Sweet PDZ?

[JeepDVL45]

I'm in the middle of designing and building my 2nd coop. Originally I was going to make a poop hammocks for under the roosts, but after reading up on Sweet PDZ, I may do poop trays instead.

But before I dive right in, I do have a couple questions about the Sweet PDZ:

Can I still compost even with the Sweet PDZ with no ill effects?

Do any of you have issues with your chickens dusting in the Sweet PDZ?

Do you use straight Sweet PDZ or do you mix it with sand? Does it matter?


Thanks

Nick

 

[Bama Rambler]

Our TSC carries it and it's called Sweet PDZ. It's also called Stall Refresher. It's in the aisle with the horse stuff.

I've been using it exclusively on our 6'x8' coop floor for the last 22 weeks and it's great! I have it about 1½" deep and scoop it weekly. We have 23 birds and it handles them well.

Sweet PDZ is Zeolite and DE is diatomaceous earth. Zeolite is an ammonia scavenger and that's what makes Sweet PDZ work so well.

DE isn't an ammonia scavenger so while it would dry the droppings, the ammonia odor will remain.

You can go to the Sweet PDZ website and find places to buy it.

The ideal situation is to mix a little food grade DE with the Sweet PDZ. That way you get the pesticide aspects of the DE along with the dessicant and ammonia scavenging aspects of the Sweet PDZ.

You don't want pool filter DE. It's processed completely different from food grade DE.

 

[Rick&Chris]

I started using sand mixed with PDZ ~4:1.
But ended up(long story) going to straight PDZ ~1/8" deep,
adding some as needed,
but I sift the entire poop board contents daily.
Might want to look at your ventilation too.

We received our new (bigger) coop a couple of weeks ago. I have an area under the roosts that is sand and PDZ, not quite 4:1 - I’ll need to mix in more PDZ. Next I time I go to TSC I’ll get more PDZ (it’s about 45 min away). I have been sifting it every day - works well! The other area of the coop is pine shavings that I try to sift thru and will replace every 2 weeks or so. We will be adding more ventilation up top now that we have our final setup. We do have the gable end vents at the peak on both ends of the enclosed area. They are approx 15”x6” each

The run area is 7’x18’ - and mostly covered (see pic) - grass is pretty much gone now. Recommendations on what to put in the run area to keep the poop under control? Raking it is barely working! Starting to stink in there! And they have poop on their feet (that freaks me out!).

Working on more roosts in the pen (have a swing that is not in this photo) - they aren’t too keen on it because it moves. Eventually we’ll have a fenced in area around this coop for them to get out - but that will probably be a spring project unless we get some decent (rain free) weather here in S.E. PA.

 

[Rick&Chris]

Gorgeous coop and run!
Would love to see pics of inside too.

Does that cupola actually 'work'...or just decorative?
Could put larger vent at gable under run roof.
But why it stinks I dunno....mine usually doesn't unless there's been a fresh cecal dropped.

In run aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO. Other stuff can be added but the wood does the best and biggest job and lasts the longest. Hard to find those this time of year. Garden center might have some uncolored and untreated mulch chunks that would stand in nicely. You could just toss some straw and pine shavings down, not too much of either one at once, should reduce the odor some until you get some bigger stuff.

Better get used to poop on feet, it's pretty much inevitable IME.

The cupola is decorative, but I think we might be able to make it real (when it gets warm and/or isn’t raining - LOL). We’re going to add more ventilation, maybe along with upper part of the walls where they meet the roof - or into the enclosed pen area (that would probably be the easiest) - we can cut a big hole and put hardware cloth over it. Thinking about a little shelf under it to put a fan to blow air in or out during the summer months.

I’ll try to find those wood chips, not sure what I can find this time of year. My neighbor is a landscaper - i’ll try to get something from him.

As for the poop on the feet ... still ‘ewww’!

 

[CountryChic63]

I'd like to mix some PDZ in the sand inside coop in the poop boards. Is the horse stall granular safe & effective for chickens as the one advertised as Coop Refresher? If so, why do they sell both?

 

[aart]

I'd like to mix some PDZ in the sand inside coop in the poop boards. Is the horse stall granular safe & effective for chickens as the one advertised as Coop Refresher?

Yes....it's what most of us use.

If so, why do they sell both?

They sell the smaller bag of Coop Refresher...'because they can'... to make more money from those who aren't savvy enough to realize they are the same product at a much higher price. Or maybe for folks who can't store a larger bag.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I use PDZ too and I love it! But I’m curious to find out if it is safe to add the litter to my compost bin. Has anyone else looked into it?
I’d obviously like to use all this great chicken and Guinea poo in my garden, but worried the PDZ may not be good for vegetables?

It's zeolite. Safe for compost. I read somewhere that it actually aids composting.

 

[jthornton]

I use PDZ too and I love it! But I’m curious to find out if it is safe to add the litter to my compost bin. Has anyone else looked into it?
I’d obviously like to use all this great chicken and Guinea poo in my garden, but worried the PDZ may not be good for vegetables?

I've been putting it in my compost bins for 4 years, it's a tiny porus rock.

JT

 

[TheOneAndOnlyEggMontoya]

I paid mine between $13 and $15 (depending of the feed store) but i live in So Cal so the price might be different where you live. I love that stuff!!! I mix it with a little of DE and add it under the roosts (in the pooping board). Everyday, I just have to spend 10 minutes to scoop, it's so easy and the coop doesn't smell at all!

I like the idea of this but knowing my chickens they would just sleep in the poop try and use it as a dust bath instead.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I like the idea of this but knowing my chickens they would just sleep in the poop try and use it as a dust bath instead.

My girls dustbathe on the poop deck. But they do wait until I’ve scooped it!