Aluminum and chicken poop (using flashing for chicken poop board / poop slide)

[SteveE]

What a great site! Seems like there are a gazillion threads about poop boards, and I've skimmed through a bunch. Only saw a couple mentions of using aluminum flashing but they didn't answer my question.... does chicken poop interact with the aluminum, causing corrosion or other problems? And to make it even more interesting, how about "raw" flashing (the under shingle type).... and then the same question using painted flashing (the finish material for around windows and doors). I have leftovers of both.

My backup plan is sheet acryllic. The birds are moving soon next to the compost. They will get a roost going from front to back, with a poop board that pulls out like a kitchen drawer. I'll set down the end with the handle on the edge of a compost heap, and just hose it right into the compost. Slide back when dry. The plywood shelf would stay nice and dry using aluminum, with the metal carefully wrapped around the wood's edges. And sure, I could just try it and find out if there are corrosion problems, but hey! What the heck is the Google for if you can't save yourself time and material by sharing experience? Thanks for any input.

 

[DobieLover]

What a great site! Seems like there are a gazillion threads about poop boards, and I've skimmed through a bunch. Only saw a couple mentions of using aluminum flashing but they didn't answer my question.... does chicken poop interact with the aluminum, causing corrosion or other problems? And to make it even more interesting, how about "raw" flashing (the under shingle type).... and then the same question using painted flashing (the finish material for around windows and doors). I have leftovers of both.

My backup plan is sheet acryllic. The birds are moving soon next to the compost. They will get a roost going from front to back, with a poop board that pulls out like a kitchen drawer. I'll set down the end with the handle on the edge of a compost heap, and just hose it right into the compost. Slide back when dry. The plywood shelf would stay nice and dry using aluminum, with the metal carefully wrapped around the wood's edges. And sure, I could just try it and find out if there are corrosion problems, but hey! What the heck is the Google for if you can't save yourself time and material by sharing experience? Thanks for any input.

My input: I wouldn't do it.
The poop boards need to be about 24" wide with the roost centered over them. And to answer the first question, yes, chicken poop is corrosive.
I use OSB poop boards set inside a 2x4 frame. The OSB is nailed to 1" ledge boards that are nailed to the 2x4 frame. I caulked the seams between the frame and the boards and painted the boards with 2 coats of Behr Porch and Floor paint and cover the boards with a thin layer of Sweet PDZ. The boards get scooped each morning using a metal cat litter scoop into an old cat litter bucket which then gets dumped into the compost bin when full.
In use.

After morning cleaning.

 

[SteveE]

Thanks... your design is a walk in for a large bunch, our coop will be just a small one, not much bigger than a rabbit hutch. I've got a tiny flock and yard so walk in is just not an option. I could access a poop board via a long opening in one wall, but with our real winters (in some years) an insulated panel that large would be a real pain to deal with every day or two. How do others gain access to their poop boards with small coops?

 

[aart]

How do others gain access to their poop boards with small coops?

Build the roost near a large access door, both for grabbing birds off roost at night for exams and to remove and clean the poop 'boards'.
Get some trays, like go on the bottom of a wire crate, or boot trays, or something similar.

Pay attention to this for sizing:

The poop boards need to be about 24" wide with the roost centered over them.

Build a shelf sized to hold them close together.
Buy two sets, so you can wash one set off and let it dry while using the other.

Just how small is your coop?
And.....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[SteveE]

Thanks, I put Central PA mountains in my profile.

 

[Ddweir]

What a great site! Seems like there are a gazillion threads about poop boards, and I've skimmed through a bunch. Only saw a couple mentions of using aluminum flashing but they didn't answer my question.... does chicken poop interact with the aluminum, causing corrosion or other problems? And to make it even more interesting, how about "raw" flashing (the under shingle type).... and then the same question using painted flashing (the finish material for around windows and doors). I have leftovers of both.

My backup plan is sheet acryllic. The birds are moving soon next to the compost. They will get a roost going from front to back, with a poop board that pulls out like a kitchen drawer. I'll set down the end with the handle on the edge of a compost heap, and just hose it right into the compost. Slide back when dry. The plywood shelf would stay nice and dry using aluminum, with the metal carefully wrapped around the wood's edges. And sure, I could just try it and find out if there are corrosion problems, but hey! What the heck is the Google for if you can't save yourself time and material by sharing experience? Thanks for any input.

We have same question. Floor of Coop is covered in aluminum sheeting and the manure is turning a funny color