Poop board or no poop board?

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bow-chicka-bow-bow

bow-chicka-bow-bow

In the Brooder
8 Years
Apr 6, 2011
58
0
39
Fuquay-Varina, NC
I'm finishing up building our coop. (or I should say my DH is finishing it up.) Anyway, It is approx. a 6X6 and we were putting two roosting bars in it. One near a window beside the nesting boxes and the other caddy corner next the the one along the wall. (if that makes any sense) Anyway, as I've been looking here, I see that some people have poop boards underneath their roost bars. I'm wondering if I really need to include one or not? I have 8 chicks and while it is a good size coop, I don't know if I have that much room to give them to run around in it. Plus, I was thinking of putting a feeder and waterer in there as well.

So, do I need a poop board or not?
idunno.gif
 
I have chosen to not use a poop board. I have also chosen to use the deep litter method. I think those two go well together. If I was using a thinner layer of litter I'd probably use a poop board. One thing I really really really like about NOT having a poop board -- I don't have to clean it
smile.png



VF
 
I like my poop board. But, that means that I have to clean it daily, which usually takes less than 15 minutes in my coop that holds 60 birds. If I didn't have a poop board, I'd have to clean the whole coop more often, since I don't do the deep litter system.
One good thing about the poop board is that I can inspect the poop for health issues.
Dale-Ann
 
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I'm also planning to use the deep litter method because I don't want to have to clean it every day. So, would that make a difference whether to have the poop board if I use the deep litter method?
 
We did not have a poop board the first year of having chickens. Then we built the new coop and did a poop board. I have to say I much prefer having it. I can fit a feeder and waterer underneath it and the poop board does not take up any floor space to speak of. Also it is easier to just clean that off once a week, especially in the winter when I cannot do a full clean out of the coop. I seem to save on shavings too. If you click on the link in my siggy you can see my set up. The chickens also use the poop board to get on or off the roosts.
 
Have you thought about using a poop hammock? Have a back-up for each perch, quick removal and replace with the back-up hammock, clean the first hammock and let it air in the sun and use the next day. Use porous material such as shade cloth.
 
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I don't intentionally use the deep litter method but if the weather is too cold then I don't have a choice. It will help to keep the coop cleaner to use a poop board. Like I said I just clean mine off once a week and sprinkle a bit more shavings on top.
 
Quote:
IMO a 6X6 coop with eight birds, are they large fowl or bantams, is tight. A 6X12+ covered run would take the pressure off the poop volume in the coop but IMO you will need to clean often if the birds are confined to the coop for any length of time.
 
My 8 week old brood has finally figured out the roosts, judging by the volume of poop on the poop board the last 3 mornings. Those heaps have made me a huge fan of the poop board. When they were pooping just straight into the litter, I had no idea it was such a lot! Scraping it off the poop board is trivial (I use a hoe with a shortened handle).
 

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