Coop floor/bedding?

[aart]

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

-Runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

 

[Trixe123]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! I think we are going to try line shavings and see how that goes for the chicks. Can't wait to get them outside full time!

 

[trumpeting_angel]

PDZ is something called zeolite. It is often sold as a “stall refresher” for horses, and it is safe for chickens. It neutralizes the ammonia in their droppings, which takes away the awful smell. Ammonia is toxic to chickens in high enough concentrations.