Poop outside the coop -->

[SoCalRooster]

Don’t your dogs eat the chicken ?

>>>I bet they will, if given the chance! I just dont want them, or me, stepping in any! : - )

 

[Chicken Heel]

>>>I bet they will, if given the chance! I just dont want them, or me, stepping in any! : - )

I have never met a dog that didn't love to eat chicken or cat poop if given the opportunity.

 

[pibb]

So that is your yard. Who is going to be the one who complains if a little chicken poo is on the ground?

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you move it frequently (every day, every other day) you can probably get in there with a dog pooper scooper before it's all squished in and scoop up most of it, and then dump some water on the spot to get the rest to start saturating into the ground.

 

[pibb]

Yea really that sounds like that is about your only option. If that sounds like too much trouble or you can't have any poop on the ground, then you could build a floor with linoleum on it so they poop on it and its easy to clean.

 

[SoCalRooster]

Yea really that sounds like that is about your only option. If that sounds like too much trouble or you can't have any poop on the ground, then you could build a floor with linoleum on it so they poop on it and its easy to clean. >>>Now, That's an interesting idea. It's okay if the chickens are not on natural ground -? Grass is the only natural option anyway, no dirt available.

 

[SoCalRooster]

If you move it frequently (every day, every other day) you can probably get in there with a dog pooper scooper before it's all squished in and scoop up most of it, and then dump some water on the spot to get the rest to start saturating into the ground.

>>>What size poops are we talking about anyway? Hershey Kiss? Bigger? Smaller? : - )

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yea really that sounds like that is about your only option. If that sounds like too much trouble or you can't have any poop on the ground, then you could build a floor with linoleum on it so they poop on it and its easy to clean.

Only issue with that is it takes away all the interaction with the grass and soil which is the benefit of a tractor system. Essentially it would become a mobile coop. The chickens would still need outdoor space to use in some fashion.

>>>What size poops are we talking about anyway? Hershey Kiss? Bigger? Smaller? : - )

Varies a lot. Before they start laying most of the poops will be pretty tiny, after they start laying the sizes can range from pellets the size of a raisin to giant poops that are nearly egg size.

Incidentally I don't use a tractor but I do scoop up poop daily in the coop, the run and out on the grass. Occasionally miss one (which the dogs greedily gobble up) but at least the lawn stays chicken poop free.

 

[pibb]

To put it in perspective for you, I clean up my chickens poop every morning. I start with the small coop I have. That part isn't too bad. I don't have poop boards and sand like the smart people, something like kitty litter I'd call it. I use a dust pan and plastic putty knife to scoop it up.

Next I start with the run. It is bare dirt. Now this part I don't really care for because I have to bend over alot but I still do it. I don't really have any smells by doing this every day but where are you going to put your poo?

I let mine out in a fenced in garden area during the day so they poop in the grass. I don't worry about this area but I have tried to clean up poop from the grass and it is a real pain in the donkey. You can't get it all up.

So that gives you something to think about.

 

[SnowyChickenMomma]

Unless you move it every day I think you might wanna say goodbye to your grass. Chickens destroy grass. Unless they free range cause then they spread it out.

I'd try moving it often and just picking it up before you move the tractor. Could design the tractor to be tall enough to walk in and comfortably pick up the poo.