My chicken is getting pooped on!

[Flock Leader]

The little silver pullet in the picture is my special favorite, I'm sure you can tell why. ) She's a mixed silkie, about 3 months old. She's gentler and smaller-sized than the rest of the birds in our flock, and thus has a lower place in coop hierarchy.

Every night when the birds perch and settle to sleep, this little one remains below the others... and is showered with poop throughout the night. This sometimes results in really ugly poop-and-feather tangles, which I then have to cut off.

What should I do to prevent her getting pooped on? I thought of moving her aside a bit after she's gotten sleepy, but what about a permanent solution?

 

[sebocat]

After seeing several poop shelves on this site, I installed my own. I built a tray under the whole length of the perch and filled it with a mix of sand and Sweet PDZ. I use a cat litter scoop to clean it daily. It's easy to clean and nobody gets pooped on! There are great examples of shelves on this site.

 

[Flock Leader]

What a great idea, I didn't think of it, thanks!

 

[laturcotte1]

That is so funny. We have a bantam rooster and purchased 3 pure white bantam silky hens for him. Well I didn't know silkies didnt roost. So the next morning when I opened the pop door and they all ran out I was shocked to find two still pure white puffs and one that looked like it was in war. She was a gray mass of stuck together feathers. I wish I had a camera her head was all spiked. I had to take the poor thing and wash her.

 

[Flock Leader]

Oh my gosh, can't imagine having to wash a chicken, I'd be afraid to do that.