be to make support brackets go all the way to the 2x2 edge underneath.

More here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-178#post-18966048

You know, yesterday I actually read that post of yours, but it went over my head what "luan" was, so I guess it just didn't stick in my brain. Thank you! That picture of the underside of your poop board is worth a thousand words!

Since I'm incorporating a brooding area under mine, I think it will have pretty good support. And I think I'll have an easier time working with the thinner, lighter wood.

 

[aart]

Luan It think is a brand name for a thin plywood used as floor underlayment.
Kinda like Klennex is used for tissue

 

[blackdog043]

I used 1/4 inch luan, but I made a 2 x 4 frame to set it on. It's 12 ft long.

 

[Finnie]

Please excuse the poopy walls. After I removed all the bedding I started to clean the window ledges and quickly realized I was wasting my time. Repainting is on the maybe-someday list, but it will just get pooped on again.

Here is my progress on the west side of coop. I plan to duplicate this on the east side.

Brooder doors go on next.

 

[aart]

Even more poop boards here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/show-me-your-poop-boards.1287739/

 

[Finnie]

Thanks for the link, aart. It's nice to see different ways people deal with the poop. I'm a little disenchanted with my PDZ boards. I guess I have too many chickens for this system. Morning chores are a drudge now instead of a breeze.

One thing I think is that I made my PDZ too deep. I'm going to try like you and some other people wrote, and put down just a thin layer, and see if that's easier.

I have learned though, that next time I build a coop of any great size to house lots of chickens, I'm going to have dirt floor and use deep litter/compost method.