Bedding ideas for slide out tray?

[showjumper_girl2002]

Hello! It's been quite a while since I've been on here as I had to move and couldn't take my chickies with me But now I'm back as I've finally talked my fiance into letting me get a couple of chicks!!
I got 2 cream legbar chicks a few weeks ago I'm getting ready to move them to their coop this weekend. Because we don't have a big backyard I got a smaller coop and it has a slide out tray for the bottom for "easy" cleaning. I'm looking for any ideas/tips on what would be a good bedding to use for this type of bottom. I know not to use cedar and I'd rather stay away from pine. I would like something that's fairly easy to clean. I'd love to get your feedback!

 

[grintschik]

I am wondering the same thing! I was thinking MAYBE sand would be good, and it could be cleaned like a litter box? But I'm not sure, I'm not an expert. It just gets pretty gross up there pretty quickly.

 

[TalkALittle]

Sand, PDZ (zeolite), or a mix of the two. Anything else is gonna bunch up and jam the tray.

 

[Chickiemom25]

I put a sheet of linoleum down and take it out and hose it off each week

 

[grintschik]

I put a sheet of linoleum down and take it out and hose it off each week

That is brilliant!

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

I put a sheet of linoleum down and take it out and hose it off each week

I thought about doing something like that, but wasn't sure if they needed a softer bedding/floor?

 

[Chickiemom25]

I thought about doing something like that, but wasn't sure if they needed a softer bedding/floor?

Softer floor? They sleep on the roosts, this just collects the poop under them and makes it easy to clean.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I got a smaller coop and it has a slide out tray for the bottom for "easy" cleaning.

I tried something new in my coop. For years I have been
lining my nest boxes with the folded empty nylon mesh feed bags. When a bag gets soiled pop out the soiled and pop in another. Poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off when left out in the sun to bake and dry. It is the best method I have stumbled upon in my 67 trips around the sun. Oh remove the excess string from the open end of the bag it can get tangled in your birds legs and wings. Easy Peasy Japaneasy. This year I took even a step further I place an elevated false wire floor with no bedding the main floor works as a drop pit for the poop. It keeps my nest boxes and birds much cleaner. I may revert back to pine shaving during the Canadian winters time will tell.



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[Chickiemom25]

y

I tried something new in my coop. For years I have been
lining my nest boxes with the folded empty nylon mesh feed bags. When a bag gets soiled pop out the soiled and pop in another. Poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off when left out in the sun to bake and dry. It is the best method I have stumbled upon in my 67 trips around the sun. Oh remove the excess string from the open end of the bag it can get tangled in your birds legs and wings. Easy Peasy Japaneasy. This year I took even a step further I place an elevated false wire floor with no bedding the main floor works as a drop pit for the poop. It keeps my nest boxes and birds much cleaner. I may revert back to pine shaving during the Canadian winters time will tell.



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You must go through alot of food.

 

[Hokum Coco]

You must go through alot of food.

I have a homemade gravity feeder that has little waste to begin with. Then when there is spillage I will remove the wire and the birds will clean up the spillage in a matter of minutes (they always prefer to peck on the ground rather than at back level). So I would have to reply no not that I really notice.