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

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:
Little report back. I changed the poopshelf setup, added a 1x6 to the front and filled up the resulting "box" with sweet pdz granules (was all they had at TSC, about 5 20lbs bags). This gave me probably about 2" deep. I hadn't sufficiently realized that this, like sand, will go through small openings so I needed to do some retrofitting to fill up gaps, but I got most of those figured out.

So everything is nice and clean, new shavings on the floor, the palace is ready for the girls to occupy again. You think they'd be grateful? They would have none of this new stuff. They were happy about the new shavings but I got the stinkeye and refusal to go up to the roosts when it came time for them to go to bed. It took them until well after dark to work up the courage to walk up the ladder, gingerly jump on the lower roost and then on the upper one. Anything to avoid touching this scary stuff. Mind you, they were used to a dustbath with sand. What's the difference, I ask?

It was very funny to watch my SLW walk unsuspectingly up the ladder, eye the pdz for half a second, make a 180 degree turn and race down the ladder and out of the coop. Silly chickens.

the next day they had accepted that it wasn't going to devour them and they're now fine with it. I like it too, I scoop every other day or so and no more flies in the coop, and a lot less smell. So I'll join the chorus in thanking you for putting the idea out here.

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

Little report back. I changed the poopshelf setup, added a 1x6 to the front and filled up the resulting "box" with sweet pdz granules (was all they had at TSC, about 5 20lbs bags). This gave me probably about 2" deep. I hadn't sufficiently realized that this, like sand, will go through small openings so I needed to do some retrofitting to fill up gaps, but I got most of those figured out.

So everything is nice and clean, new shavings on the floor, the palace is ready for the girls to occupy again. You think they'd be grateful? They would have none of this new stuff. They were happy about the new shavings but I got the stinkeye and refusal to go up to the roosts when it came time for them to go to bed. It took them until well after dark to work up the courage to walk up the ladder, gingerly jump on the lower roost and then on the upper one. Anything to avoid touching this scary stuff. Mind you, they were used to a dustbath with sand. What's the difference, I ask?

It was very funny to watch my SLW walk unsuspectingly up the ladder, eye the pdz for half a second, make a 180 degree turn and race down the ladder and out of the coop. Silly chickens.

the next day they had accepted that it wasn't going to devour them and they're now fine with it. I like it too, I scoop every other day or so and no more flies in the coop, and a lot less smell. So I'll join the chorus in thanking you for putting the idea out here.

Love it, lol! It reminded me of the first time my girls ran out of the coop only to be met with...ewww...snow. They surely thought they were dying

So very funny to watch.


And- AWESOME idea about the access hatch! Never thought of that and it might work for my smaller coop. Thanks for the idea

Trish

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:
I've not done this myself, since I have a walk-in coop. But I have seen pictures of designs where they had a poopshelf that they could pull out of the side of the coop, like a tray, clean it and then slide in again. I thought about this for a while, but it was harder to implement in my setup and not really necessary so I didn't do it. Perhaps if you do a search you'll find some threads about it, I remember some from probably more than 2 years ago.

 

[amenfarm]

I just read all 15 pages. I bought granular PDZ a few months ago to use in my donkey's stall, he's pretty much a go in the pasture kind of donkey unless the weathers really bad. When it got smelly in there we decides it was not healthy for either of us breathe, even with daily muck outs the ammonia gas was building up. Now I know where the wet spot is and I keep PDZ there under the flake shavings. My husband just built a makeshift coop/aviary (2 solid barn walls and 2 fencing walls) the last 3 days--the coop we waited to pick up was a mess/ and not finished after we gave them twice the time- just put my 4 hens in last night. My husband is building the roosts this weekend, and instead of the hammock shelve design we were going with--if I can talk my husband into it- I'm going with yours--I do not want poo on the barn walls-or as little as possible. I guess I'll steal some of Jay-jay's (donkey) PDZ from next door tonight and sprinkle it on the shavings on the floor, I think I'm going to add it to the dust bath box as well.
What kind of sand did you use? I've been reading about using sand and read the warning about not using play-sand - too fine, only use the very coarse sand. I'm not sure which sand/shavings to go with in the main coop-, some friends are giving us a former kid's playhouse that we are converting-- the ground just has to dry enough to have it brought over, it is extremely heavy.

 

[Thespoiledchicken]

I just read all 15 pages. I bought granular PDZ a few months ago to use in my donkey's stall, he's pretty much a go in the pasture kind of donkey unless the weathers really bad. When it got smelly in there we decides it was not healthy for either of us breathe, even with daily muck outs the ammonia gas was building up. Now I know where the wet spot is and I keep PDZ there under the flake shavings. My husband just built a makeshift coop/aviary (2 solid barn walls and 2 fencing walls) the last 3 days--the coop we waited to pick up was a mess/ and not finished after we gave them twice the time- just put my 4 hens in last night. My husband is building the roosts this weekend, and instead of the hammock shelve design we were going with--if I can talk my husband into it- I'm going with yours--I do not want poo on the barn walls-or as little as possible. I guess I'll steal some of Jay-jay's (donkey) PDZ from next door tonight and sprinkle it on the shavings on the floor, I think I'm going to add it to the dust bath box as well.
What kind of sand did you use? I've been reading about using sand and read the warning about not using play-sand - too fine, only use the very coarse sand. I'm not sure which sand/shavings to go with in the main coop-, some friends are giving us a former kid's playhouse that we are converting-- the ground just has to dry enough to have it brought over, it is extremely heavy.

I love it- steal the donkey's PDZ!

As far as sand, I just brought the contractor kind from Home Depot- lots of pebbles in it. VERY dusty- hate it. But I also hate mucking out pine shavings so I guess dust it is.

Good Luck!

Trish

 

[Bigfamily4me]

I have been waiting and waiting until I could post pictures of my poops boards. I used Trisha"s idea under one to place food and water. Then I came up with my own idea for under the other... a brooder/seperation pen!

Here they are...


Sorry the pictures is crooked.


And the second one...



The PDZ granulated is now on them and the chickens are moved in. Thanks so much again for posting this thread!

 

[Glasshen]

Love your grass and puffy clouds, it should make your flock feel very peaceful. Do the babies get cartoons? Tweety bird and foghorn Leghorn, maybe?

 

[Bigfamily4me]

Love your grass and puffy clouds, it should make your flock feel very peaceful. Do the babies get cartoons? Tweety bird and foghorn Leghorn, maybe?

Good idea! The way I had to line uneven spaces, (the entire inside of the pen), with hardware cloth... There is no good surface to paint. But I do have another wall with a 6 ft high sunflower mural to make them happy!

 

[StarryEyzz]

I am just over the moon to have found this thread!!! I've read all 15 pages and not only so glad to read about the poop board/PDZ but gleaned some other great ideas!!! We got our new chicks, last Saturday. They are in brooder, in garage for now. I have been scouring the internet for coop ideas. We are going for a small shed type coop, that we can walk into it. This poop board is PERFECT!!!

Thanks so much for posting

 

[StarryEyzz]

OH and forgot to add...we are getting an indoor kitten soon so the PDZ will be used for her litterbox as well.