Poop board, bedding or no bedding

[erinc89]

So I'm new to having chickens, about a week or so. Iv done a tun of research and bought a coop and chickens....one question I can't find an answer to, do i add bedding to the poop tray? Or just leave it as it is? My chickens don't seem to care and i clean it every day, but it's going to start getting cold....so any suggestions would be very appriciated. Thanks!
Also I have a small coop made for 6 from tractor supply..just to give you an idea. Oh and use pine shavings in the nesting boxes.

 

[Emmsykate]

I add hay to the tray and each day I just scoop the poop off the top of the hay and its clean as a whistle. Once a week I replace the hay with fresh and clean the tray. I like this method as it only takes me a few minutes as opposed to taking the tray out and cleaning it each day. I think ultimately as long as you keep the coop clean it doesn't matter. Try both ways perhaps and see which is easier for you and which your chickens prefer.
Good luck. Glad u have joined the chicken family, I hope ur chickies give you as much pleasure as mine give me

 

[erinc89]

Okay, I went ahead and tried putting a few shavings on the board. To soon to tell, but going to go ahead and see what the best option is. Might go ahead and buy some hay and see if cleanup is more effective that way too. Thanks for the feed back appreciate it!

 

[Cacique500]

You might also want to do a search for Sweet PDZ. It's like a granular "kitty litter" that absorbs the moisture and dries out the poop. I've got it 100% in my coop and run and it allows me to scoop the poop out each day in about 5 minutes. First pic is the run (set up for a new batch of chicks...netting and supports are now down) and the second pic is the roost/poop basin. You can find it at tractor supply and make sure you get the GRANULAR, not the powdered version.

 

[erinc89]

Oh wow, okay I'll have to check that out. Thanks!

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Here's my post on poop boards in a great thread with lots of other info there too.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...raphic-gross-poop-pictures/1100#post_13179595

I've got to tell you....I suspect your coop 'made for 6 from TSC' is really only big enough for 3.
Probably not big enough, or with enough cleaning access, to have a poop board with sand/PDZ.