Roost and poop board design

[Ted Brown]

The other consideration for the board width is the size of the birds. My LB's prefer to hope off, not use the ramp. They need some landing space. My board is also around 30" tall...good height for me.

My birds (ISAs, Maran mixes, Chanteclers) mostly do not use the ramp to dismount but they fly/glide rather than hop off. The glide path is 45 degrees so they need floor "length" that is at least the height of the DB; too little space equals crashes. Hard floor surfaces are BAD, hard on feet and legs; I use deep bedding (pine shavings plus straw) that is at least 8" deep, provides a perfect cushion in addition to low cleaning maintenance; my bedding is close to a year with no clean out, daytime droppings (very minimal) dry then disappear (chickens turn the bedding over several times a week), no smell and DRY.

 

[Sonya9]

Two things to consider --

1) The poop doesn't drop straight down, often watery poop shoots out at an angle and will run down the wall if the roost is too close to the wall or too far above the board. Cleaning it off the walls is very very difficult. Might want to keep the roosts a good distance from the wall and keep them low like you described to minimize the splatter. Thing is some birds WILL pick on their neighbors if they can reach them so give them plenty of roost space to avoid each other.

2) The space under the poop board is valuable real estate, plan carefully so it can be used to the fullest. I have the area penned off with its own little outside door (leading to a separate outdoor run) so it can be a separate housing area for any birds that need their own space i.e. new birds, hens with chicks, extra roosters etc..

I am thinking about redoing the poop board to make it higher and wider so that it is easier to access the rooster section below it and gives them more space.

 

[Ted Brown]

...2) The space under the poop board is valuable real estate, plan carefully so it can be used to the fullest. I have the area penned off with its own little outside door (leading to a separate outdoor run) so it can be a separate housing area for any birds that need their own space i.e. new birds, hens with chicks, extra roosters etc..

Very true!!

My 30" of height and 42" of depth is a lot of "valuable real estate" (my coop is 10' by 16') but the smaller the coop the more valuable every inch is. I normally have that space open for use but when I hatch and integrate (beginning at two weeks) I enclose the area using hardware cloth and brood in-coop. In fact I was able to construct three separate brooder areas for two hatches (two weeks apart) and a broody hen. This entailed using the area under my ramp as well.

Two key points: anticipate using the area under the drop boards in different ways and; do not over construct that area, make it flexible (I use HC, wood strips and screws; I can install/remove everything in a couple of hours).

 

[Craig Cowan]

I am far from experienced, but I am trying a “different idea”
I’ll try to post photo of material I am trying for my Poop board.
called KerDi Board. It’s real purpose is for a substrate under Ceramic Tile.
its 1/2” thick, easily cut to whatever size you need, and best of all, strong and light.Once I install side/ edges, total weight shouldn’t be much more than 3 lbs.
Mine currently is about 10” below roost - I may have to adjust that. We’ll see if it works !!!!!

 

[orchidcrazy]

I am no expert - just finished our coop Saturday and moved the girls in. Our coop is 4 x 6 but sits off the ground. I did our poop board the width of the coop interior (less a few inches) and 36" deep. I put two same height roosts that are 8" above the poop board and fastened them to the poop board, not the coop. I wanted to be able to switch out the roosts easily if I want new ones, different heights, space them differently - all without damaging the interior walls of the coop.

The board is OSB plywood covered with vinyl flooring trimmed with 1 x 3. On the bottom edges of each side we put 1 x 4 that extends out a lip on each side. We ran track from under our windows all the way to the back of the coop. The poop board / roosts sit on this track. One track is enclosed top and bottom to prevent accidental movement up and down, the other side the track is only on the bottom which allows us to life off the board and remove if we ever want to change anything up.

I can simply reach in, pull the board forward, sift, scrape, whatever and push it back into place. Only used it since Saturday and is functioning as desired. The bottom of the poop board is only 18" off the floor so the older two are doing just fine with getting in, out, up and down. Two of the younger three are fine getting down and out, still working on in and up. We did the roosts the same height to hopefully eliminate some of the 'I'm top dog' stuff on the roosts. When the girls get older, if I want to do higher roosts, I can simply replaced these. I may go in and line the back wall with plastic before it gets too messed up.

 

[tsperry88]

I used plywood with a few coats of polyurethane. It cleans easy with a 12" drywall knife. Mine is 24" with roost centered. Chickens face both direction. The coop isn't this clean anymore......

 

[Tervish]

I love BYC...such great information! I so appreciate everyone sharing their experience.

That poop board sliding on a track is genius. Such a great idea. Thanks for including the picture.

I will re-evaluate my poop board height and probably raise it a bit. I was concerned more about chickens getting on and off than my back, but I am switching priorities now based on the voices of experience here. Or with that sliding track idea, I can stand on a lower step in the doorway and reach more easily. Wait, how did I end up with MORE decisions rather than less after asking my question?

I am thinking I may put some vinyl on the wall behind the roosts too.

 

[orchidcrazy]

That poop board sliding on a track is genius. Such a great idea. Thanks for including the picture.

Thanks!!! I was SOOOO happy with how it turned out because I literally lost sleep wanting specifics with the coop. The sliding poop board got me all I wanted, where I wanted it. pretty darn proud of myself with how it turned out!

Hope you get all YOU want from your coop as well! Just takes a bit of creative thinking to accomplish it. Post pics when you are done...

 

[SteveE]

I store my poop bucket under where she roosts...I have high hopes that she will poop in the bucket and not the floor.

All you need now is a motion sensor in the bucket connected to some flashing lights and little toy train whistle in some corner where you entertain guests. Great conversation piece!

 

[Kelleysclucks]

My coop is in the final stages of construction (yay!) and I want to see if anyone has input on my roost plans.

The coop is 4' wide and 6' long. Full size door on one short wall, I can easily walk in. 4 external nest boxes at floor level on left side. Pop door on right side near the front. Currently 7 chickens.

I was thinking of putting a poop board across all 4 feet of width in the "back" opposite the walk in door. 21" tall would be over nest box openings. I'd like 2 parallel roosts across the 4' width, same height, maybe 8" above the poop board? The back roost is planned 12" from the back wall, and the second roost 12" from that. Then making a 30" deep poop board would leave 6" of board in front of the front roost. There would be just over 3' of clear space in front of the board for takeoff and landing lol.

The poop board plan is 3/8" plywood with linoleum on top, and a lip for a PDZ scooping system. It would not be impossible to pull a board that size out for extra cleaning but it would not be very easy either.

Is 12" between roosts okay, or will that lead to harassment across the aisle? Any input on height of roost above the board? I have seen 4"-8" mentioned mostly I think.

Anything I have failed to consider?

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No suggestions for the coop. However, I made roosts out of handrails bought at Home Depot. Then I asked the local bicycle shop to save punctured inner tubes for me. I prefer the wide inner tubes. I cut the inner tubes stem out and then made one cut the length of the inner tube and wrapped the inner tube continuously around the rail at and angle. Each wrap around the rail, covered the previous wrap about a half and inch or 3/4". No wood was showing between the wraps. As I wrapped, I made sure the inner tube was snug on the rail and stapled the tube to the wood at intervals. Here is a picture of the rail resting on a tan chair. Easy on the chickens feet, not slippery and easy to clean. You made a beautiful coop. Will your chickens have cable?