Cleaning Pea Gravel in Freezing Weather

lomine

Crowing
9 Years
Aug 7, 2015
3,158
3,869
436
Peyton, CO
This is my first winter with ducks. During the warmer weather I used a garden hose on the jet setting to blast their poo from the pea gravel. It washed it well and drained well. We are now experiencing freezing temps and my old method is no longer working. I have been using my dog pooper-scooper to get the bulk of it but I also got a lot of the gravel with it because it is frozen in clumps. The last few days have warmed up a bit and this morning it was warm enough to bring out the hose. I was able to blast some of the poo but because the gravel is frozen it didn't drain well. It was kind of gross.

I was thinking about putting a layer of straw down and then raking it into the deep litter area of the run every couple of days. The problem I see with that it that the ducks heated bowl is on the gravel and I already have ice building around where it sits. I worry the straw will get wet and freeze to the gravel and then I have a bigger mess. I'm wondering how those of you with pea gravel clean it is winter. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
 
This is my first winter with ducks. During the warmer weather I used a garden hose on the jet setting to blast their poo from the pea gravel. It washed it well and drained well. We are now experiencing freezing temps and my old method is no longer working. I have been using my dog pooper-scooper to get the bulk of it but I also got a lot of the gravel with it because it is frozen in clumps. The last few days have warmed up a bit and this morning it was warm enough to bring out the hose. I was able to blast some of the poo but because the gravel is frozen it didn't drain well. It was kind of gross.

I was thinking about putting a layer of straw down and then raking it into the deep litter area of the run every couple of days. The problem I see with that it that the ducks heated bowl is on the gravel and I already have ice building around where it sits. I worry the straw will get wet and freeze to the gravel and then I have a bigger mess. I'm wondering how those of you with pea gravel clean it is winter. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
I don't sit my heated bowls and buckets inside of anything that can hold water but I do sit them up off the ground so ice and snow and nasties can't get in and around so good, as for the pea gravel I usually just have to let it pile up but I do put down shavings in certain areas then rake it all up on days when it get above freezing, It's a big mess in winter but even though I use the Xhose for cleaning out and filling bowl and buckets if I try and wash anything down it just makes the ice worse. I'll get a pic to show you how I do mine. Just something I put together. and i am no handy man[woman]

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That's a good idea. Thank you! I'll look around my shed to see if I can fashion something. It could help to keep the straw drier and then I could rake it away. Might also keep my bowl from freezing to the the ground so it's easier to clean.
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My original plan was to get what I could and then wash it down on warmer days. Here we almost always get at least a few warmer days between the really cold days. But I didn't think about the pea gravel freezing and the water having no way to drain. I'll chalk this up to a learning experience.
 
That's a good idea. Thank you! I'll look around my shed to see if I can fashion something. It could help to keep the straw drier and then I could rake it away. Might also keep my bowl from freezing to the the ground so it's easier to clean.
big_smile.png


My original plan was to get what I could and then wash it down on warmer days. Here we almost always get at least a few warmer days between the really cold days. But I didn't think about the pea gravel freezing and the water having no way to drain. I'll chalk this up to a learning experience.
I wish I could do things different here but water turns to ice so washing away doesn't get done or we have ice laying around to walk on for months.So once the truly frigid comes and stays I have to grin and bear it and be thankful it's freezing out which makes bacteria not do well. Because as you know poop piles up quick.
 
I have decided to do a little experiment. I sprinkled the pea gravel with baking soda and then sprayed with vinegar. I'll see if it did anything for the poo in the morning. Too dark to tell now.
 
Well it was a dud. It worked well to break up the poo but then the liquid had nowhere to go. It would also take a whole lot of baking soda and vinegar to clean the whole run. I do think I'll use this before I hose down the gravel during the warm weather to make it easier.

I might also sprinkle a little baking soda around to help absorb some of the smell.
 
Well it was a dud. It worked well to break up the poo but then the liquid had nowhere to go. It would also take a whole lot of baking soda and vinegar to clean the whole run. I do think I'll use this before I hose down the gravel during the warm weather to make it easier.

I might also sprinkle a little baking soda around to help absorb some of the smell.
Bummer, I sprinkle baking soda on top of the bedding after scooping out the poop then use the shovel to turn it over into it. helps inside their houses.
 

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