If you use PDZ and/or sand, PLEASE reply! :)

[Davidhalpern2]

I framed the floor with 1x3 lumber to contain the sans, so it's about 2 3/4" deep
I also used sand outside in the run with 2x4's to solve a mud/drainage problem

 

[aart]

I started with 1:3or4..... PDZ:Sand about an inch deep on my roost board....any deeper and they tend to dust bathe in it and it's easier to sift out every 2-3 days. I have since just topped off with a bit of PDZ, too lazy to mix it with sand, as needed and it's probably mostly PDZ after almost a year....some of the PDZ from the board ends up on the floor.

Here's how I did it.

I use kiln dried pine shavings on the sheet vinyl floor and do a total clean out every 6 months....don't pick up any poops out of the shavings as they dry it right up but I do mix it all up with a rake when I clean the roost boards and they scratch it around too.

 

[biteme2134]

This is the first I've ever heard of PDZ. I've been using sand ONLY for over a year now. I made my own 5 gallon bucket sifter to clean it. I don't see the need for any moisture catcher. We have 13 birds now. Had 17 at one point. No issues as long as you clean it fairly regularly. I have pine shavings in slightly lower than coop floor level nest boxes. There is a one inch board to help keep the shavings and sand from mixing too much. Kind of like you'd said. Works great for us. Poop freezes in the sand in the winter. Makes cleaning it out even easier :-D

 

[So Cal Chic]

Aart: Thank you for posting the "how I did it" link. My contractor has been building our coop and is making the poop drawer and perches today. I thought the poop drawer would need to be a lot deeper, but if you only put in an inch of PDZ, 5" is too deep a drawer, and wastes roosting space. And as a new chicken mama, I didn't realize that they will dust bathe everywhere, so less PDZ is definitely better (and cost effective).
Planning for deep liter method in the coop. We have very sandy soil (our house is build on Torrey Sandstone) but it's fine sand, and the run was starting to smell so I scattered PDZ in there and added a few bags of construction grade sand last week.

 

[jbher]

I use straight PDZ in my poop tray and I use 90% sand in my coop and run. 10% PDZ is my guess. I would add more PDZ in with the sand but I'm worried about dust. It's much dustier than my sand. Anyone have issues with dust using more PDZ with sand on their floors?

 

[So Cal Chic]

I use straight PDZ in my poop tray and I use 90% sand in my coop and run. 10% PDZ is my guess. I would add more PDZ in with the sand but I'm worried about dust. It's much dustier than my sand. Anyone have issues with dust using more PDZ with sand on their floors?

I'm interested in that answer as well. They do kick up a lot of dust scratching and bathing.

 

[aart]

Depends on the sand and the PDZ....get the granulated PDZ, there's some dust but the powder is ALL dust.

There are lots of kinds of sand, and everyone has a different name for them. I learned that when I was doing concrete sculptures...you have to look at the sand to see what you're getting before you pay for it. I use Quickrete BRAND fine sand, it's washed and kiln dried, very nice stuff. $3.50 for 50# bag at the HD.

 

[So Cal Chic]

Thanks for mentioning there are two types of PDZ. I'm using granular, but didn't know there was a choice.

 

[dsbailey70]

I needed to know too, so I called the company today. The person I spoke to told me that a 40# bag of PDZ will cover 10-12 sq ft, @ 1", or 24 sq ft @ 1/2".

 

[rosiesgirls]

Awesome information! Thanks for sharing.