Im not finding sand under the roost as easy as I've heard!!

[mikeypalone]

I am wanting to use cedar shavings for bedding in the hen house. I have read several posts not to use cedar. can anyone tell me why not use cedar

 

[Hens & Hounds]

that corner roost area might be better w// what they call a droppings hammock

search for poop hammocks in previous posts to see them. Here is a previous post of picture of a long one....yours could be a smaller triangle shaped corner one

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6828378


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Ok so this is my roost area..how would i do a dropping board in there?

(before the chickens were added!)
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x213/beraduazzo/Chicken Coop/DSC_0070.jpg

 

[Hens & Hounds]

supposedly the oils in cedar are bad for their respiratory systems. I know this is true for a lot of birds & reptiles. I have a natural cedar forest in the wooded area of my backyard & when I have to cut lower/dead branches my forearms break out in a rash from the cedar oils

Alot of people use Aspen instead of pine bedding too

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[1muttsfan]

Deep litter method

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=70

Have used it for years, works great. Shovel the coop out completely once a year, clean out under the roosts if it looks overly wet.

 

[Ole rooster]

If y'all are just cleaning twice a week no wonder you're ticked off. If I waited till every third day I would have to use a shovel instead of the cat litter pooper scooper. That much poop would probably break the handle. And if I interpreted your statement right, it's "caking" and not drying. If you wait that long it won't dry as you expect. There is a good bit of moisture in chicken poop and really needs to be spread out to dry. You're letting it pile up and cake. That just might cause dampness down to about 2 inches in three days.

If your husband just "won't" clean every morning as compared to "can't" then you have a different problem there. I would say he probably shouldn't be the one doing the cleaning. If no one else can clean and he's stuck with it then he most likely is just being stubborn and shouldn't have the chickens to start with. We all know the responsibility with owning any animal can be major, and chickens are no different.

What you probably should is get the shavings and replace the sand so he can just mix it up and leave all in the coop to dry. It sounds like that is more to his likings. That way cleaning the coop just once a year and would make him happy.

After all, if we can't have a pleasurable and happy association with our chickens, what are we doing all this for?

I have yet to be discourged with owning chickens. Shoot, I've even changed my life style to fit in with the things I preceive to be "my responsibility" to the chickens. I did the same with Morgan, my dog, and will with any other animal I get. That's just me.

I really hope y'all get it figured out to suit you.

 

[turbodog]

I guess it depends on how many chickens you have, but I rarely bother with scooping the sand. The chickens usually mix it into the sand while they scratch around. As it dries it just gets ground up by all the scratching and powders into the sand.

 

[kuntrychick]

Quote:
I would love to see a pic of the "sifter".

 

[turbodog]

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=577862

 

[dwegg]

I changed over to sand and didn't like it at first but realized after the sand had completely dried and was light and soft it was easy. I only clean my coop once a week and it is super easy. The poop is clumped and mostly dried and the sand just falls through my cat scooper leaving the poop ect behind. It really takes me 5 mins to clean the coop to where it almost looks brand new each week.
That's with 12 chickens roosting...I do love it.

But you have to get down and pretty close to the poopy action and sand to clean it with a short handled cat scooper! Lol...I also throw DE on top all around my roosts each time I clean it.

 

[kuntrychick]

I know those of y'all using sand scoop out the poop regularly, but how often do y'all do a thorough clean out....taking out all the old sand, scrubbing the floor & putting in new, or is that even needed? Or what about when there's been an illness or parasites do you thoroughly clean it out then?

What do y'all do with the sand? Can it go in compost?