Poop boards & PDZ

[aart]

Here is the msds for wood shavings.

http://www.awf.com/downloads/MSDS shavings.pdf It states:

Avoid Eye Contact.
Avoid Repeated or Prolonged Contact with Skin. Careful bathing and clean clothes are indicated
after exposure.
Avoid Prolonged or Repeated Breathing of Wood Dust in Air.
Avoid Contact with Oxidizing Agents and Drying Oils.
Avoid Open Flame

As well it states:

Ventilation: Provide adequate general and local exhaust ventilation to maintain healthful working
conditions.
Wear goggles or safety glasses. Other protective equipment such as gloves and approved dust
respirators may be needed depending

Not much better PDZ. But pine shavings do not generate any dust. Does PDZ?

Yes, PDZ has dust, pine shavings also have some dust......so too do chickens generate dust, lots and lots of dust.

You go ahead and worry about it, I'm not going to.

 

[jonalisa]

Is barn lime dusty? I have used Sweet PDZ for 5+ years on the poop board. Chickens are fine but every winter I seem to have breathing (coughing, stuffy nose, phlegm) issues and I think I can link it to the coop.
Anyone use barn lime and find it dusty?

 

[aart]

Is barn lime dusty? I have used Sweet PDZ for 5+ years on the poop board. Chickens are fine but every winter I seem to have breathing (coughing, stuffy nose, phlegm) issues and I think I can link it to the coop.
Anyone use barn lime and find it dusty?

Sounds like respiratory infection.
Got good ventilation?
How deep is it on your boards?
Do you use granular PDZ or the powder?
Both will be somewhat dusty, the powder is way dustier and I imagine lime would be just as dusty and any powered.

 

[jreardon1918]

Been reading a lot about poop boards recently - had no idea they existed but certainly understand the reasoning. I definitely want to get this going when the weather warms up a tad (it's -1 right now). I have a huge garden that I can use to recycle the poop on.

For those of you who have poop boards, what type of material do you find works best?

Also, can somebody explain what PDZ is to this novice chicken keeper?

Thanks always.

Chicken Girl 64

I too use poop boards and PDZ. The boards are removable and kind of heavy. Easy enough to maintain. In the spring I will redo them to make them a bit wider, a little lighter. And add either linoleum or paint to prevent winter freezing. Here is a picture in the middle of scooping.

 

[jonalisa]

Sounds like respiratory infection.
Got good ventilation?
How deep is it on your boards?
Do you use granular PDZ or the powder?
Both will be somewhat dusty, the powder is way dustier and I imagine lime would be just as dusty and any powered.

Hi aart,
I use Sweet PDZ granular. It's about 3 inches deep on the poop board and that is the only place I use it. Yes, I have great ventilation - one wall of the coop is all windows which are attached by hinges at the top. Over time they warped and there are gaps. I also have 2.5" holes drilled all around the top of the walls (close to roof) about 6 inches apart and covered with hardware cloth. I use sand as litter and have never smelled ammonia in the coop.
Someone at Tractor Supply suggested to my husband that barn lime was a better way to go. I know it is cheaper. Just wondering if it was dusty too? Also is it the same consistency as far as chickens walking on it, and same safety as far as chickens eating it, and is it compostable?

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

You can find a "hazard" with every dang thing produced... People get ridiculous over the skull and crossbones thing. I would think a chicken will meet his/her demise by a predator long before PDZ, stall dry, wood chips, yada, yada, yada would kill them. If you're concerned...

Wear one of these...

And...no matter what...never do this...

I drank out of a garden hose all the time as a kid...and coffee out of styrofoam cups as an adult...I'm such a rebel...

 

[jonalisa]

You can find a "hazard" with every dang thing produced... People get ridiculous over the skull and crossbones thing. I would think a chicken will meet his/her demise by a predator long before PDZ, stall dry, wood chips, yada, yada, yada would kill them. If you're concerned...

Okay smarty pants

I drank out of a garden hose all the time as a kid...and coffee out of styrofoam cups as an adult...I'm such a rebel...

I'll bet that explains a lot.
Thanks for the laugh,
jonalisa

 

[aart]

It's about 3 inches deep on the poop board and that is the only place I use it.

I'd suggest you only put less than a half inch on the board,
keeps them from dust bathing in it and thus spreading it all over,
not to mention sending it airborne.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-178#post-18966048

I think lime would be way dustier,
plus it can be rough on the skin for keepers and birds.

 

[jonalisa]

Good advice from you aart, as usual.
I'll do that.

Thanks everyone! (Even you, smartypants)

 

[blackdog043]

I only use about 1/2 - 3/4 inch of PDZ on my boards. It still makes some dust when I'm scooping poop, but I think you'll produce less when you reduce yours from 3 inches. A dust mask would also help you from breathing in dust.