Newbie needs pictures of dropping boards, please!

[Iowamom]

Hi everyone,
I did use the search function and found lots of threads on dropping boards, but not lots of pictures. I am mother to a newly adopted flock of 7 layers and one roo, so I am still working out the kinks in my coop design. I loved the thread where people posted their nest pics - gave me so many ideas of things I could do for my girls. Now I would love to see a variety of dropping boards/pits so I can start figuring out what to do for the long term. Thanks!

 

[Eliz]

O good idea!

I don't have one to show you, but I would also love to see some pics of what others have done.

Your right, if it is anyhthing like the nest box post this will be great!

 

[Iowamom]

Here is what I rigged up for my dropping board.

But given the way these chickens like to sleep, you can see that this is only going to catch about half the droppings. I need some inspiration!

 

[Eliz]

No one else with good pics.

 

[Mrs MIA]

One word of advice... don't put your nest boxes higher than your dropping pit...

This is a photo of the dropping pit in my breeder coop. They're smaller pens than "the big house".

(sorry... hard to see through the wire...)

My brahmas have a similar setup without the nest box... it's a wire rack with a board across the middle of it for them to sit on, and the removable box below is filled with shavings. I just scoop it out, or pull the whole box out to dump it.

This is "The Big House"... this is where my layers stay. (The dowling roosts have been swapped out with 2x4s... better for keeping feet warm in the winter.

) The dropping pit is placed under the roosts.

Hope this gives you some ideas! I've also found that a scrap of linoleum under tractors and roosts is an easy way to keep everything clean, too. It scrapes off easily, and you can just take it out and hose it off to clean it.

 

[Sandrachx]

i went to a habitat-for-humanity re-store (we have them here in michigan) and purchased some used laminate counter tops to use as my dropping board under my roosting poles. they were $1.50/linear foot, can be cut with a handsaw to the size you need, and are easy to keep clean. i sprinkle some wood shavings with DE mixed in along the board to catch the moist stuff and just scrape off the waste 1x week. you might look into any recycling-type center to see if they have anything.

i decided to use a dropping board vs a drop pit because my coop is not very big for wintering the girls and this gives them a cleaner floor space for socializing during the winter months or when it is raining alot. i also am able to hang a heat lamp or their feeders from beneath the board because it is so strong structurally - also freeing up floor space. no picture, sorry.

 

[Eliz]

I love the re-store.

Saves alot of money! And creates so many future projects.

 

[sew4beans]

Love the pictures and ideas here too. But I do have a question. How do you keep your coops so clean? My birds leave droppings everywhere. I would love to get them to pooping in one area so I don't have so much to clean.

 

[Mrs MIA]

http://happyhenhouse.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=housing&action=display&thread=152&page=1

Third post down has a photo of the one I modeled mine after...