Poop Board pros and cons

[1keegan]

We’re updating our Wichita-design coop, after four years of being vacant. I’ve seen poop boards under the roosts in several posts. Since the interior (roost area) of our coop is rather small, we find ourselves wondering if a poop board under the roost is practical, as they’ll need room to hop up to the roost. We have 6 standard size hens to move into it.

For those of you with Wichita type coops with limited interior/night roost space, how did you build your poop boards, and what are the pros and cons?

 

[aart]

Since the interior (roost area) of our coop is rather small, we find ourselves wondering if a poop board under the roost is practical, as they’ll need room to hop up to the roost.

Think you've answered your own question.
But maybe you can fit a small ramp for getting down.
Some pics of coop interior would help here.
Hope some small coop poop boarders chime in.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

My coop is large (8’x12’) and I have two poop decks with two levels of roosts each. My girls hop up on the lower poop deck (about 18” off the floor) and then up on the roosts. The ones who like the height then hop up on the second poop deck (about 5’ off the floor) and up to their favorite roost. My poop decks, nest boxes, coop, and run are filled with natural, coarse river sand from a local quarry. Makes cleaning a breeze, keeps the eggs from being dirty, lets the girls dustbathe wherever they want, and keeps the mites at bay. I’ll post pics when I go out this afternoon, but I love my set up - and it sure seems like the girls do too...

It sounds like your coop is small enough that you don’t need poop boards. Try the sand if possible, it’d probably be a three-minute clean up for you!

 

[Gertie Greenbriar]

My coop is large (8’x12’) and I have two poop decks with two levels of roosts each. My girls hop up on the lower poop deck (about 18” off the floor) and then up on the roosts. The ones who like the height then hop up on the second poop deck (about 5’ off the floor) and up to their favorite roost. My poop decks, nest boxes, coop, and run are filled with natural, coarse river sand from a local quarry. Makes cleaning a breeze, keeps the eggs from being dirty, lets the girls dustbathe wherever they want, and keeps the mites at bay. I’ll post pics when I go out this afternoon, but I love my set up - and it sure seems like the girls do too...

It sounds like your coop is small enough that you don’t need poop boards. Try the sand if possible, it’d probably be a three-minute clean up for you!

I really look forward to seeing your pics of these poop decks for ideas! When cleaning, is it like scooping kitty litter? Thanks!

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I really look forward to seeing your pics of these poop decks for ideas! When cleaning, is it like scooping kitty litter? Thanks!

It is like cleaning the litter box. I have a couple of wok skimmers (metal scoops) that I use to scoop poop. They have 30+ inch handles, so I don’t even have to bend over!

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000DZXGLW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Gertie Greenbriar]

It is like cleaning the litter box. I have a couple of wok skimmers (metal scoops) that I use to scoop poop. They have 30+ inch handles, so I don’t even have to bend over!

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000DZXGLW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wow, what a good idea. I can't wait to see your setup! I am currently building the inside of our coop in an old shed and planning ideas. Thank you for sharing

 

[aart]

I really look forward to seeing your pics of these poop decks for ideas! When cleaning, is it like scooping kitty litter?

Here's more poop board idea than you may ever wish to see.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...t-warning-graphic-gross-poop-pictures.621363/


Here's some posts about mine, they're kind of old, but changes are noted.
...and the threads these posts are in has a ton of examples of poop boards.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-111#post-13179595

Updates:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-178#post-18966048

 

[RumneyRoost]

Instead of a poop board I have a couple rubber boot trays on the floor under their roost (6 hens). I just pick up the trays and dump them in the poop bucket. Since they have some flex the frozen poops just pop off in the winter. Easy to hose off too.

 

[Folly's place]

On the other hand, I'm not interested in daily poop scooping, especially with 30+ chickens! The shavings on the coop floor get stirred up a bit by the birds, and more are added, and the whole thing gets cleaned out two or three times each year. Much less labor intensive, and works just fine.
Mary

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Here’s my setup...

Pardon the over-winter mess...

The two poop decks

The feeder and waterer will move out of the coop now that the weather is warmer. My girls really hate the noisy plastic covering the run during the winter, so I keep food and water inside for those days when they don’t want to come out because of the wind.

One of two nestboxes. Both are separated by partial “walls” on the inside. They all prefer to use one box out of six!

Entry from the outside too. Makes it easy for me to grab eggs.