Dropping board in cold weather

[AquaDuck]

I'm building a new coop, and looking for ideas on how to construct the interior it the most convenient and best way.

The biggest concern is the cold weather. It can go down to -15 F, and usually keeps below freezing from november to february.
In the previous coop, the poop froze solid on the dropping board, and I had to hack it loose in big chunks. Not at all practical...

So my question goes to cold weather chicken owners: What does your dropping board, or similar contraption, look like? How do you keep the coop clean during winter? Any good ideas?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't have the experience you are looking for, hopefully someone that does will show up. Part of the reason I'm responding is so I'll see the responses. I think it is a great question.

I will mention that frozen poop isn't a big health problem. The problems with poop come from organisms that break it down, they form ammonia gas which can stink and be a respiratory risk to your chickens, plus can be a breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria, mold, or other things. While it is frozen those organisms cannot live so you don't have the problems until it thaws. It will build up, but maybe the method you are looking for is how to easily get it out in big chunks more than how to easily clean daily.

One method I've used some places is to put a bin to catch the droppings so you just remove the bin. Maybe take one bin so it can thaw to empty it and replace with another. But I don't know a good method to keep the bin from freezing to whatever it is sitting on so you can remove it.

 

[azygous]

I have a heater in each coop I turn on at night to keep it just above freezing so the poop won't freeze to the boards. Recently got a small flat heater that hangs on the wall and takes up no space. It works remarkably well. https://www.chewy.com/cozy-products-flat-panel-chicken/dp/169444?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Cozy Products&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoLvhjZ-I3QIVEb7ACh0BTQwfEAUYAiABEgI76vD_BwE

 

[wild chick]

I don't have a board, but I put a couple of inches of sand on the floor and pick it up with a kitty litter scoop. If you have or can make a 2" lip on your board and put sand on it, the poop should pick up easily as sand doesn't freeze hard.

 

[aart]

It can get down to -15°F here, and can stay below freezing for weeks on end, but we do usually have regular thaws above freezing.

I have a poop board, it's lined with heavy duty vinyl and about a 1/2" of PDZ (zeolite granules), I use a short handled hoe and sifter basket to clean daily.
Most poops break free of the vinyl pretty easily with a sharp careful rap of the hoe,
and the PDZ helps keep them from sticking in the first place.
Some have to be left until it thaws.

Pics here:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/6...raphic-gross-poop-pictures/1100#post_13179595
and here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-178#post-18966048

 

[AquaDuck]

The sand-solution is definitely on the table (or board, if you will).

I've also seen someone use plastic hammocs, for lack of a better word, on google. Instead of a hard board, they hang a piece of tarp underneath the roosts, that I assume can be unhinged and removed in one piece.

 

[aart]

The sand-solution is definitely on the table (or board, if you will).

I've also seen someone use plastic hammocs, for lack of a better word, on google. Instead of a hard board, they hang a piece of tarp underneath the roosts, that I assume can be unhinged and removed in one piece.

Haha!!

Yep, hammock might work better for you, flexibility of plastic might be easier to pop off the frozen ones....if it's easy enough to remove and dump. Not sure how the cold would affect the plastic.... some types would work better than others, tho not sure what type to recommend.
How long are you roosts?
The bigger the hammock, the harder to handle it.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

The sand-solution is definitely on the table (or board, if you will).

Sand is fantastic. I use it on my dirt floor and it really makes poops easy to rake into a pile to scoop up. Some poop tends to stick to the dirt without the sand. The sand makes goopy poopy easier to rake as it clings to and thickens it. Not too thick of a layer and not too thin is just right. You might want to experiment with different grades of sand. I imagine that fine sand (playbox sand in the US) would work best on a poop board (I use coarse sand or weathered shale on my floor).

 

[aart]

You might want to experiment with different grades of sand. I imagine that fine sand (playbox sand in the US) would work best on a poop board (I use coarse sand or weathered shale on my floor).

Coarser sand is better, just due to less dust IMO.
I used to mix PDZ with sand(see first link above) but can't find that kind anymore.

@HenOnAJuneBug
Please add your location to your profile so we know what climate your experiences are carried out in.
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!

 

[AquaDuck]

Not sure how the cold would affect the plastic.... some types would work better than others, tho not sure what type to recommend.

That's a good point, the frozen plastic could rupture. Especially tarp, one small hole and the whole thing goes.