Thought it might be a good idea, but need advice???

[savingpurple]

I have been doing alot of thinking, and decided that I do want a poop board. Plus 2 of my "chicken" chickens, need a softer landing as they jump down to the board that leads to the ladder, to which they refuse to use.

Anyways, I thought I had a great idea, but after thinking about it, think I just made a big mistake. I know that the legs of chickens can get injured fairly easy, and since mine have a bit of a jump off the roosts, I thought by adding a piece of cardboard, it would soften the jump down, and act as a tmeporay poop board, as I have unlimited access to cardboard boxes. Could easily change them out, as they got too soiled.

Will slipping be an issue, like i have heard of newspaper is? Need to figure this out before tonight as the go to roost for the evening? Any other ideas on a poop board? I am at a loss of how to make this happen? Any ideas on a tight budget?

Thanks in advance

 

[ReikiStar]

As long as the cardboard is solid, they won't have a hard time with it. If you wanted to give it a little traction, put 2" wide painter's tape strips or Masking tape across it. If the cardboard is too flimsy, like it buckles when they jump down, they won't trust it and will try to over jump it which would end up being harder on them.

We went with 2 surfaces. We put a layer of formica down first. I didn't want them jumping onto the formica because it's slippery. There is really only one direction to get off the roost, so in that direction we made a little sand box. It's easier for them to jump onto the sand and the clean up is quick. When they poop on the formica, we just swept that up each morning...our coop is spic and span every morning!

Hope that gives you some ideas.

 

[JackE]

My coop doesn't have poop board, never will. I don't get why somebody would want to scrap and clean a crappy board. How high are your roosts that you are worried about them hurting themselves? My roosts are about three foot up, I have A fat BO and she has no problems with the hop. Put a thick layer of pine shavings on the floor and forget it, They'll be alright. With the layer of shavings on the floor you can just rake it around a bit when the little piles become bad. Or you can throw a handfull of scratch in there and let the chickens turn it over. Chickens are easy going, They will even help you with some stuff. My advise, don't make more work for yourself.
Jack

 

[savingpurple]

The roost is above the slanted board that tops the next boxes. Does that make sense? LOL So as they jump down off the roost to the slanted board, not all that slanted, they are walking in the night time poop droppings. I usually just use a mini dust pan, and scrap it off into the pine shaving below. But the board is just looking really bad form all the squished poop. Just thought it might be easier every few days to remove the poop board (cardboard) and make it nice and freash again.

The jump isn't too high for the chickens to jump, was just worried about the jump onto the cardboard, as far as slipping goes. I have it tacked down with finish nails,so the cardboard itself won't move. Easy to remove when it gets too gross and another piece of cardboard can get nailed back in it's place?

The roost they sleep on at night is about 6 feet high. The slanted board above the next boxes, that sits below the roost is about 18" in the back to 24" in the front, below the roost, then most will walk down the ladder to the the 1 foot jump to the floor. The 2 "chicken" chickens will not use the ladder and fly and the legnth is not there for a smooth landing, but they refuse to use the ladder.

 

[JackE]

I see with your coop's design that you have to have a poop board. Maybe if you built a beefier top ladder, the other "Chicken" chickens may feel better about using it. They, (some of them are so particular), may not like the small ladder rungs. For the little area you are talking about. Maybe make a shallow sandbox there would be the answer. You could contain the sand with a low 3/4 to 1" lip. That should be easy to clean, and save the wood from total poopification.
Jack

 

[savingpurple]

Since that picture I have changed the little top part to a ladder to be just like the bottom part for that very reason. Too small of rungs. No, these 2 "chicken" chickens are surely special. They sqauwk and scream as if they are being tortured in the morning because they can't get the nerve to get down. Then one that is already outside comes runing back in, and talks to them, and heads back out. Pretty soon you hear them, and they fly to the other end, but there is just not the clearance to make a totally safe landing. They hit the waterer, or feeder.

Ya. maybe sand would be a good idea? We have sand from the back of my boys pick ups for winter weight. Will see what I can make this weekend!

Thanks!

Any other ideas are welcome!

 

[JackE]

Yeah, I hear ya, We got a couple of "Special ones" too. The only other thing I see you could maybe do is to lower the whole nestbox roost assembly down. The nestboxes in my coop are only about 6"s off the ground. You could do that, if the chicken door is not under the nestboxes. I agree with you where I wouldn't want the birds doing the high dive into the coop's floor either. I mean they have the aerodynamics of a ciderblock. I can imagine the thumps and crashing sounds when they take their leap.
Goodluck with them, Jack

 

[savingpurple]

What about shredded paper on top that could be whisked away every few days or so? Have lots of that too? Would they eat it? Will it hurt if they do? The ink, and such?

Am I over thinking all this? LOL

 

[JackE]

Quote:
They probably would try/taste the paper. But I don't think it would hurt them a bit. Look at all the other stuff they eat out in the yard. But that still doesn't solve the problem of your 2 highdivers. I guess lowering the nestboxes/roosts are out of the question.
Jack

 

[savingpurple]

The nest boxes are over the pop door. My main question was how to keep the top of the nest boxes more sanitary of chicken poop. I will work on the 2 special need ladies to try to get them with treats to get the "you know whats" to walk down the ladder! I have 4 days off work, and will try each morning.

Thanks so much for your patience with a newbie to my ladies!