I want to incorporate a poop board (shelf) into my coop

[Ted Brown]

I live north of you but have much the same climate.

Maintenance of my coop and run is trivial. The ground where I live is mostly gravel so absorbs moisture rapidly and completely.

My run is covered and predator resistant (took a couple of years to achieve that) so accessible to the flock year round; pop door always open. I use deep litter; six years and other than adding leaves/needles in the fall I have done nothing to maintain it.

In the coop I have 40' of roosts with drop boards underneath and 30+ chickens; I use PDZ and clean daily as much as I can, do go several days when I get lazy. I use deep bedding over BJ57 coated pine boards, replaced once per year. What waste does drop on the bedding drys and disintegrates into dust then filters down into the bedding. When i do empty the bedding I note that the BJ57 is intact, no sign I will have to re-coat anytime soon.

I have no obnoxious smells nor many flies in either the coop or run.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have poop trays under my roosts; these trays have an actual lip on all sides. The lip holds the sand and PDZ mixture in place. I clean daily so the poop does not accumulate and the job is quick and easy. One reason I do this daily is bc some of my chickens insist on sleeping in the poop trays under the roosts, so they can sleep under the rooster, whom they love. I don't want them sleeping in poo.

 

[jillybeansisme]

I am mid-build on my coop. It is 12x8. The roots will go at the far end of the coop across the 8 ft. side. Under the roosts, I'd like to create a box (best way to describe) where the top will be a poop board and underneath will be closed off storage or if I ever have chicks, they could be separated.
I live in a cold climate. Poop freezes. What is the best material to put on this poop shelf so I can keep it clean? In all honestly, I can't see cleaning the poop board every day. Maybe once a week. Would I use sand or is it better to just have a plain board, like luan to scrape? Or maybe it's best just to have shavings? I can make it removeable.
What would I have on the rest of the floor? I've done linoleum in the past with shavings on top. A deep litter method is what I've heard it be called. But really, it's just me being lazy and adding more shavings!! This is primarily in the winter when no one wants to be cleaning out a coop.

If you choose to make a poop board, I'd line it with vinyl flooring just like the floor of my coop. It's the vinyl flooring on the roll at Home Depot. I also run it a foot up the walls. I use the deep litter method and only clean the coop 2x/year. Make sure to NOT use cedar. It's bad for the birds respiratory system. I use pine shavings, starting with about 4"-6". They get gently raked 1x/week and I throw some more on top every couple of weeks. I clean them out late fall and again late spring.

 

[Sally PB]

I have poop trays under my roosts; these trays have an actual lip on all sides. The lip holds the sand and PDZ mixture in place. I clean daily so the poop does not accumulate and the job is quick and easy. One reason I do this daily is bc some of my chickens insist on sleeping in the poop trays under the roosts, so they can sleep under the rooster, whom they love. I don't want them sleeping in poo.

I also clean the poop boards daily, as a couple of birds roost on them. It's a very small job -- takes a minute or two -- and is an excuse for me to visit the chickens.

 

[Bigbluefrog]

I am mid-build on my coop. It is 12x8. The roots will go at the far end of the coop across the 8 ft. side. Under the roosts, I'd like to create a box (best way to describe) where the top will be a poop board and underneath will be closed off storage or if I ever have chicks, they could be separated.
I live in a cold climate. Poop freezes. What is the best material to put on this poop shelf so I can keep it clean? In all honestly, I can't see cleaning the poop board every day. Maybe once a week. Would I use sand or is it better to just have a plain board, like luan to scrape? Or maybe it's best just to have shavings? I can make it removeable.
What would I have on the rest of the floor? I've done linoleum in the past with shavings on top. A deep litter method is what I've heard it be called. But really, it's just me being lazy and adding more shavings!! This is primarily in the winter when no one wants to be cleaning out a coop.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Is the window open to the outdoors? I made that mistake originally as well. Ended up having to close off the bottom half of it with a scrap of plywood. The chickens did not like sleeping with a draft up their aft, if you catch my meaning. Especially as the window was on the west, which is where the prevailng winds come from. Now my ventilation is all over their heads.

 

[Lulu-vt]

Is the window open to the outdoors? I made that mistake originally as well. Ended up having to close off the bottom half of it with a scrap of plywood. The chickens did not like sleeping with a draft up their aft, if you catch my meaning. Especially as the window was on the west, which is where the prevailng winds come from. Now my ventilation is all over their heads.

I made the window first and then ended up putting the roost in front. It’s been fine in summer, but you’re right. I had to close it up now that the weather has become colder. I have venting under all the eaves around the coop and also the roof peak. I’m hoping that’s enough. If it’s not, I will cut a new airflow above my current window next spring.

 

[aart]

Ended up having to close off the bottom half of it with a scrap of plywood.

I had to do the same, but I just used heavy cardboard.

The chickens did not like sleeping with a draft up their aft

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I had to do the same, but I just used heavy cardboard.

Oh, it would only hsve lasted one season - or less - with the snow, rain and ice.

Lol.

 

[aart]

Oh, it would only hsve lasted one season - or less - with the snow, rain and ice.

My windows are closed in the winter just leaky to the winds.
It's been up for 8-9 years.