Ideas for keeping roosts clean???

[Kansas Chicken Mama]

I have a droppings board, but I made it one easier. If you have the room, fill a plastic box (I used an under the bed box) with your shavings and DE if you have it. You don't have to clean as often and I think it's easier to carry out of the coop and wash.

 

[Thomas423]

Quote:
That sounds like a great idea!

Thanks all.....any more ideas???

 

[emvickrey]

I haven't been able to find a way to be able to clean the coop out good. All we have is a dirt floor in there. I originally tried spreading hay all over the floor but when it rains it gets real muddy. So then it is very hard to remove the wet hay. We dug it out a bit when we had a warm day this winter becuae it smelled so bad. Now when it rains it is a pgs haven if we had one. I feel sorry for them. Right now they have mud to their knees. Hubby put shingles all over in there to get them out of the mud and I put pine shavings in the boxes because they where very wet and they had carried the mud with them to lay eggs. It was just a mess. But with the pine shavings their boxes are dry again. I can't wait until I can get in there and get them a better floor. I want to first put landscaping rocks in there then top it with sand. The kind that goes in a kids sand box. I figure that will be safe enough for them if they decide to eat it.

As far as the roost it is a square board of abour 3x3" We have to do some renovations becuase we have 12 new hens that will be occupying it by winter. More if I can manage it. When there are no roaming dogs I let them out to free range safly. Yestrday there was a pitbull mix running around. He got loose fromhis chain but I didn't now who he belonged to to tell them. Then we had a beagle puppy come to visit.

Well, I gotta get off here. I'm expecting my American Onargori today or tomorrow. I have dial up so the post office cna't call if they are there.

All have a great day and if anybody has an inexpensive way for me to fix my muddy floor problem please let me know

 

[greyhorsewoman]

4 years, never did anything but flip them up for coop cleaning.

You are not alone ~~

 

[ShinShien]

How I keep my roost clean: sand and PDZ about an inch or so thick, and a small rake. Sifts like cat litter, no smell at all *I suppose that's the PDZ's work* I do sift every day or every other day, depending on schedule.

 

[honcut 44]

Hello, was looking for your roost pic but not able to locate.

 

[Patinas]

I'm planning to seal my roost boards with boiled linseed oil. I read about doing that somewhere. They said sealing the wood helps keep mites at bay because apparently they will take up residence in the boards. The other benefit I see from this would be keeping urine from soaking in. As for the poop, I don't think there is any way around having to scrape them occasionally and since 2 x 4's are not a huge expense, just replace them from time to time when needed.

I would imagine any waterproof type sealer/stain would accomplish the above too, it's just that the site I was looking at said to use boiled linseed oil specifically.

 

[PraiseGod]

I use granulated PDZ and a cat litter scoop. Works best for me and best way to keep odor down.