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

[aart]

Quote: Yeah, but chickens walk in their poop all the time anyway....on the coop floor, on the ground in the run, on the ground while ranging.
I swear half the time they poop and turn around and walk right thru it....lol.
Unless you are following them around and cleaning up everything they drop the second they drop it, they will often have poop in their feet.

I'd be more concerned about a bird getting it's foot stuck in the wire while you were gone to work long hours than walking on a poopy roost board.
Unless your coop is very small and they are confined to it all the time, most the time they spend on the roost board will be getting up and down from the roost to sleep.
I only clean my roost boards every 2-3 days.

 

[daxigait]

OK sounds like the pigs, cows, etc. Maybe whoever posted it was a city type. I built it 8.5x11 short wall close to 6' front 8' plus the run for up to 20.

 

[amenfarm]

I can't seem to post the pictures, they are too big? I used duck cloth to make the hammock, but it takes so much time to dry, that next time I'll use sunbrella fabric, some people just use a tarp. I did not use a tarp because I think it's too slick to use a plastic tarp. There are pictures if you google poop hammock, I showed my husband what I wanted, he made the roost and my bestie sewed the material.. I did save money by useing schedule 40 PVC pipe in the diameter/length I needed.

 

[KprsMom]

What are some suggestions for the poop boards. This thread it too big to go through it all. Thanks
Something like boot trays?

You can see my roosts - all one level and above a tray which holds a bag of Sweet PDZ. I scoop it about once every-other day with a kitty litter scooper and it takes me all of 5 minutes. Sometimes they miss the tray and poop around the edges, but it's easily scraped up with a spackling scraper from Lowes. Since I put linoleum on their floor - that clean-up is easy too. There is virtually no smell inside the coop - even if I leave it for several days without cleaning. The chickens will walk in the poop tray, but rarely. The PDZ seems to dry droppings out pretty quickly, so I've not had a problem with poopy chicken feet. The other half of the coop floor is covered in pine shavings. I churn those up about once a week - there is some poop in their shavings, but not much since they are usually roosting when in their coop and out in the run the rest of their days. I bought the tray at the local Tractor Supply store - it was in the section with rabbit hutches and dog kennels. They had three different sizes so I picked the one that fit best in our coop and then built the roosts to fit right over it. Don't know if you can tell from the photo, but the tray fits pretty exactly underneath the roosts. The roost stand has a lip on the front to be a "stopper" for the tray and also serves to hold the shavings in place. I rarely have them mixed into the PDZ. If need be I can slide the tray and the roost stand out of the coop pretty easily for deeper cleaning. All in all, we're happy with the design and functionality.

 

[daxigait]

Thanks, I did not consider using a tray in NY tractor which is a lot like your coop. I will have to do that. I am finishing my big coop. I just built the poop board out boards and will be lining it with press down tiles since trays for a 110"x30" space was too much and nothing really for.

 

[daxigait]

I hate auto correct

 

[Cluckies]

You can see my roosts - all one level and above a tray which holds a bag of Sweet PDZ. I scoop it about once every-other day with a kitty litter scooper and it takes me all of 5 minutes. Sometimes they miss the tray and poop around the edges, but it's easily scraped up with a spackling scraper from Lowes. Since I put linoleum on their floor - that clean-up is easy too. There is virtually no smell inside the coop - even if I leave it for several days without cleaning. The chickens will walk in the poop tray, but rarely. The PDZ seems to dry droppings out pretty quickly, so I've not had a problem with poopy chicken feet. The other half of the coop floor is covered in pine shavings. I churn those up about once a week - there is some poop in their shavings, but not much since they are usually roosting when in their coop and out in the run the rest of their days. I bought the tray at the local Tractor Supply store - it was in the section with rabbit hutches and dog kennels. They had three different sizes so I picked the one that fit best in our coop and then built the roosts to fit right over it. Don't know if you can tell from the photo, but the tray fits pretty exactly underneath the roosts. The roost stand has a lip on the front to be a "stopper" for the tray and also serves to hold the shavings in place. I rarely have them mixed into the PDZ. If need be I can slide the tray and the roost stand out of the coop pretty easily for deeper cleaning. All in all, we're happy with the design and functionality.

This is a pretty small floor area under the roosts, have you thought about just putting a short board, maybe 1x4 on this side of the roosts on the floor and putting the PDZ right on the floor? You already have a "stopper" on the other side. That way if they miss, it won't matter as it is on the floor.

 

[Cluckies]

I like when mine walk through it, it cleans their feet. Also, if one has a really dirty butt, has the runs or whatever, I'll scoop some up (with gloves on) an rub it on her backside lightly, it dries it up after a few scoops and she is pretty clean after that. She appreciates it as well, even chickens don't like a poopy butt. mine do not dust bath in it, not enough room, my roost is only 5 inches off of the tray.

 

[Purpletie3]

What beautiful coop you built! Love the design.

 

[aart]

Quote: Good idea Cluckies!

Those roosts look small and too close together.