Sweet PDZ & DE? nest box?

[Chad Nolen]

Ihave a 5x8 quaker style coop. I think i'm going to put Sweet PDZ on the entire floor instead of shavings. Do I need to mix in DE as well?

what material should I then use in the nest boxes? nest pads? shavings or sweet pdz?

my 5x8 quaker style coop has 8 nest boxes. we have 11 hens. would it be a dumb idea to remove 4 nest boxes and put a feeder or just simply add more sq ft for the hens to walk around? I imagine I only need 4 nest boxes for 11 hens

 

[3riverschick]

You only need one Nest box for every four to five hens
go ahead and get rid of the extra ones make yourself some more room.
as far as flooring your Coop,:
put down a layer of DE just enough so that you can't see the Grain in the floor . then put down a layer of sweet pdz over that just enough so that you can't see the DE .
cover that with 4 in of kiln-dried hardwood shavings ...white Bale from Tractor Supply, not the yellow one.
I floored my coops like that for years and it worked out right .
Best ,
Karen and the Light Sussex in Western Pennsylvania

 

[Chad Nolen]

So why use the shavings? My coop is only 5x8. Why not just use all PDZ?

 

[aart]

Why not just use all PDZ?

Well, you could do that. It's all personal preference.
I wouldn't bother with the DE, won't do anything and just add another dust component when they scratch around.

I like PDZ on the poop boards, just 1/4-1/2" thick, sifted daily.
Large pine shavings on the coop floor, totally changed out once a year.
Straw in the nests, refreshed as needed.
Deep litter in the run.

 

[Molpet]

I do deep litter in the coop and just throw a cup of PDZ when needed, and clean it out.. well I haven't cleaned it out yet (March 2016) .. the composting matter make heat in the winter... but I need some compost for the garden this spring
as far as nest boxes, I would keep a couple extras incase you get a broodie. So four should be good.

 

[3riverschick]

Shavings ate less expensive than all that pdz. really you only need the pdz to supplement the shavings to keep them dry and to cut down the ammonia .
Best,
Karen

 

[Chad Nolen]

my coop is only a 5x8 I feel its to small for a poop tray. so I just figured all pdz but I could do shavings and pdz I guess. I just figure all pdz and done. easier to scoop out if no shavings mixed in???

 

[3riverschick]

Sweet pdz isn't meant to be flooring. it's just a supplement to the shavings. if you did put it down the way I told you too, I think you'll be really surprised how good it performs as a flooring method . if you put in 4 inches worth of shavings... okay, those birds are going to dig down but they're not going to stir up a whole lot of DE or anything like that.
but the de is going to sit on the very bottom.
the bugs and stuff are going to crawl to the very bottom . they are going to get the de on their exoskeletons, it will scratch those exoskeletons and they're going to die of dehydration way down deep underneath . the sweet pdz on top of the DE is going to help keep your floor dry . you're not going to have a wet floor in your Coop. it's also going to get rid of the ammonia . the 4-inch of chips on top of hard wood shavings , they're going to keep it nice and soft for the birds and you're going to be fine.
but the sweet pdz isn't meant to be a flooring. it's meant to be a supplement underneath the flooring to cut down on moisture and ammonia . I think you're going to find it with four inches of shavings the birds are going to mix the poop into the shavings, you're not going to have anything to scoop . it's going to gradually get matted down a little bit and then just add another 2 inches of chips on top of it.
if you go to add for two more inches of chips on top of your regular flooring , you do not need to add more sweet pdz and DE. If you desire, you can sprinkle some pdz on top of the flooring you already have before you add the two inches of new hardwood shavings but there's no need for more DE.
Best ,
Karen
P.S. I never had roosts in my Coop my Light Sussex just snuggled down into the chips in the winter. I made sure it was 6 inched worth of chips in the winter and they would just snuggle down into the chips and be very happy.

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

I do total PDZ in the poop boards. Works out great. I scoop Q 2-3 days. No less-than-pleasant aromas, all excess fluids absorbed.
I toss pine shavings on the coop floor. When I see a clump of shaving-enveloped-crap I scoop it up during cleanings.
I check droppings for evidence of blood, weird stuff, abnormal poop.
I do toss a bit of PDZ on to the pine shavings on the flooring an into the run.
So far, so good.
Time will tell.

 

[Cacique500]

my coop is only a 5x8 I feel its to small for a poop tray. so I just figured all pdz but I could do shavings and pdz I guess. I just figure all pdz and done. easier to scoop out if no shavings mixed in???

I do all pdz in floors, run, and roosting area. It's worked GREAT for me...just 5 min a day and it's completely clean. If you go the pdz route, just make sure the areas are dry/covered. Wet pdz is not fun to mess with.

For the nest boxes, I'd go shavings (and I do). Remember the egg is slightly wet when it's laid, so you'll have pdz coated eggs.