Droppings boards in the Winter

[AllChookUp]

I'm using the deep litter method. I kept hearing about boards under the roost to catch poop. I built one with edges and started using it a few weeks ago.

Worked great until it started getting -10 here in MN.

Most of the poo just freezes to the boards and it's really difficult to chip off.

Do most people that do this just set the board aside for the winter, or is there something I'm missing?

 

[ozark hen]

I use the deep litter method myself but no boards. It is easy to take a pitch fork and remove poo under the roosts with just the litter any time of year for me. just my opinion

 

[Beau coop]

I put a low lipped plastic tray under my roost. I aadd some pine shavings and DE. When it needs changing, I just pull out the tray, dump everything into compost and refill, replace.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Martha Stewart has heated dropping boards for her chickens. Makes it so much easier for her minority, underpaid staff to chip the poo off.

AllChook, have you seen that thread about chicken "litter boxes" that someone started a couple weeks ago? It's kind of the coop version of the vegetable drawer in a fridge. Hmm... but that would still not solve the problem of frozen poo. I'll have my girl get right on it.

 

[nochickensyet]

Do you still use litter on your drop board under the roost? I know it mite not stay on the drop board for a long period, but a little on there might be easier to clean the poop off the drop board.

 

[HennysMom]

Chook

I used to have the dropping boards and then I switched to DLM - I removed them. I now just mix all the droppings into the litter (but just under their roost only), add DE and more litter and let it all compost in. No smell or anything - the DE dries out the poop and adding the shavings just replaces what composts in. Guess its been about 5 weeks now or better since we switched.

I was wondering if I should put the dropping board back in but...I havent seen a reason to yet. I thought thats what DLM was all about ? Using the poop to help warm the coop

or am I mistaken?

 

[AllChookUp]

nochickensyet wrote:
Do you still use litter on your drop board under the roost?

No, the idea was to keep the rest of the deep litter more fresh, and not go through quite as much. I guess I should just remove the litter board and let the droppings mix in with the DL the way I did all summer.

And my roost is pretty large. Having the "drawer" thing just won't work.


And Buff, well, ...

 

[ChanceRider]

I'm a huge fan of using shallow trays under the roost. As Beau Coop said, when the trays need changing, I just dump everything, refill and replace (I use shavings and DE). LOL, plus I don't relish having to scrap a board by hand when it's so easy just to slide the trays out and dump 'em.

I took this pic when I installed the nest boxes but it shows the placement of the trays.

 

[AllChookUp]

Nice one, Chance! Thanks for sharing the pic.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

You might try sprinkling stall dry or sweet pdz on the boards. It work like flouring a baking pan.