Poop Problem...

[Chicks Galore3]

I recently switched from wood shavings to sand in my co-op this summer and loved it. It's easy to maintain and is way less stinky. However, I went to scoop out beneath the roost the other day and it was frozen solid. Not surprising I guess with highs in below zero. But know there are mountains of poop because I can't clean them out. Do other sand users have this problem? If you do, how did you solve it?

 

[cnicho05]

Hello,

I used sand at the end of last winter and ran into the same problem. At first I didn't know what to do as the sand was frozen harder than rock...

I ended up covering the area with wood shavings and waited for it to thaw. As soon as it got warm enough I removed the sand and about two feet of soil (as to have the room to add more sand in the future. Overall, it worked out well...during the summer months.

 

[Hokum Coco]

. But know there are mountains of poop because I can't clean them out. Do other sand users have this problem? If you do, how did you solve it?

I do not use sand in my coop I have either wood pellets or pine shaving what ever is available.

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new. Feed bags are a nylon mesh bag frozen poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off in summer when left out in the sun to bake and dry.



POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

Winter months even easier flex over compost bin DONE!

Easy peasy!.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Ok, I've heard so many great things about poop boards, and I've thought about making one, but I don't know how they work exactly. I would think the chickens would get all messy in the poop before I cleaned it out, and that they would have trouble getting on to the roosts with it in their way. I have 3 levels of roost in a ladder type set up, and just don't see how they could work. Maybe I just need to look at other peoples designs.

 

[WNCcluck]

We use sand and PDZ. The PDZ really helps keep the sand from freezing together. I do use a hard-nosed rake to help keep it broken up for poop scooping.

 

[RonP]

This is the reason I use deep litter (pine shavings) in on my coop floor.

 

[blucoondawg]

I have a question for all you who use poop boards, how many chickens do you have? It just seems to me the poop boards are a better idea for a small coop with less than 10 chickens. I have considered making some but I have a large coop with 50 (give or take) chickens at most times. Does anyone with a larger number of hens use poop boards?

 

[aart]

@Chicks Galore3 they do step in it, not much different than them stepping in it out in the run or anywhere else.....
...they also sometimes sleep on the roost board itself, or on the front edge, but I've never seen a bird with gobs of poops on their feathers because of it.

I sift it all out every other day.


@blucoondawg I have 15 birds and about 13 feet of roost boards......it works great.
For a larger number it would be more difficult...hmmmmmmmm....