Talk to me about CHICKEN POOP!

[Birdinhand]

my last two coop designs have included a raised area for the inner coop where the hens roost. I line the area with something water resistant and durable, like plastic and fill with about 8" of mulch. I typically provide lots of ventilation, except on the harshest nights in the teens. the girls go in every day and turn over the mulch and bury the droppings from the night before. I have not cleaned it out in a good 8 months. periodically I scoop some out and throw it into the composter and add more mulch. this is a variation of the deep litter method, it ain't pretty but it does the job with minimal maintenance.

 

[ScottandSam]

X2 dlm.
We Cleaned out weekly the 1st year and a half to keep smell down. Last 6 months we have a nice deep litter bed. No smell and some really nice looking dirt @4"deep under the top 8" of leaves,mulch,hay, mixture. We also have nice dirt were piled the clean out the first year and a half in the yard. Difference it last 6 month I turned the dl maybe 4 times in the coop. Girls help turn both the coop and yard. Needless to say we are happier and I know the girls and boys are too.
FWIW our dlm is on a plywood floor coated with black jack 57.

 

[aart]

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

-Runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials.