Poop board or no poop board?

[ki4got]

On the poop board topic i have a few questions of my own now...

I've seen pics of boards both with and without bedding material on them. I can see where the bedding material would make it easier to keep cleaner and it got me to thinking. What bedding materials would you use (if you chose to)?

I use crystal cat litter (without the little blue specks) in my bird cages (macaw, cockatiel, parakeet) without problems and it definitely keeps the smell/mosture/cleaning to a minimum - i just scoop once every couple days where they tend to perch the most. Could you do that with chickens or would you have to worry about them eating the crystals? and another question just banged into my brain... if you DID use a crystal litter on a poop board, what about a layer of wire over the top to keep them from eating the crystals? if thats even an issue... or maybe i'm just trying to make things too complicated LOL.

Karen - k.i.forgot

 

[Wise Woman]

I have had 3 coops so far and none of them had a poop board. However, I am not getting any younger and scraping chicken poop off the floor is getting old and difficult. So in my new coop, I will be installing a poop board under the roosts. I will have a waterer and a feeder under there as well as their little door to go into the run. I am going to design it so I step into the run and the coop door will open from there. I will keep a compost bin in the coop and just dump it all in each morning, fill the feeder and water and be done. I will have food and water in the run as well, especially during the summer when they drink a lot more. My concern is to make daily care as simple and easy as possible. The coop will be raise about 30 inches or so off the ground so I will be able to do all the chicken chores from a standing position. This door opening to the run will also allow me to just sweep the coop out into a trash can when I need to clean the whole thing.

While a poop board isn't a necessity, I do think it will make clean up a lot easier for me. I am in the process of designing the absolute perfect coop for myself so I want to be sure to include everything I can to make chicken keeping a pleasure and not a chore.

 

[JackE]

I don't have a poopboard. I have enough to do with having to scrap and clean a crappy board every few days. If somebody wants to do that, I say, knock yourself out. It's not for me. I use the deep litter method. I replace the shavings twice a year. Either I will ocassionally stir up the shavings with a hayfork. Or I will have the chickens stir it up by throwing in a couple of handfulls of scratch. I have next to zero odor problems. By that, I mean you smell it, but you don't need a gasmask to enter the coop. And you don't smell it from across the yard.
Jack

 

[bburn]

I have the deep litter method going in both coops as my DH would not go for the poop board. There are advantages both ways as I see it.

We are now having really bad rains here. It was time to rake out the coops and replace the litter. With all the rain the last two weeks it is squishy in the coops! Now I will have to wait for it to dry out....and it will as this is unusual weather for us. But I will have my compost pile ready for all the pine shavings and poop. I am determined to have the compost pile and prove the bonus of having one to my DH.

But right now...it is kind of yucky going in there and I am sure not good for the chickens! Figure another week and I will be able to do the deed.

The third coop....when DH gets home and builds it....WILL have poop boards!

 

[Joz]

Just to complicate the question even further:

I saw someone post a while ago that had poop boxes instead of poop boards (search is failing me). They'd gotten flat bins, larger than a litterbox, and rigged up rails for the boxes to slide in/out on. The boxes were filled with sand or stall dry or some other litter, and suspended under the roost.

I'd like to do this, with just enough straw on the bottoms to keep the poo from sticking. I'd probly scrub the boxes once a week, but would dump the straw/poo either daily or every other day. Originally I'd considered doing this with sand. But what would be the point if I've got sand in the floor of the run/open coop?

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
The birds are standard size, not bantams. The nest boxes are attached, so they do have a full 6x6 coop and the run is approx 14 ft long with space under the coop to run around. So, I don't expect they will have to stay inside except to sleep, lay eggs or eat. There are 4 nest boxes. It may be a little larger, but 6 x 6 is approximate. My husband just started building it with not specific plans and we thought we were ok with the size. Now, I'm worried.

that's why they invented additions...

Does the carpenter know yet?

 

[bow-chicka-bow-bow]

Quote:
that's why they invented additions...

Does the carpenter know yet?

Actually, yes he does. I did mention it to him yesterday and he said, based on the information that we had stating to allow a minimum of 2 square ft per bird, that our 6x6 had 36 sq ft and if you count 8 chickens, they would need 16 square ft. Even giving them 3 ft each, that is only 24, so we have plenty of room. So, unless I have my "chicken math" wrong, we should be fine. Plus, they do have a good run area as well.
I'm sure some will still say it is too small, but I can't please everyone...just hoping my "girls" like it.

 

[bow-chicka-bow-bow]

Thanks everyone for all the advice and information. We have windows on all sides and lots of ventilation as well as a covered run, so I think we will try it without the poop board, and just see how it goes. I also want to try the deep litter method, and again, see how it goes.

But, you all have definitely given me some things to think about and some great design ideas if I do decide to add one later or expand. Thanks again.