How often do you clean your poop boards?

[K0k0shka]

I'm hashing out the plans for my first coop, and wondering whether to add poop boards. I want to do deep bedding in the coop (not deep litter) and from what I understand, I just need to keep everything very dry. Would it be enough to have a deep layer of shavings and just turn it over periodically so the dried out poop falls to the bottom, and add new shavings on top (until I do a full clean out once/twice a year), or do I need a poop board as well?

And, if I do go with a poop board, how often should I scrape it clean? I read a bunch on the subject on BYC, but am finding wildly diverse answers. Some people scoop it every day, others once a week, others once every two weeks, and I just read a comment by somebody who cleans it once a month! What setup do I need in order to do less frequent cleanings without stinking up the place? What should I cover the board with to last longer? I have a full time job and young children, and can't commit to daily coop cleanings... So I'm looking for something more practical. I asked my grandma if I should clean the poop every day and she just laughed She had chickens her whole life and I helped with them when I was growing up, and I don't remember frequent cleanings, but also don't remember any smell... She's 94 though and says she doesn't remember details, so I need more advice.

 

[aart]

Lots of ways to handle 'cleaning'.
Not sure how I'd do it if I worked full time and had little kids to care for,
I probably wouldn't have chickens.
So will let others who are in your same situation chime in with their regimes.
But I will add that sifting the poop boards daily takes maybe 10 minutes.

 

[Compost King]

there is no correct answer here. I prefer my manure pile up and dry out for a very long time... no specific time because I clean them when I need Manure for composting. If Chickens start walking on the poopboards I may clean them or I may just dump straw on them. Sometimes the straw even stays there but usually chickens scratch it off. Most people will say they do it daily (or weekly) because people who tend to have poop boards do so because its easier to keep things clean and tidy, I have poop boards as space savers when I put roosting bars over feeders, brooders and nesting boxes.

 

[K0k0shka]

Yes, I would appreciate feedback from people with kids, or simply people who clean less frequently and make it work. Not looking for right vs wrong answer, or for a pristinely clean coop, just something that will work with less frequent cleaning.

 

[K0k0shka]

@Compost King thanks, that sounds encouraging! Do you have any problems with smell or flies?

 

[Compost King]

@Compost King thanks, that sounds encouraging! Do you have any problems with smell or flies?

Massive amount of flies, I don't mind them. odors.. almost none. I spent about 5 years researching manure management before I bought chicks. That doesn't mean I have the absolute best method for managing manure. In fact I am a slacker when it comes to keeping things clean and tidy but the key to allowing manure to build up without odor issues is to allow it to dry out. It stays dry and the odor is not strong and even smells a bit earthy. If manure piles up faster than it can dry up then using carbon (I use Straw) to cover it will keep keep odors down and Carbon will absorb the precious nutrients that escapes the manure in the form of odor as well as absorbing moisture. Saw dust and mulches likely work just as great as straw does but I can not say from experience if they do or not.

 

[Compost King]

I thought I would add this. Allowing Manure to pile up doesn't always go smoothly. From August 2018 to March 2019 we had 2 hurricanes and a blizzard along with an average of 5 days a week of rain. Chickens dragged in very wet mud and nothing could stay dry. Although I managed to keep odors down I had a massive infestation of Mites and or Lice. There is a downside to slacking off on being clean and tidy.

 

[K0k0shka]

@Compost King this is all very helpful, thank you! I won't let it pile up too high/too wet. I can commit to once a week scoopings, I just can't do it every day. I also want to cover part of the run year-round, and the entire run during the winter, so hopefully that will reduce the dragging in of mud and wetness from outside.

 

[Compost King]

@Compost King this is all very helpful, thank you! I won't let it pile up too high/too wet. I can commit to once a week scoopings, I just can't do it every day. I also want to cover part of the run year-round, and the entire run during the winter, so hopefully that will reduce the dragging in of mud and wetness from outside.

The tracking in of mud was due to a very unusual chain of circumstances involving extreme weather, layout of the land I own and the amount of chickens I have. You may not need to go overboard with a roofed run. You have heavy snow up there and you should build according to your potential weather situation.

 

[K0k0shka]

The tracking in of mud was due to a very unusual chain of circumstances involving extreme weather, layout of the land I own and the amount of chickens I have. You may not need to go overboard with a roofed run. You have heavy snow up there and you should build according to your potential weather situation.

I want to cover the run for the winter precisely because of the snow... I don't want to shovel any more than I absolutely have to (I have back problems). The idea is to build the run with a slanted top, to match the pitch of the coop's slanted roof, and cover it partially with polycarbonate (for rain protection year-round). I don't want to cover the entire top year-round because I have bushes in the run and trees nearby, and don't want to cut off their water supply. For the winter, I'll throw tarp or plastic on top of the rest, and up around two of the sides, to protect the run from too much snow and wind. I'm hoping the snow will (mostly) slide off the sloped top, and I can help it down with a snow rake... Does that sound realistic?