Deep litter trough

[puddleglumWI]

Hi all,

After a winter of keeping my chickens in a small low to the ground chicken tractor, I am looking at the barn and thinking a walk in space is 1000% better.

I am thinking about what I could put under the roosting bar. One option is obviously poop boards. Another thing I thought was I could have a trough underneath that they would poop into at night, and then I can throw a little straw on top of it once in a while, essentially like deep litter, but in only part of the coop. Once in a while I could pull the trough out with the ATV, dump it, and put it back in.

Thoughts?

Thank you,
-pg

 

[StinkyAcres]

That is basically what I do. I have concrete mixing tubs under my roosts that I can dump when they get full. The chickens do like to scratch around in the straw I put in them though, so all the litter may not stay in there.

I am looking at the barn and thinking a walk in space is 1000% better.

You are 1000% correct!

 

[puddleglumWI]

That is basically what I do. I have concrete mixing tubs under my roosts that I can dump when they get full. The chickens do like to scratch around in the straw I put in them though, so all the litter may not stay in there.

I little collateral poo flinging is to be expected

You are 1000% correct!

I'll move them around this spring, summer and fall, but by winter...

 

[aart]

they would poop into at night, and then I can throw a little straw on top of it once in a while, essentially like deep litter,

Not really deep litter, just some straw on top of poop.