Changing to Sweet PDZ

[SueT]

Our local feed store has a product called Horse Fresh. It's made by Standlee. They told me it's the same thing as PDZ. I got a 25 lb bag of it for 6.99. It's kind of fine granular, slightly gray. I sprinkled it around in the shavings under the roosts.
https://standleeforage.com/products/horse-fresh

 

[jthornton]

Hey Sue,

Probably the same stuff, Sweet PDZ is a whitish gray granules. It took a sack and a half for my 4' x 5' nest box minus the launching board they use to fly over the Sweet PDZ lol.

JT

 

[blackdog043]

Looks like it's the same stuff, it's Zeolite.
https://standleeforage.com/products/info/zeolite

 

[Beer can]

Thanks, I'll take 1 by and put some dowels in the edge... now to make a robot controlled poop picker upper lol.

JT

Modified old style barn gutter cleaner is what you need Lol!
I do the deep litter thing and no poop boards but you've been here long enough I'm sure I don't need to blah ba blah about that lol.
A automatic coop cleaner would be cool though, maybe one of those Roomba's, autonomous robotic vacuum poop picker upper

I did try pdz in my brooder box last time I hatched hoping to cut down on the stench, maybe I didn't add enough or maybe I didn't clean it out enough but I couldn't smell any difference?
I was hoping it would be like when I dump a little baking soda in my stanky old boots, smell gone.

 

[Cacique500]

I'm thinking of removing the poop boards and just cover the whole floor (5'x4') with Sweet PDZ. My thought is to replace the pine chips in the middle first with Sweet PDZ to see how they react to it come bedtime. Then replace each poop board one at a time.

Well the closest place to get it for me is a TSC in Cape or Sikeston, they both have Sweet PDZ granules in 25 pound bags. How many should I get for a 5'x4' floor? It's a 1 1/2 hour drive each way to Cape so we have to do something interesting like treat the wife to a good lunch lol.

View attachment 1247166

JT

Ok...I'm still working on my coffee so any calculation errors are not my fault!

Zeolite density is approx 0.8 g/cm3. Make sure you get the granules and NOT the powder.

The area you're looking at is 5 ft x 4 ft, (and assuming a depth of 3 inches). So that's 152x123x8 in cm. Approx 150,000 cm3 (volume)

A 25 # bag is pdz is enough for 11,360 cm3 (25# / 2.2 #/kg * 1000 g/kg)

150,000/11360 = approx 10.5 (25#) bags for 5' x 4' x 3"

Or...if I did this correctly...each full cubic foot of space takes 2 (25#) bags. If you wanted your area at 4 inches deep it would be 5 x 4 x (4"/12") = 6.66 cu ft...so 13 bags at that depth.

I have 100% pdz in my coop and run and it's amazing. As long as you keep it dry it takes less than 5 minutes to scoop the poop and make it look almost brand new again. I use a long handled Brinkman 36" wok skimmer found here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UR1X50/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[jthornton]

I used about 1 1/2 25 pound bags for a 1/2" thick layer of PDZ... I still have a small launch/landing board near the opening but as they get used to the PDZ that will disappear as well. It's so funny watching them fly from the pop door to the roost trying their best not to step in the scary new white stuff. This morning they just hopped down and walked out like normal.

JT

 

[Cacique500]

I used about 1 1/2 25 pound bags for a 1/2" thick layer of PDZ... I still have a small launch/landing board near the opening but as they get used to the PDZ that will disappear as well. It's so funny watching them fly from the pop door to the roost trying their best not to step in the scary new white stuff. This morning they just hopped down and walked out like normal.

JT

Sounds good - you can always grab a couple bags next time you're at the store to add to it. I've found that when it's a little deeper it's easier to scoop. Mine also have a tendency to dust bath in it as well (even with a large dedicated dirt bath in the run)...so deeper means they don't usually leave any bare spots on the wood.

 

[aart]

I've found that when it's a little deeper it's easier to scoop.

Depends on how you 'scoop/sift'.
I like it thinner (<1/2") and sift it all on boards(~30sqft) instead of just scooping.
Then they don't dust bathe in it(wasteful)....and keeps things cleaner overall long term.

 

[jthornton]

They used to go inside the roost box from time to time but I've not seen anyone go in except for sundown. I have it about 1/2" thick and use a cat litter scoop and a 12" mud knife.

JT

 

[jthornton]

Sounds good - you can always grab a couple bags next time you're at the store to add to it.

I came home with 4 bags... it's a long way to Farmington from here.

JT