My homemade sand sifter *PICS*

[Ole rooster]

Don't cha just love the way God made the human brain to work? Fantastic idea.

 

[pawsplus]

Yup--that's just what I did. It works great!

 

[Keltara]

GENIUS!!!!!! We are adding sand to our run in the next couple weeks. I was trying to think of how to fashion something like that. Great idea!!!

~Kelly~
✿My Country Chronicles Blog✿

 

[Titus2Woman]

Where do I find of those pitch forks? Is that something I can find at TSC?

 

[Terrie Mac]

Hens & Hounds :

Anyone that can improve on the idea, your ideas would be greatly appreciated! Share your pics & ideas

I'm not sure if this is an improvement-maybe just a different shape but same principle. My husband made it and it works great! Just need a telescoping handle to reach under the coop. It's hardware secured with zip-ties (which break down after a while-but easy to replace). I just scoop and toss the droppings into the compost area that's in the run (chickens are standing on one of the hatches that lift to a trench).

 

[Coop10X]

In all fairness and for those that don't want to, or can't make their own rake: The manual (no motor or battery) model from this company is....$49.00 on 'sale'

Regards, Coop

 

[gale65]

Hens & Hounds :

After picking up a 1/2 ton of sand this past weekend I was getting a backache using the small handle sifter that I purchased at Petco for cleaning the sand in reptile cages, so I came up w/ the idea of using a Future Fork for horse stall cleaning & using zip ties to attach 1/4" hardware cloth to. Just wanted to share w/ everyone in case anyone else uses sand in their run & has a bad back. I know I have seen people who use hardware cloth attached to 2 pieces of wood & use the panning for gold motion LOL but that involved using 2 different tools, first raking/shoveling the sand onto the sifter & then using 2 hands to sift out the poop which seemed like too much work for me

So now all I do is scrape then shake over my compost bucket...all done standing up...no bending

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/91292_homemade_sand_sifter.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/91292_homemade_sand_sifter_closeup.jpg

That looks exactly like ours (only our rake is red and zip ties are white). It works ok. Our coop is so short that I can't really control the fork very well (even after dh cut off part of the handle). So I just use it to 'rake' all the poop to one area and use the kitty litter scoop to pick it up.​

 

[Zonoma]

Hens & Hounds :

After picking up a 1/2 ton of sand this past weekend I was getting a backache using the small handle sifter that I purchased at Petco for cleaning the sand in reptile cages, so I came up w/ the idea of using a Future Fork for horse stall cleaning & using zip ties to attach 1/4" hardware cloth to. Just wanted to share w/ everyone in case anyone else uses sand in their run & has a bad back. I know I have seen people who use hardware cloth attached to 2 pieces of wood & use the panning for gold motion LOL but that involved using 2 different tools, first raking/shoveling the sand onto the sifter & then using 2 hands to sift out the poop which seemed like too much work for me

So now all I do is scrape then shake over my compost bucket...all done standing up...no bending

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/91292_homemade_sand_sifter.jpg

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/91292_homemade_sand_sifter_closeup.jpg

Thank you! I've been brain-storming on that very issue.​

 

[kreolechick]

See this is why I love BYC folks...the great ideas they all have! I'll have to keep this in mind if I ever switch to sand!

 

[EweSheep]

Great idea however there might be problems down the road.

After a while, the hardware wire would be lifted up when you go to scoop the manure. would it be better to put the hardware cloth under the apple picker? That way the tines can take the abuse from lifting manure, particularly when the poop and straw or packed sawdust would tear the cloth off from the top.

Funny I still have my apple picker, the OLD ones, its more than twenty years old....still use it now and then. Had the handle replaced twice since then.