Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

It will go on the poop board. I like the pdz that is there now. It will stay but it is a little too thin in spots. I'm going to try a mix of sand and pdz because sand is so much cheaper. Even if you have to buy it.

I went the other way, started with sand PDZ mix, then couldn't find not dusty sand.
Now use all PDZ.
I keep it thin (<1/4") and sift all of it every day.
Here's some posts about it, they're kind of old, but changes are noted.
...and the threads these posts are in has a ton of examples of poop boards.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-111#post-13179595
Updates:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-178#post-18966048

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/...ch-x-9-inch-mesh-drawer-organizer-silver.html

 

[aart]

Finally stopped snowing about 9:30, wind stayed down, driveway is clear with no mishaps!
Then the sun came out for most the day, nice break from days of clouds and almost non stop snow.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

View attachment 2973368
Dark-eyed Junco. Photo: Jocelyn Anderson/Audubon Photography Awards
^Commonly called (Snow Junco), but it's real name is Dark Eyed Junco. They are pleasant birds to have around. Here they eat the plant seeds of the Lambs Quarter when there is a a bunch of snow on the ground, one reason to not keep your unused areas weed free.

Your chickens are molting, probably the result of too much light for this time of the year.

Blanch gets light on at 558am and off at 5pm. Should I make light on in the morning later on?
So these birds are ok to be around? I have no clue what to do. I do not have a feeder or anything outside. I do not like to attract anything at all.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

Had a good scare today. The electricity to the coop and run was out. Seems like the outside plug died. Brought the extension cords through a window in the pantry adyaect to teh coop. Need to keep the water from freezing and the booder plates on. Thank you all for all that I learn here. Foudn a few people on FB and linked them here so they can learn from the best.Thank you Rose and Aart. Sally I miss you. WHere is Michelle? Mrs. Mary, I have a scheduled appointment with you to go help you out. It will be my pleasure and thank you for letting me touch your horse for the first time in my life. It was awesome!

 

[saysfaa]

I went the other way, started with sand PDZ mix, then couldn't find not dusty sand.
Now use all PDZ.
I keep it thin (<1/4") and sift all of it every day. ...

I put 1/4" thick to start with - because of your method. I couldn't get comfortable with it. I like scooping rather than scraping, if that makes sense.

I don't have the vinyl, though. I meant to but they grew fast. I didn't get to it before they were getting up there. Then it was working well for several months.

Anywhere it gets too thin, it freezes to the painted board. It still wasn't a big problem for a while. I could pop it off as long as I get to it early enough in the morning - which I do anyway. Then it got colder with much lower highs. Once I can't get it all off, it sticks up making it harder to keep it covered. It freezes to that even more than to the painted wood.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll change plans to put the sand only in the worst problem spot. Maybe on a shallow pan to contain it until I can tell whether I like it.

 

[Alaskan]

I put 1/4" thick to start with - because of your method. I couldn't get comfortable with it. I like scooping rather than scraping, if that makes sense.

I don't have the vinyl, though. I meant to but they grew fast. I didn't get to it before they were getting up there. Then it was working well for several months.

Anywhere it gets too thin, it freezes to the painted board. It still wasn't a big problem for a while. I could pop it off as long as I get to it early enough in the morning - which I do anyway. Then it got colder with much lower highs. Once I can't get it all off, it sticks up making it harder to keep it covered. It freezes to that even more than to the painted wood.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll change plans to put the sand only in the worst problem spot. Maybe on a shallow pan to contain it until I can tell whether I like it.

Because of those issues, especially in winter, I line my poop shelves with feed sacks.

You can always slide the feed sack out, pop off the poo, then replace the feed sack.

 

[aart]

I don't have the vinyl, though.

Yeah, the vinyl certainly helps a bunch, tho sometimes still sticks.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

I put 1/4" thick to start with - because of your method. I couldn't get comfortable with it. I like scooping rather than scraping, if that makes sense.

I don't have the vinyl, though. I meant to but they grew fast. I didn't get to it before they were getting up there. Then it was working well for several months.

Anywhere it gets too thin, it freezes to the painted board. It still wasn't a big problem for a while. I could pop it off as long as I get to it early enough in the morning - which I do anyway. Then it got colder with much lower highs. Once I can't get it all off, it sticks up making it harder to keep it covered. It freezes to that even more than to the painted wood.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll change plans to put the sand only in the worst problem spot. Maybe on a shallow pan to contain it until I can tell whether I like it.

So true. PDZ was so easy during the summer but once it started to get cold, it was not easy anymore. Since I had sand on the coop floor and was told that it gets cold in the winter, and put woodchips on floor, I also opted for woodchips on the poop board as well. Not to my likings but not too hard. It all freezes and every 2 days, just scoop the lump and done with it. The floor, I just rake it around and add more chips as needed. They do not spend much time in the coop. They like to be out in the run. Out there, since they are done with the grass, they have straw. I just rake it to the borders and they scratch it back out. I guess we all get exercise, lol.
Aart, can't wait to get back to PDZ.

 

[saysfaa]

I still like using the pdz, even in the cold, as long as it is deep enough. It is the expense that is tipping me to try mixing it with sand. It shook off pretty well before it started freezing to the poops. Not so much when it's below 20. I'd hoped to maybe shake some of it off in the spring before emptying the rest in the garden. That doesn't help now.

 

[1muttsfan]

Dreamz, having electrical issues is one of the reasons why providing supplemental heat is not a very good idea. If you let your birds acclimate to the cold temperatures then they don't have a problem when the temperature drops if your power goes out. Water issues can be taken care of by using a rubber tub if your electrical is out, you just rotate a couple in and out and the ice comes out of them if you flip them over and stomp on them.