How do I stop my 9 week old chicks from pooping on their roosts?

[DimondaleBergs]

Hello everyone!
We've got the little fuzz butts (well they're not so little anymore..lol) out in their new coop, and they all seem to cherish pooping on the roosts!

Is this normal? If not, how do I get them to stop?

Thanks!
Stephanie

 

[Fred's Hens]

It sounds more like a design flaw. Can we see a photo of your roosts?

Nothing stops a chicken from pooping when they wish to do so. LOL

 

[missnu01]

It always looks to me that chickens take most poops while sleeping, so whatever is under them is going to get covered each and every night...that is fact.

 

[Brandi Leigh]

It always looks to me that chickens take most poops while sleeping, so whatever is under them is going to get covered each and every night...that is fact.

Agreed!

 

[DimondaleBergs]

It sounds more like a design flaw. Can we see a photo of your roosts?

Nothing stops a chicken from pooping when they wish to do so. LOL

I don't have a photo handy, but the design is three 2x4's laying flat (4") ...the lowest is about 18" off the ground...then they go up to about 20' and 22". They are about 10" apart going up the angle. We used the 2x4's because we live in MI, and I understand it helps them to keep their little tootsies warm in the cold weather. lol

 

[Fred's Hens]

When designing the roost, visualize an adult bird, in our case large fowl, sitting on it. Visualize them sitting on the roost facing in and facing out. Yes, chickens choose different positions. Then ask yourself, can they sit in such a way to poop on those on a rung below them? Even if no one is below them, will the poop hit the rung? Pooping on their mates below is really gross.

Yes, a chicken poops a ton while asleep on the roost at night. A proper design allows to poop to "clear" and drop through either onto the floor below or onto a collection board design to catch it.

We find our spacing almost always needs to be a bit farther apart than one might assume at first blush.

 

[jerliznyenhuis]

When designing the roost, visualize an adult bird, in our case large fowl, sitting on it. Visualize them sitting on the roost facing in and facing out. Yes, chickens choose different positions. Then ask yourself, can they sit in such a way to poop on those on a rung below them? Even if no one is below them, will the poop hit the rung? Pooping on their mates below is really gross.

Yes, a chicken poops a ton while asleep on the roost at night. A proper design allows to poop to "clear" and drop through either onto the floor below or onto a collection board design to catch it.

We find our spacing almost always needs to be a bit farther apart than one might assume at first blush.

Thanks for this insight. My husband will be finishing up our shed-coop transformation this week. I will be sure to pass this info along (although he's probably already thought about it). I'd hate to go into the coop in the morning only to find my chickens covered in poop!

 

[wayne hulgan]

Wait until they get bigger and it gets winter. They will sit and poop for 14 hours in the winter. I hate winter, not many eggs and lots of poop in the coop.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Thanks for this insight. My husband will be finishing up our shed-coop transformation this week. I will be sure to pass this info along (although he's probably already thought about it). I'd hate to go into the coop in the morning only to find my chickens covered in poop!

It actually rolls right off them, actually. Still......

 

[debid]

Turn the boards so they are narrow side up. Chicks have smaller feet so that's going to be wide enough for now and they'll be less likely to poop on their roost. Once they are grown, they will project out more and you can turn the roost back to flat.