Size for poop board

[EggSighted4Life]

I did mention in my first post that my boards were 6 inches below the roost to.

8 might be even better though!

Maybe for my stag pen.

Ah, how many builds have we done and changes have we made? Every time, it seems as though we discover something new that we could have possibly done better .....

 

[PetesChicks]

I did mention in my first post that my boards were 6 inches below the roost to.

8 might be even better though!

Maybe for my stag pen.

Ah, how many builds have we done and changes have we made? Every time, it seems as though we discover something new that we could have possibly done better .....

Sorry about that! I've been so busy today, somehow when I read your post I missed you put the height of the roost in it. Thanks!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry about that! I've been so busy today, somehow when I read your post I missed you put the height of the roost in it. Thanks!

Meh, no worries... I was just being goofy.

It is so easy to miss things, I know. And seriously, 8 might be better.

 

[aart]

Not sure why I picked 8"...can't remember....maybe it just looked right proportionally.
I wanted access for cleaning without removing or even touching the roost.
It's worked out well with the mesh basket I use, fits under the roost, and the cut down garden hoe to reach the back of board.

 

[PetesChicks]

8" sounds good, I'm assuming I'll want about 2 inches of sand/PDZ for the poop board?

And also, a little off topic, but how high should my pop door be from my shavings? The coop I have now it's only 1 1/2" up, and the girls are always knocking shavings out when they go in or out. I'm installing the Ador automatic door for them, so that they get to sleep late during the week and I do on the weekends.

Thanks to everyone for all your help! This forum has been a huge help since we got the girls, especially learning about ventilation and coop & run sizes. We bought a chicken tractor from a neighbor, it's about 4x4 with a run that is 7 1/2' x 4". Barely enough room in the coop, and I know it's not enough in the run but we do free range whenever we can. Also, not much for ventilation without being drafty. I'm just lucky that they all get along, and have lasted this long without any fights.

 

[aart]

I only use less than a half inch of sand/PDZ mix on my boards,
any more than that and they just fling it all over trying to dust bathe in it.
Plus I sift 100% if the mix when removing poops, so less to sift.

My pop doors are about 8" off the floor.

Here's my theory on the 'stack up' aspect to coop design:
Bottom of pop door is best about 8" above floor so bedding doesn't get dragged out of coop.
Nice to have bottom of nests about 18" above bedding to allow use of that floor space under them(doesn't count if your nests are mounted on outside of coop).
Roosts are best about 12" higher than nests so birds won't roost(sleep) in nests and poop in them, if you use poop boards under roosts it will also 'stretch' your floor space.
Upper venting works best as high as possible above roosts so no strong drafts hit roosts in winter...and hot/moist air and ammonia can rise and exit coop.

 

[PetesChicks]

I only use less than a half inch of sand/PDZ mix on my boards,
any more than that and they just fling it all over trying to dust bathe in it.
Plus I sift 100% if the mix when removing poops, so less to sift.

My pop doors are about 8" off the floor.

Here's my theory on the 'stack up' aspect to coop design:
Bottom of pop door is best about 8" above floor so bedding doesn't get dragged out of coop.
Nice to have bottom of nests about 18" above bedding to allow use of that floor space under them(doesn't count if your nests are mounted on outside of coop).
Roosts are best about 12" higher than nests so birds won't roost(sleep) in nests and poop in them, if you use poop boards under roosts it will also 'stretch' your floor space.
Upper venting works best as high as possible above roosts so no strong drafts hit roosts in winter...and hot/moist air and ammonia can rise and exit coop.

OK, so I think I'm looking good. My nest boxes are going to be double stacked, in my storage side of the coop with a door for me to collect the eggs. The bottom box will be about 8" off the floor, and then about 20" for the top one. I'm planning on the poop board being about 3' off the floor, and the roosts 8" above that. The coop is a Gambrel style, so the vents on the gables (or gambrels) are way higher than the chickens. There is also a 4'x10' loft over their area, that is open about 4" on both sides so air is able to flow up towards the vent. I'm thinking that it would take a hurricane for any drafts to get to them, when I have the windows closed.