Does Sweet PDZ really eliminate chicken poop smell?

[bobsmith2002]

Seriously, does Sweet PDZ really eliminate chicken poop smell? For example, a chicken drops off its cecal poop on top of the area where the Sweet PDZ is scattered on. The Sweet PDZ magically sucks away the smell with its invisible powers?

Can I please have honest answers about Sweet PDZ because that stuff is expensive for such a small bag.

 

[CloneFly]

Seriously, does Sweet PDZ really eliminate chicken poop smell? For example, a chicken drops off its cecal poop on top of the area where the Sweet PDZ is scattered on. The Sweet PDZ magically sucks away the smell with its invisible powers?

Can I please have honest answers about Sweet PDZ because that stuff is expensive for such a small bag.

It helps, but no, its not magic lol. It is expensive, and I've found that some good bedding (peatmoss mixed with dirt, sand and ditomacious earth for eg) works almost just as well, for less. I would recommend buying a bag of PDZ though to sprinkle inside the coop/where the birds sleep. It does help with smell a bit and clean up I've found

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The efficacy is going to depend on how you're using it. For example are we talking about as a material on a poop board? A substrate on the floor of your coop? Or are you anticipating using it in a large space like a run mixed in with other bedding? Additionally, how many birds are you intending to keep on the area of where you use pdz?
In the example of using it as a lining material on a poop board or even as the primary substance on the floor of a coop space, it is most effective because it is a direct contact in a concentrated form with the waste that is deposited on it. When you start mixing it with bedding and other material in a much larger space so you have a less concentrated presence of the pdz, it is going to be less effective for odor control, but it still works. There's a reason it's marketed for and used in horse stalls, where it is combined with whatever stall bedding is being used. It's primary efficacy is absorption of ammonia/reduction of the ammonia odor... honestly there's not much you can do to keep cecal poop from stinking

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

It’s like cat litter. It helps but people will still know you have chickens

 

[Ted Brown]

I use PDZ on drop boards that are cleaned on a regular basis (everyday or so). Waste goes into a small bucket then to the compost heap.

No smell.

I believe ventilation is also key. I have a 10x16' Woods fresh air coop (open front with 1/2" HC), ventilated year round.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

I find it helps a lot. I can tell when it's been exhausted and needs to be changed out as the smell increases. You can visually tell, too, of course, just saying that for my setup there is a noticable difference. I also have a lot of ventilation and I scoop it daily.

As far as cost, I've never really cared or paid too much attention to it. I've been buying in 40lb bags from my feed store and I've always thought the price was fine for the value, but that may be due to the size of bag I'm buying? I'd have to see, maybe there is a price break at a certain size.

 

[Ted Brown]

@Chad Oftedal I am only able to buy PDZ in 25lb bags at Tractor Supply; where do you shop?

When cost is a concern your droppings collection process matters as it is easy to waste. I use drop boards under my roosts and 5 "tools": 1. small stiff scraper to clean dropping from roosts and edges of drop boards;
2. Large feed scoop;
3. Cat litter scoop to pull droppings into the feed scoop;
4. Fine mesh letter tray;
5. Collection bucket to transfer dropping to the compost pile.

Scraper and scoops usage to transfer into the letter tray.

Once in the letter tray I gently shake it back and forth. Granular PDZ drops through the mesh back onto drop boards (a bit of care and you will have an even depth over the boards).

With this approach a bag of PDZ will last at least a month for a flock of 25-30.

Cost & effort are my drivers. I live in Canada where PDZ is generally not available. Once a year I drive to a Tractor Supply location in the US and buy ten bags. Round trip drive takes the better part of day and costs as much as the PDZ so I try to pick up multiple different items to leverage the trip.

I do my best to keep the coop clean and without smell. Frequency is key! If one let's the waste accumulate it will smell, particularly in the warm months. In winter smell takes much longer to become noticeable but removal can become much harder; waste freezes into a mass that requires a shovel like ice scraper to break apart and remove, no fun and also manages to concentrate most of the PDZ within the droppings so it disappears much more quickly.

So one's process matters! Frequency of droppings removal is key otherwise smells and Flies also accumulate.

 

[Chad Oftedal]

@Ted Brown Yeah, definitely. I have droppings boards as well - I can't imagine another way, but I get it's very personal to everyone's workflow.

I'm getting them at a local small family owned store, not a larger store like Tractor Supply. The bag I get is 40lbs, says Sweet PDZ and has pictures of horses on the front of it. It says 'new look' so I suspect that's due to a graphic design change on it.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have droppings boards as well - I can't imagine another way, but I get it's very personal to everyone's workflow.

I really liked having poop boards and it was nice being able to clean them up every morning but that was with a much smaller coop and far fewer chickens. I did like sweet pdz for that situation for sure. Now I would have to buy enough for a horse stall and I’m just not up to it. Like you said, personal to workflow. I imagine if the time comes I will be able to source it in those quantities because I live in a very rural area. By then maybe I will have my chicken math under control

 

[Ted Brown]

... The bag I get is 40lbs, says Sweet PDZ and has pictures of horses on the front of it. It says 'new look' so I suspect that's due to a graphic design change on it.

I purchased some on Saturday last, bag has changed as you describe.

Thanks.