Freeranging and Poop control. Help!

[rachelwillow]

We've been leaving our chickens out in the yard for a good portion of the day...it makes them so happy! We enjoy it too. BUT, now we have poop everywhere. It's getting pretty gross, the kids can't walk barefoot in the yard anymore and there is no sitting in the grass. I'm guessing my only option here is to stop letting them out but that's a bummer. Any ideas? Does anyone have some kind of cool idea or miraculous poop dissolver that we can use? lol.

 

[Mrs. K]

How many chickens do you have, and what is the size of the area? Less chickens will make for less poo over a larger area.

Really, I think if that is where your children have to play, I think I would keep them locked up.

Mrs K

 

[Shan30]

Well if you have a dog it will disappear before your very eyes! They just love the chicken poop

If you want to go on patrol with a hose everyday that can work too.

For me the answer was bigger run and no free ranging. Mostly because of predation but no poop is nice too!

 

[rachelwillow]

We have 5 hens, and the are is pretty large...I'm not good with distance but we live on 1/3 acre. We have been blocking off the backyard so they don't eat our vegetables so they are in the front. It's big. They just like to congregate near the front door/concrete slab/sidewalk by the door. Their run is quite large, I calculated it at 80 sq. ft. when we built it, but then we added another 60+ sq. ft. They have plenty of space, they just bock a lot when they see us because they want out! Fresh grass! Lots of mulch to bathe in! They are very well loved and cared for with lots of treats and everything they need.

I'm thinking we will have to limit to like an hour a day or something like that. The major poop has just shown up in the past few days when I've let them stay out most of the day.

That's crazy about dogs though. Gross! I have been thinking I want a dog....

 

[Den in Penn]

Water works well as a solvent for poop.