Poop Board Specs?

[cabincrazyone]

I've noticed in (BYC) photos and discussions that poop boards are most often mounted 12 to 18 inches below the roost. Wouldn't it be better is they were 8 inches below? (To catch more, splash less, and to keep the young-uns from walking on it?)

 

[CopperCT]

I don't know that it matters much. I would put them at a height that is comfortable to scrape them off. I wouldn't make them too close though. That was the mistake I made. My boards are only about 6 inches below the roosts and that low clearance makes it difficult to get the scraper all the way under the roosts without my sleeve touching the yucky roost.

I'll be adjusting my roost boards down a few inches in the spring.

 

[patandchickens]

With my first droppings board i made the mistake of making the space between it and the underside of the roost only a fraction of an inch greater than the height of my scraper blade. Needless to say the roost settled slightly and now the scraper blade jams in places unless I'm paying attention and keep it tilted.

Basically I would suggest avoiding doing that

Beyond that I am not convinced it makes a huge difference, although comparing among my pens they seem to walk/tromple less on the boards that are further below the roosts than on the ones closer to the roosts. (Most of mine are more or less a foot below, though, not a lot of variation there, so I dunno wehther that's really a general thing or not)

JME,

Pat

 

[cabincrazyone]

OK, thanks. Being a newbie, I thought everyone kept the poop boards loose and took them down to scrape them ... like the fellow who uses boot pans. I guess you're saying you hold a bucket up to them and scrape into the bucket?

 

[CopperCT]

Quote:
I don't use pans under the roosts...so the answer may be different if you do use trays of some sort. My boards are fixed in place and about 15 inches wide. I use a plastic scraper to scrape them off and an ice scraper if it's been really cold and everything is frozen. I scrape the droopings into a large dustpan and then fling it straight into the compost pile as it is nearby. It works well for me. The chickens do walk on the boards as well as the roosts and the roosts get pretty yucky probably as a result so that's another reason I'm moving them a little lower next spring. Good luck with your design.

 

[cabincrazyone]

Thank you both. :^)

 

[palochknldy]

We have a small coop and instead of a poop board, which we found a nuisance, we now put newspaper under the roost. In the morning we just roll it up and into the composter it goes. Works great, plus we are recycling.

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
A good idea to ponder. Thanks.

 

[teach1rusl]

Is it possible you misunderstood the info., and they were suggesting 12 - 18 inches wide for the dropping board???? I just don't recall reading anything about droppings boards being placed that far below the roosts.

I think mine area probably about 6-8 inches below my lower roost, and probably 16 inches or so below my higher roost (stair-stepped). I have had birds walk across the board under the higher setting, and I don't like it. If I only had one roost there, I would have it at the 6-8 inch mark to prevent that.
And yes, for many of us who scrape, we simply hold a bucket there and scrape the dropping down into it...

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
With me anything's possible. :^)

I don't think I've read specific recommendations for position. I've seen a lot of coup photos where the poop boards seem to me to be way too low.

What you've said about yours is consistent with my opinion.

The lower board that's 8 inches below ... is there plenty of room to scrape without pooping up your sleeve on the roost?