How do you clean frozen poop in the run?

[michickenwrangler]

We're down to low teens and the chicken poop is frozen fast to the ground. Any ideas for picking it up? I thought about a metal pitchfork but the tines are too far apart to pick up the poop. I just don't want this stuff to build up until March when we get a thaw and have a big, sloppy poopy mess

 

[The Chicken People]

May need to try the deep litter method...I just rake stuff around and add more stall dri and shavings or lately even straw to help insulate...

 

[EweSheep]

get one of those ice scrapers to break up the frozen poops

 

[mdbokc]

Flat bladed shovel pops it loose and plastic leaf rake gathers it into a pile. I still had leaves in the run too which helps. But I did clean it all up before the snow hit. Going back to the same when the snow finally melts.

 

[valmom]

I try to keep a deep enough sawdust layer that I can scoop it once it is frozen. I use Woody Pet in the coop which is really fine sawdust once it breaks up. Unfortunately, in the winter I have to wet it in the house and carry it out once it has dried or it freezes solid.

My personal jury is out on the deep litter method, even though it sounds like a good idea since it will actually produce its own heat. I just can't imagine that it doesn't smell.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I have deep litter in the coop. The run is 10' x 25' so I would need a lot of bedding to do that (and it would just get snowed on and contribute to the mess in spring)

 

[Reinbeau]

Quote:
I started out using Woody Pet but switched to straw pellets, they break down better for compost in the garden. Plus they were a bit cheaper.

My personal jury is out on the deep litter method, even though it sounds like a good idea since it will actually produce its own heat. I just can't imagine that it doesn't smell.

I've got quite a deep layer of the expanded pellets on the floor of the coop, and I have to say, it doesn't smell. I do use Sweet PDZ on the floor, too, when I put in another layer of pellets. I also have a manure scoop type thing that I take the bigger chunks out with - those are going straight onto the garden right now, they'll break down fine for next spring.​

 

[Baymen Moe]

I use an iron rake and it works great. You know the type, for gardening etc..You can usually dislodge the frozen droppings and turned over does a nice job of rounding things up. Today I used a metal leaf rake that also worked pretty well on the not to stuck on stuff.

Bill

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I started out using Woody Pet but switched to straw pellets, they break down better for compost in the garden. Plus they were a bit cheaper.

My personal jury is out on the deep litter method, even though it sounds like a good idea since it will actually produce its own heat. I just can't imagine that it doesn't smell.

I've got quite a deep layer of the expanded pellets on the floor of the coop, and I have to say, it doesn't smell. I do use Sweet PDZ on the floor, too, when I put in another layer of pellets. I also have a manure scoop type thing that I take the bigger chunks out with - those are going straight onto the garden right now, they'll break down fine for next spring.​

Same here. I am building up a good amount of expanded pine pellets (horse bedding) "sawdust" I don't even add anything to it.
I like the way it feels when you walk on it, it's easy to rake or sift through, smells nice and piney, and my coop smells considerably less than the neighbors' 2 dogs. I'm really happy with it so far!

 

[stellarules]

My husband used a ice scraper today! worked great then we just raked it right up.