Found my preference for coop maintenance!! Nesting Pads!!

[LiLRedCV]

Quote:
They can be rinsed off and reused for a long time apparently. I don't know how soft they are, they should be here in 2 days, I will let you know : )

Thank you!

 

[LiLRedCV]

So how are those new nesting pads working out for you? I don't want to waste my money if they're not worth it.

 

[Fiddlehead]

I like them a whole lot better than shavings. I am going to try the other excelisor pads and see which I like better. They are very durable, but not that soft. The chickens don't seem to care though! I can easily rinse them off with the hose, it is so much cleaner. The only issue is that if the birds poop in them, in this freezing weather, the poop freezes and it is hard to get frozen poop out of the pads. They are so cheap, I would definitely give them a try. Let me know what you think!

 

[navychick]

I have a linoleum floor in my coop and 3/4 of it is covered with sand. I do have a poop roost as well. My nest boxes had shavings in them and the girls scatter it all over the place. More work than cleaning the sand. A BYCer mentioned nesting pads from eggcartons.com. They are not like the ones you purchased. They are 13 x 13 Excelsior Nesting Pads and 20 count cost $19.95. I just added them to the nest boxes this afternoon. I will see how the girls adapt to them. Also will see if there is any mess as I was told there shouldn't be any.

The ones you purchased, are they soft for your girls to sit on?


http://www.eggcartons.com/images/EP1313.jpg

This is what my nests look like after an egg is laid. Shavings almost all gone. I have indoor/outdoor carpet underneath so the egg doesn't get broken.
Could not find a pic with the messy floor. Seems I only take pics after the cleanup!

Can you tell me how your carpeted roosts stay clean? I have painted 2x6 roost's and they poop all over them. I learned on BYC that the wider roost's are better in colder climates as they can cover their feet better but I am amazed how much poo ends up on them. I would consider covering their roost's with carpet but I'd never get it clean.

 

[karlamaria]

Mine have never pooped on there carpeted roosts, in fact they look new and are 10 months old lol, I have these on the bottom of my nest boxes, the eggs do not break and the girls are not bothered by it. When I put a piece of carpet down they started laying on the floor instead.
http://www.siliconemoulds.com/blue-silicone-baking-sheet-tray-liner-p-115.html


Weird I know but I was sick of broken eggs and they would not leave anything in the nests.almost every egg was broken so i tried many things. They hated it all and that's when I came up with the silicone cookie sheet cover. It works like a dream! No broken eggs, and they do not mind it at all.