Chicken droppings absorbant material nececery?

[WI FarmChick]

All sorts of different stuff to absorb chicken droppings , how about having a water proof coop floor and wiping it clean once a week? Is there any problems with this I read Some things dont absorb Amonia as much as others so having nothing will absorb none however adiquate ventilation shud be ok right? however maybe cold for the chickens having enough ventilation, will amonia be produced straight away or after more than a week of the poop rotting down? Planning having a hen house for 6 rhode island red hens, with a water proof 4' x 4' base + Nest box, with two 4' purches inside another thing would like to know whats the Hens favorite thickness of purch to encourage them to purch rather than walk in their droppings.

There is a system called Deep Litter Method. if you are unable to get to your coop but once a week then that would be the way to go. As long as the coop is water tight it's self.

I am sure you can do a search here on BYC and find out how to do this method. I am doing something similar. My bedding is dry and fresh smelling. As for burning their feet yes it could happen if your litter is always wet. The poop from my girls dries up very fast so no burning. Also with this method I do use "Sweet Pdz" it also helps to dry everything up quickly and keeps the ammonia smell to nothing.

I don't need to do much with my system. I just add more bedding as needed along with the PDZ. I do 2 full cleanings a year, I remove everything and start over.
Chicken poop is good for your chickens as long as it is dry....the poop builds up their immune system to fend off disease.

I use pine wood chip bedding from my local TSC I purchase the Sweet PDZ there also (It's for horse's)

As for water...I am installing a rain barrel and piping water to Drinker cups.(they stay cleaner longer) I am not collecting rain water to fill my barrel as I have a shingled roof (too many chemicals in them to collect water) I will be filling it with the water from my well.

Good luck

 

[StephanieH]

Quote: Is there really any system that would work with once a week visits? (Unless you mean "get to" as in clean, but check everyday) Wouldn't you miss the benefits of having layers, not knowing which eggs were new and old? I'm really new to chickens and can't figure out how that would work.

I do think deep litter is a great idea, however.

 

[xxfPeter]

Evolved my plan of not using wood shavings to soak up poop, having a bottomless shed 7 foot high with purches for the chickens to roost in. after much research have found a flighty breed thats hardy to cold and a good layer (White Leghorn) will be able to survive the winter in a bottomless shed, be able to fly into shed 7 foot high and I will still get plenty of eggs, only thing now is do I have the nest box up high too or make a separate nest box on the ground, where do Chickens naturally lay eggs? as for water I plan to have 3 enamal sinks full of water and a water barrol catching rain water from roof thats piped to a stopcocked water troff. To get round the problem of frost freezing water suply, I thought about culling the chickens over winter and getting new lot in spring, however if feed chickens enough greens over winter still get enought eggs off them to be worthwhile so I might, rig up a water barrol on a compost pile and pipe it into chicken pen, the heat off the compost will keep the water from freezing.

 

[FireTigeris]

How are you collecting eggs?

They will need to be collected daily...

or they might begin to develop in summer or freeze in winter.

 

[xxfPeter]

Is there really any system that would work with once a week visits? (Unless you mean "get to" as in clean, but check everyday) Wouldn't you miss the benefits of having layers, not knowing which eggs were new and old? I'm really new to chickens and can't figure out how that would work.

I do think deep litter is a great idea, however.

I think eggs last about two months after laying so If I was to collect them once a week wouldn't be much difference. I bet a lot of ppl think deep litter is a good Idea I am looking beyond the marketing behind chickens and remember they were once a wild animal/bird that can look after them selves, they will only need a little help with been confined to my 12foot by 66foot enclosure I have planned for them.

 

[xxfPeter]

How are you collecting eggs?

They will need to be collected daily...

or they might begin to develop in summer or freeze in winter.

My next challege to tackle was freezing eggs, I never thought about developing eggs, if the eggs were really warm, you think they would be uneddible after a day? ummmm sounds likely, might just wait untill I get allotment only 4 minutes walk from my house I am next on the waiting list so probibly have one next year.

 

[FireTigeris]

One day? depends on what you mean by "one day" and how hot it'll be.

I'm told they start developing over 80*f and 24 hours... not sure I collect twice a day.

 

[azygous]

When I first began "collecting" chickens, the most important tip I picked up by coming to BYC is the "poop board" concept in the coop.

Most poop inside the coop is generated during the night as the chickens roost. I've noticed that during the day, they hardly ever poop inside the coop.

So I have rigged some brackets on the wall behind the roosting perch that I place linoleum covered, light-weight, water-proofed boards on. Each morning I pull out the poop-covered boards and scape off the poop into a bucket, and wash down the boards and air dry them. The poop goes onto the compost pile.

On the floor of the coop, I have pine shavings that absorb smaller droppings that aren't easily picked up each morning. Once or twice a year, the pine shavings get shoveled out and replaced with fresh.

The coop stays perfectly sweet-smelling, and everyone is happy and healthy.

 

[xxfPeter]

Thankyou azygous Pine fresh coop sounds nice!