Talk to me about CHICKEN POOP!

[mtboyakgirl]

We are building our coop for our first flock. It’s an insulated 8x10 shed, but I’m looking for ideas on your favorite chicken poop control, containment and cleaning! Inside has yet to be designed so I’m all ears!

We have 12 babies that are 5 weeks now. These are my girls.

 

[ToniTalley]

First and foremost, plan on a poop board filled with Sweet PDZ. So easy to keep clean, and keeps the coop from getting smelly.

 

[jthornton]

You better hurry, they grow like weeds.

24" wide poop board with >1" sides with 1/2" or so of Sweet PDZ, roost centered 8"-12" above. 12" of roost if possible for each bird.

JT

 

[imnukensc]

1"X2" welded wire under the roost so the poop falls straight to the ground. What doesn't fall through I occasionally brush off with a deck brush. My coop is elevated about 2' off the ground.

 

[X_and_Z]

It's a good time to look into composting - I use a tumbling composter (space, flies and critters are a concern for composting here), but there are many ways to compost, including just dumping everything in a pile. The poop adds up quickly though so it is best to have a plan in place.

If you are into gardening and have a large enough lot you can use the compost in your own yard. I have given my extra to neighbors since my lot isn't large enough to absorb all the compost. I have I have also seen people selling their composted chicken manure on CL.

 

[Foster's Freehold]

As a beginning to the compost, and as a lazy chicken keeper, the KISS concept is what works for me.

I do deep litter in the coop and run I currently have now. I toss in some scratch or veg about every day, let the chickens turn it. About once a week, I'll take a fork to it and turn it a bit too. I don't worry about cleaning poo, just make sure everything stays as dry as possible. I just put in another bale of shaving because I don't have any hay right now and it has been raining to the point under the litter is squooshy. Once everything dries a bit, I'll turn it really well and then it will dry itself.

Once or twice a year, clean it all out down to the dirt, pile it so that the recent poo will dry a bit, turn it once or twice and in a month, you have lovely compost. Use on your own plants or sell it.

 

[jthornton]

1"X2" welded wire under the roost so the poop falls straight to the ground. What doesn't fall through I occasionally brush off with a deck brush. My coop is elevated about 2' off the ground.
View attachment 1314833

Does that create a updraft?

JT

 

[Rick&chickTampa]

I use a poop board with PDZ. But if you want to talk about poop there is a lot of it. It's not all time consuming, I just scoop it up like kitty litter and put it in the compost barrel. The most peculiar thing I've noticed though, My girls could care less when I gather up their eggs but when I get out that bucket and litter scoop they are all in there squawking like I'm stealing their poop. I guess it is precious to them.

 

[imnukensc]

Does that create a updraft?

JT

Not quite sure how to answer that. If you mean updraft as in "is it windy/drafty in the coop?" then the answer is no, it does not. If you mean updraft as in "does it help with ventilation?" then the answer is yes, it does.

 

[blackdog043]

Here's the inside of my 8 x 12, my poop board is along the back wall(12') filled with 1/2" of Sweet PDZ.