The top picture shows the left side depooped and the right side ready to depoop. I probably only have 1/2 inch of my 1/3 PDZ, 1/3 DE and 1/3 sand mix on the board. I have hardly lost any depth since I started using it. The second picture (sorry it s blurred) is after I picked up the poopy mix and am ready to shake it (gently). The poop stays in the sifter with a thin coating of the mix covering it. I then use the brush to level the remaining mix on the poop board. The sifter came with a smaller version at the dollar store for $1.50.
I will be hatching chicks again soon and am thinking of using this mix in my broody coop as it will keep the shavings out of my waterer. I will probably make it deeper so the chicks have a stable surface to walk on 3/4" instead of 1/2". I can get it here (PDZ) at Blue Seal, Agway, TSC. If you live in an area with horse people you should be able to get it in some variation. It is basically Zeolite a natural mineral. I have also used zeolite in my fish pond to remove ammonia...it comes in big chunks for ponds (about walnut size). Here is another discussion post on this subject google Sweet PDZ versus DRYSTALL? for odor it will bring you to the other post on BYC. Good luck PDZ is well worth a trip.
Post #146. Hope this is what you are looking for. Sorry about your BO! Lost a Buff Cochin yeaterday to a coyote - saw it run off with it!I know at some point (was it this thread?) someone posted pics of how they made a 'chicken jail" underneath their poop board. I've got three young chicks that I'd like to move out into my coop, but obviously I need to keep them separated from my lonely adult hen. I wanted to make a sort of brooder box under the poop board - so I've been searching BYC for the pics on and off all morning of that person's under-poop-board-chicken-jail and I can't find them
Anyone seen these pics and can point me in the right direction?
Post #146. Hope this is what you are looking for. Sorry about your BO! Lost a Buff Cochin yeaterday to a coyote - saw it run off with it!
I had a bobcat eat my big fat white Pekin duck named Big Jack a few years ago. I heard it attack him and my hubby went in the woods and found a big pile of white feathers. Was so sad Guess it's part of having animals that are considered prey by most things with teeth.
That is a kitty litter boxI have several girls that will only lay in the kitty litter box, they prefer it over my more expensive
nest boxes. Sometimes I come home to find that was the only box used for the day. I think the other boxes only get used because that one was "occupied". I will probably add another one in the future seeing as they love it so much. I got it on Amazon and it comes in several fun colors. I think they love the "roundness" as they love to turn around in circles and cover themselves in hay while laying in there.
I originally got it because I needed an outside nest box that could handle the weather. Worked great. VERY easy to clean and collect eggs from since the top just lifts right off.
Trish
