Low roost poop boards

[SplendidDogFeet]

For those of you with at least one low roost (14" and under), do you still mount a poop board underneath or just lay something directly on the floor under the low roost? I have Jersey Giants and it's recommended to do 12-18" max for the roost and I feel weird having a ledge with a couple inches gap under it all the way across the coop. Seems like a good place for things I don't want to set up shop and I would even know it for months.

 

[Debbie292d]

You could use horse bedding pellets on the floor for one idea. Then you'd just rake them around in that area once a week or so. We've used them on the floor of our coop for eight years, only changing them in the spring, and never any maintenance as the chickens scratch them around enough.

 

[saysfaa]

I would put the "poop board" on the floor skipping the gap. Quotation marks because it would be a section of different bedding rather than an actual board - there are more than one good way to do poop boards.

Or put the roost 12" above a wide board that is not more 12"-18" above a step (or platform) that is not more than 12"-18" above the top of the litter. This is close to what I actually have. The platform is about 4' wide in front of a 7' wide tree branch roost. It is a tiny bit less convenient to scoop poops because I have to walk around the platform every couple of weeks to reach all the poops on the poop board. Usually, they all roost on one end. The hens usually use the platform then the poop board in getting up and down from the roost. Sometimes they fly past the steps but less often as they are getting older.

Thick, springy litter helps the cause too.

 

[SueT]

I would skip the poop board. I have a smaller coop 4X4 for my bantams, no poop board, and for the past 2 years, I've been using sand as the litter. I clean it daily w a litter scoop. It was great for baby chicks, and I have kept it since it does such a good job of drying out the poop, just as good as PDZ. Or mix them. You can scoop poop out of shavings on the floor as well.

 

[DobieLover]

I have Jersey Giants and it's recommended to do 12-18" max for the roost

You can mount a roost at 12"-14" over the poop board that is set to 28"-30" above the floor level and install 2 ramps with cleats spaced roughly 7" apart. All my larger birds like use the ramps to get up and down from the roosts/boards. Except the rooster. He likes to jump down from the board edge but he will sometimes take the ramp down.
If you want to encourage ramp use, put in more than one. I this design, I could just put a second ramp in on the other side of the 'U'.

 

[aart]

Agrees ramps can help the huskies.
Roosts are only ~8" above boards, eliminates most 'overshoots'.

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

I would skip the poop board. I have a smaller coop 4X4 for my bantams, no poop board, and for the past 2 years, I've been using sand as the litter. I clean it daily w a litter scoop. It was great for baby chicks, and I have kept it since it does such a good job of drying out the poop, just as good as PDZ. Or mix them. You can scoop poop out of shavings on the floor as well.

I am doing sand, also

 

[DobieLover]

Roosts are only ~8" above boards

I tried that height at first. The birds walking along the boards looking for a spot would get their heads pummeled. A little higher avoids this but does permit more splatters on the wall. I opted for sh!tty walls!

 

[aart]

I tried that height at first. The birds walking along the boards looking for a spot would get their heads pummeled. A little higher avoids this but does permit more splatters on the wall. I opted for sh!tty walls!

I don't worry much about the pecking order, never had an extreme case....and as you can see my walls are not cleanable.