I'm a newbie, but make it as big as possible and don't overload it (mine's 12x12 for 7 chickens).
New but wise.
The more space per bird the easier the maintenance.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
I'm a newbie, but make it as big as possible and don't overload it (mine's 12x12 for 7 chickens).
Yeah, poop boards are not for vacationing keepers.If I thought I could not leave my chickens for a week I would not have them, my set up would allow me to leave for two weeks.
And if I thought I needed poop boards or to clean poop all the time I would never have started this
Big secure coop
Dirt floors
Multiple feeders, I use 4" pipes that dumps into rubber feed bowls, I have 4 of them and they hold 60 pounds of feed when full
Multiple waterers, I have 4 and they hold 25 gallons of water.
Auto pop door, but I have turned it off on trips so I would not worry it mal functioned
I assume that many of you have kids, activities and travel. What are the essential chicken coop “hacks” to make chickens as low maintenance as possible? If you want to leave for a weekend or a week, what are the best coop modifications to make that seamless?
If I thought I could not leave my chickens for a week I would not have them, my set up would allow me to leave for two weeks.
And if I thought I needed poop boards or to clean poop all the time I would never have started this
Big secure coop
Dirt floors
Multiple feeders, I use 4" pipes that dumps into rubber feed bowls, I have 4 of them and they hold 60 pounds of feed when full
Multiple waterers, I have 4 and they hold 25 gallons of water.
Auto pop door, but I have turned it off on trips so I would not worry it mal functioned
Well, Mamajewels, I am known for my frugality, so I make poop boards out of whatever I can find or recycle. But the basic concept is to place something -- a tray of sorts or a flat surface -- a few inches below the roosts and above the floor that will catch your girls' droppings.
Ideally, since they aren't going to be walking on it, a poop board can have a slick surface. Some of my plywood ones are covered in free vinyl flooring pieces, given to me by a friend who owns a furniture store. Others are made from leftover wall chunks from a neighbors' hog house. Easy clean up is the goal.
Some of mine are removable; others are permanently attached. While you still have to clean the boards, their floor stays cleaner and everything on the poop board can be easily scraped off and disposed of.
Did that help? It seems kind of dumb when I re-read my explanation.
So on your waterers how do you keep the water from freezing and getting dirty? Especially if you have made your coop and run able ready for you to leave for up to 2 weeks, please share and a couple pictures would be great if you don't mind.