coop bedding question

[WthrLady]

Oh, sorry. Its an all natural clay product sold in the horse row at the store. It looks like sand. It absorbs and kills ammonia odor. It scoops like kitty litter. And can go right into the compost.also called stall sweet.

The initial cost to add a couple inches to a large floor is high. But in the long run it is so worth it. I only have to add 2/3 back a year to top it off. I kix in DE and permethrin dust and the girls use it as a giant dust bath. I use it in the coop only. Well and the alpaca stalls.

I don't care for shavings. They hold moisture and odor and blow everywhere here.

 

[IBB]

Thanks. Will get some

 

[Trux]

so in my small coop I'm currently using pine bedding and my girls seem to not mind it at all and neither do i. it's easy clean up, doesn't smell horrible, no bugs or mold. when I get them into my barn (their new coop) should I continue to use pine or should I switch to something like sand or chopped straw?

also I have old tires I wanna use as dust baths, what should I fill them with?

Go with what works best for you, if it is pine go for it. I been using pine and add a little PDZ and no smelly coop here. As for the dust bath, construction sand, you can get it at home depot or lowes...dont use playground sand it is to fine.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

PDZ is a brand name for the mineral zeolite. The mineral is used as an absorbent to suck up moisture and ammonia from the chicken poop. I use it in the coop and it makes a big difference in the smell. You can buy it in 25 pound bags and smaller quantities from your local farm and feed store. In the US, I think the most commonly seen brand is called PDZ Stall Refresher or PDZ Coop Fresh. You can use either one, it’s all the same stuff. Looks like fine, white sand and is dusty when you first dump it out, but spreads easily with a rake or with chicken toes... It won’t harm you or your chickens, but I prefer to wear a mask when spreading it and mixing it into the bedding as it makes me sneeze.

 

[Trux]

The best price I have found for PDZ in my area is TSC...40lb bag is 10 bucks. Same stuff as coop refresher and it is much more expensive

 

[chickenmomma6]

@chickenmomma6 Ever hear the saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". You like what your using, right?

I have a poop board with PDZ that I scoop every day and use shavings sprinkled with PDZ in my coop. I haven't removed or replaced any in 15 months(deep bedding), I have added some when they need refreshing though. I have a door mat outside that I rub my shoes on and take my coop shoes off, before I walk in the house. This keeps chicken poop and shavings where it belongs. I wouldn't want to scoop my 8 x 12 coop every day with a kitty litter scoop. My coop doesn't smell bad, with my method.

I'm still deciding how I wanna arrange my coop. it's 19ft in length and 12 ft wide. where would I put my poop board and what is PDZ

 

[New2Chicks97]

I'm still deciding how I wanna arrange my coop. it's 19ft in length and 12 ft wide. where would I put my poop board and what is PDZ

The poop board goes under the roosts to catch the poop when they roost.

PDZ is what the previous posters mentioned. It is a fine granulated stuff that absorbs order and moisture to keep you coop smelling fresh. I sprinkle it in the the pine bedding I put down and it helps with the smell a lot.

 

[blackdog043]

My coop is 8 x 12, the poop board is 24" deep and the length of the 12' wall. I wanted the space under the board to be open, for my coop brooder when needed. I have the nest boxes 18" off the floor so it doesn't take away from floor space. The roost in front of the board was a temporary roost. I leaned it on the board for them to get up and down, none of them use it to roost on. I currently have 18 chickens, they all find somewhere up there to roost. Some on the roost(2 x 4), some along the front board or on the PDZ itself. There is always room on the 2 x 4.

I would decide where you want your poop board first and go from there.

 

[aart]

PDZ in my area is TSC...40lb bag is 10 bucks

My TSC has 25lb for $10...my mill has 40lb for $16

 

[Trux]

My TSC has 25lb for $10...my mill has 40lb for $16

Your right aart, it is a 25lb bag not 40. Oldtimers got me there I went and checked after I read your post. Got 40 stuck in my head for some reason, maybe it's that 40 year old neighbor in the bikini next door