Poop boards filled w/sand must be super heavy!

[jmc]

I would need a 'sandbox' about 40 inches by 8 ft.!! that would weigh alot, even with a bit of sand.

moreover, my birds would go down in it and scratch.

It would be interesting to hear more about people who use sand-filled poop boards:

maybe pictures..........
do their birds enjoy scratching it them..............
how deep is their sand..........
and and and............

how BIG are their sand boxes..................!

 

[ChicKat]

what about using wood shavings instead of sand? MUCH lighter.

 

[oldchickenlady]

I dont use sand on my poop boards, I just use a hoe to scrape everything off into a bucket. I used to sprinkle shavings on the board but found that they blow off when the chickens fly up to the roost. I have 2 drop down doors that I can lower on the back of the coop, and I stick the edge of my bucket under the edge of the poop board and just scrape it off. Works well and is very fast.

 

[jmc]

i just use plain boards myself and scrape them off each morning. nice free fertilizer!

It seems that those who use poop boards with sand in them.........must have small poop boards.................

 

[Texokie1]

I use a sand-filled poop-board on the second story of a chicken tractor (the ground level is 4'X8' and the top level is 4'X6' not counting the four nest boxes) - and yep, it IS heavy. I completely replace the sand once a week, and my fear is that I'll snap the poop board either taking it out, or putting it back in. BUT, since I clean it weekly, I don't use more than about 1/4 - 1/2" of sand in there. Still heavy, though...

 

[Doopy]

I don't understand why someone would want to put sand on a poop board. Our three poop boards are 72"x20"x1/2" plywood with two coats of polyurethane on them for waterproofing. Three times a week someone scrapes the poop off with a wide drywall knife and into a wheel barrow and takes it to the compost piles. We surely wouldn't want sand in there too.

What does the sand do for you guys?

 

[DeannaOR]

I have a 12' long by about 30" poop board. I use Stall dry in it. It's super easy to scoop the poop, I think it's cleaner and it controls odor. I'm keeping it about 2" deep. I have not seen them scratching or dust bathing in it yet. I used the space under it as a small coop to separate the youngsters from the adults. Sort of like transitioning...they all get to see each other but the big guys can't pick on the little ones. I could also use it for a sick or injured chicken or breeding. I call it the chicken jail.

 

[ChicKat]

Nice coop DeannaOR--

Even the infamous Pip has it quite nice! ;O)

 

[Texokie1]

I don't understand why someone would want to put sand on a poop board. Our three poop boards are 72"x20"x1/2" plywood with two coats of polyurethane on them for waterproofing. Three times a week someone scrapes the poop off with a wide drywall knife and into a wheel barrow and takes it to the compost piles. We surely wouldn't want sand in there too.

What does the sand do for you guys?

For me, I think it helps cut down on coop odors, and I like to think it keeps moisture down some (to prevent bacterial/mold growth). PLUS, even though it is heavy, I just park my dump cart under the side of the poop board, pull it out, and let the sand fall in. I get almost NO "stickage" - it is really easy to just hose it down and let it dry (no scraping involved).

 

[Doopy]

Hmmmmm, it sounds like you guys are putting the sand/litter to good use. I guess we had never considered (in 14 years) putting sand or anything else on our poop boards. Luckily our coop has not had any serious smell issues. But then this is a farm and odors seem to like farms. Or maybe farms seem to like odors.