Poop board convert *warning-graphic/gross poop pictures*

[LauraSac]

I may do some or all of these improvements. the PDZ is the, I best can't live without it. I will still have water in the coop, I worry if I had a emergency and didn't make it to the coop, they could suffer from heat stroke, in hot weather, if they didn't have any water. they could be late on food-mad, but they'd be fine. I also run a fan in the hottest weather. I guess I'm a worrywart.

Hmm. Now you have me worried!

It would have to be quite the emergency for me to not get out there in the morning, but I guess it couldn't hurt to leave water in there as long as they don't contaminate it. Since I've raised it, it's been much better, but I can raise it more. We don't have humidity (or very little) and we have cool over nights and mornings, even when we hit the hundreds. It's the afternoons that get hot here. I have a bucket waterer in the run and a plastic mason jar waterer in the coop. In the summer, I thought I'd freeze the water in the mason jar, so that they'd have cool water in the afternoon when the bucket water is getting too warm. I might keep that routine after all.

 

[amenfarm]

Well, i thought about it and i don't go to the coop until 9:00 to 10:00 most days, and my girls are up at 4am through the winter and 6 or 7am in the summer, so keeping water in the coop is a good thing. At the moment the is no permanent run fully enclosed ( that's another change-the 1st one), when there is the food will be out there, along with a second water-er. I did suspend my water-er in the coop, now with the super sized one (5 gallon) it's sitting on a rubbermade tote with holes drlled in, so splashed water stays out of the floor. Just the feeder is suspended. you could just add ice cubes or freeze a solid dixie cup of water to drop in, if it's glass I'd worry about freezing and cracking. and plastic your not suppose to freeze or heat anything in it, unless your sure it's BPA free, even then i would't do it.

 

[LauraSac]

This morning, I added crushed ice with a little water to the plastic mason jar waterer. I think that will work fine, since they have the larger waterer in the run. We've been getting into the 80's all week, and I've worried about the water getting too warm by the afternoon. Instead of texting my boyfriend to freshen their water every afternoon, filling it full of ice every morning should be enough. It was in the 50's when I left for work, but it should melt and be cold at the hottest time of the day.

I'm up early, and have been letting the girls out of the coop at about 6:00 AM after I walk our youngest dog. But we will be taking a short vacation in July. I can't count on sitters to get there so early. I feel like I have a secure run. It's covered, except for a "sun roof" of hardware cloth, the sides are all hardware cloth, and there's also a skirt of hardware cloth buried around it. But leaving the door open still scares me. It's a trap door, too, so I don't think an automatic door would work with it. I live in an urban neighborhood. Raccoons would be the greatest risk, but we don't have to worry about fox or coyotes.

 

[amenfarm]

This morning, I added crushed ice with a little water to the plastic mason jar waterer. I think that will work fine, since they have the larger waterer in the run. We've been getting into the 80's all week, and I've worried about the water getting too warm by the afternoon. Instead of texting my boyfriend to freshen their water every afternoon, filling it full of ice every morning should be enough. It was in the 50's when I left for work, but it should melt and be cold at the hottest time of the day.

I'm up early, and have been letting the girls out of the coop at about 6:00 AM after I walk our youngest dog. But we will be taking a short vacation in July. I can't count on sitters to get there so early. I feel like I have a secure run. It's covered, except for a "sun roof" of hardware cloth, the sides are all hardware cloth, and there's also a skirt of hardware cloth buried around it. But leaving the door open still scares me. It's a trap door, too, so I don't think an automatic door would work with it. I live in an urban neighborhood. Raccoons would be the greatest risk, but we don't have to worry about fox or coyotes.

Lucky you, we have every size and type of predator
there is. A bear was sighted this last fall, on our road. Funny thing is, everyone you talk to thinks my area is town. They seem completely shocked to know the reason we have our donkey is for coyotes-and any neighborhood stays.

.

 

[Ren2014]

I'm not sure if I will go with a poop board or poop hammock. I've got to decide by Sat. We have a ladder type roost and I'm worried about a hammock being too deep and someone not being able to get out of it. Here's a pic of what I have to work with.

 

[Blooie]

I'm not sure if I will go with a poop board or poop hammock. I've got to decide by Sat. We have a ladder type roost and I'm worried about a hammock being too deep and someone not being able to get out of it. Here's a pic of what I have to work with.

Very nice setup! You think you have questions about poop boards? All 22 of mine have decided to roost on the 2x4 framing cross pieces, tucked up right against the walls. Chickens to the right of me, chickens to the left of me....chickens everywhere but on the designated roost, which, incidentally is made of the same doggone 2x4s that they're currently roosting on! Now where the heck do I put poop boards to catch that? Some on the east window frame, some on the south window frame, some on the framing for the future nest boxes....it looks like somebody opened a can of feathers and tossed it against the walls. LOL

 

[Ren2014]

Very nice setup! You think you have questions about poop boards? All 22 of mine have decided to roost on the 2x4 framing cross pieces, tucked up right against the walls. Chickens to the right of me, chickens to the left of me....chickens everywhere but on the designated roost, which, incidentally is made of the same doggone 2x4s that they're currently roosting on! Now where the heck do I put poop boards to catch that? Some on the east window frame, some on the south window frame, some on the framing for the future nest boxes....it looks like somebody opened a can of feathers and tossed it against the walls. LOL

Thank you.

I know it's not funny for you but I had to laugh. Are these places higher than the designated roost?

 

[Blooie]

Thank you.

I know it's not funny for you but I had to laugh. Are these places higher than the designated roost?

Some are and some aren't..that's the weird thing. There's no rhyme or reason for what they've decided to do. I gotta admit it does look hilarious. Maybe I should have primed and painted their roost like I did the walls?

 

[Sam3 Abq]

Ok, so my first coop was done without poop boards-I simply loaded up the floor with sand figuring that would be easy enough to sift the poop out of. Well, the plan sounded good in theory but I found it didn't work so good in reality. Don't get me wrong, the poop scoops out of the sand BUT- the sand SMELLS even after the poop is gone. Also, it is a dusty mess while scooping and I need to take frequent breaks just to breath fresh air. Still better though than changing out shavings weekly (I don't like DLM).

So when we built our 2nd coop we decided to try poop boards

WOW, what a difference. We built a waist high shelf and then added a lip all around and filled it with Sweet PDZ, LOVE IT!!!! I simply sift the poop up every day or two but you certainly can leave it longer if you had to. The Sweet PDZ keeps it from smelling at all. And the best part- NO DUST when scooping. It's almost like sifting flour. It is very zen like to clean and I tend to get carried away and make designs for my girls ( I know, I have issues

)

Anyway, thought I would share my experience and of course some pics

This is the plan for us too - just finishing our coop.
Question: Any sand mixed with the SPDZ ?
Thanks - Sam

 

[Ren2014]

Some are and some aren't..that's the weird thing. There's no rhyme or reason for what they've decided to do. I gotta admit it does look hilarious. Maybe I should have primed and painted their roost like I did the walls?

lol, post a pic if you can