experiment with bedding

[coolcanoechic]

Here's my 2 cents on a poop board! I have 7 girls in a 4x6 coop and I couldnt live without my poop board It has only been with in the past month that they are all roosting (vs sleeping in a pile in the corner). I am amazed at the percentage of daily poop that happens at night! In the morning when I go to check for eggs, it looks as if I had just cleaned their coop...every day The floor of the coop is nearly spotless. They are in the run all day long right now, Im sure there will be more mess in the coop when they are confined more in the winter.
I actually made a modified poop board, posted a picture below. I laugh when I look at this picture...It was their first time in the coop from the brooder....the girls were SOOO tiny! Right now they FILL the floor space when they are all standing on it





It ends up working much like a litter box. It is a large wooden tray/board under the roost filled with granular sweet pzd about 2 inches deep (at the timeof the pic they were too young to roost, so the sweet pzd is not pictured). Very absorbant, and is a refresher so has that added bonus . I use a litter scooper every morning to pick up the mess and can put it directly into the garden or compost. This method works very well for me in this coop...it serves dual purpose as well. Under the poop board are the feed and water ..which hang from hook and eye closres. Avoids any potential dropping/mess in them because they are protected above by the bottom of the poop board..so for me, It increased the floor footprint for the girls. I would not have been able to have feed and water right under the roost with out a board there, so it would have used more floor space to have them out and away.
Right now though I am making more pvc tube feeders and I have waterers (from "The Chicken Fountain"...LOVE THEM!!!!.)..have them in my run and it works so much better for me, and again, takes less space, have to refill less often. Hoping changing this will give my girls even more room.

Your set up is fantastic! I have one recommendation though. Turn the 2 by 4 the other way so they are a little more comfortable sitting on it as well as being able to cover their feet well while sleeping. Winter is coming faster than we we care for. It will help keep their tootsies warm.

 

[Jenikate]

Thank you Nancy...and I agree on the roosts. The ones that were installed in the coop I just kept initially since my girls were to young to roost anyway...as of now, 5 of the 7 roost every night and changing out that foolishly narrow perch is on my list of things to do I remember seeing it thinking, "Has this guy ever had chickens?" It appears to be a 1x3 and he had it set up 6 inches off the floor of the coop...?????

Also, I know this is overkill, but I lined the walls and floor of my coop with glassboard....gives them a bit of traction and wipes clean with a wet cloth. Helps to make any "dusting" a quick 2 second job

 

[CoopChick719]

Here's my 2 cents on a poop board! I have 7 girls in a 4x6 coop and I couldnt live without my poop board It has only been with in the past month that they are all roosting (vs sleeping in a pile in the corner). I am amazed at the percentage of daily poop that happens at night! In the morning when I go to check for eggs, it looks as if I had just cleaned their coop...every day The floor of the coop is nearly spotless. They are in the run all day long right now, Im sure there will be more mess in the coop when they are confined more in the winter.
I actually made a modified poop board, posted a picture below. I laugh when I look at this picture...It was their first time in the coop from the brooder....the girls were SOOO tiny! Right now they FILL the floor space when they are all standing on it





It ends up working much like a litter box. It is a large wooden tray/board under the roost filled with granular sweet pzd about 2 inches deep (at the timeof the pic they were too young to roost, so the sweet pzd is not pictured). Very absorbant, and is a refresher so has that added bonus . I use a litter scooper every morning to pick up the mess and can put it directly into the garden or compost. This method works very well for me in this coop...it serves dual purpose as well. Under the poop board are the feed and water ..which hang from hook and eye closres. Avoids any potential dropping/mess in them because they are protected above by the bottom of the poop board..so for me, It increased the floor footprint for the girls. I would not have been able to have feed and water right under the roost with out a board there, so it would have used more floor space to have them out and away.
Right now though I am making more pvc tube feeders and I have waterers (from "The Chicken Fountain"...LOVE THEM!!!!.)..have them in my run and it works so much better for me, and again, takes less space, have to refill less often. Hoping changing this will give my girls even more room.

Your coop is awesome! Thinking of some changes I can make in mine now.

 

[CoopChick719]

Here it is.



FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
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1-800-723-4923
PO Box 510
Fort Fairfield, ME 04742

Hi CCC,

Thank you so much for starting this thread and posting pics of your experiment! I am a newbie and am picking up my coop this weekend.

Picking up the chickens as soon as the coop is ready with bedding, feed, etc. I've been researching bedding for my coop and am glad I found your postings. My sister uses the pine shavings for DLM in her coop. I've noticed it is quite dusty. I'm really excited to try the Lucerne Farms bedding and found 2 stores very close to home. Also Lucerne Farms is about an hour away from our camp in Northern ME so it would not be a hardship to visit when we are at camp.

 

[bairo]

Thank you Nancy...and I agree on the roosts. The ones that were installed in the coop I just kept initially since my girls were to young to roost anyway...as of now, 5 of the 7 roost every night and changing out that foolishly narrow perch is on my list of things to do I remember seeing it thinking, "Has this guy ever had chickens?" It appears to be a 1x3 and he had it set up 6 inches off the floor of the coop...?????

Also, I know this is overkill, but I lined the walls and floor of my coop with glassboard....gives them a bit of traction and wipes clean with a wet cloth. Helps to make any "dusting" a quick 2 second job

if you turn it flat side up...it will give in the middle under their weight. You can do one of two fixes, put in a center brace or place another 2x4 edge up..up against the first one and screw them together. Edge up will not give as easily and you end up of course with a wider perch (or a 4x4 if you want to look at it that way)

 

[Eel Noob]

Really want to try this stuff but there's no seller here in MN, not even the surrounding states

 

[coolcanoechic]

Hi CCC,

Thank you so much for starting this thread and posting pics of your experiment! I am a newbie and am picking up my coop this weekend.

Picking up the chickens as soon as the coop is ready with bedding, feed, etc. I've been researching bedding for my coop and am glad I found your postings. My sister uses the pine shavings for DLM in her coop. I've noticed it is quite dusty. I'm really excited to try the Lucerne Farms bedding and found 2 stores very close to home. Also Lucerne Farms is about an hour away from our camp in Northern ME so it would not be a hardship to visit when we are at camp.

Congrats on the new coop and chickens!!!!!! It's so exciting when you first start out. I hope you like the hay. I've been very pleased with it. Put it in there a few inches deep and turn it over every couple of days. I have been making mine last longer just by scooping the poops off the top before turning it over.

 

[coolcanoechic]

Really want to try this stuff but there's no seller here in MN, not even the surrounding states

Aw, dang. I guess they are not a big enough company to be national. Keep searching. There must be something similar in your area.

 

[CoopChick719]

Congrats on the new coop and chickens!!!!!! It's so exciting when you first start out. I hope you like the hay. I've been very pleased with it. Put it in there a few inches deep and turn it over every couple of days. I have been making mine last longer just by scooping the poops off the top before turning it over.

Picked up my bale today...it was a little under $13. Figured I would pick up a few things this week and a few next week. Thank you again!! I'll post my findings as well!!

 

[Vinniemac]

Haven't heard from you for a while. Hows that bedding holding up.I found a feed store near me that carries Lucerne farms products,All they have in stock is Alfalfa or Timothy have you ever tried them ? There going to check on the Gold for me
Vinnie