Poop/Droppings Board

[KarenBracken]

I am not handy with building things but want to have poop trays under my roosts. Do they have to be raised or can I place them flat on the floor? I was also thinking of using rabbit cage trays so I can easily pull them out and clean then each day. Does sound ok?? Or do the droppings board need to be raised off the ground?

 

[aart]

That could work and would be fairly effective to remove the night droppings....especially if you cleaned them off every morning so they wouldn't get scratched in during the day.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Whatever works for you is okay. Mine are just above my nests and under the roosts. Makes it very easy to scoop every day. They are about 18" across from front to back and about an inch deep. I keep about half an inch of construction sand mixed with sweet PDZ in the trays, and use a kitty litter scoop for cleaning them. The poop goes into an empty feed bag and from there to my composter.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@aart, I think you mean so they wouldn't* get scratched in every day, don't you?

Phone is not letting me highlight (bold) this single word. Sorry.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'll be devil's advocate. Why might they need to be raised? If you have a bad back they might be easier to clean. If the rest of your coop floor is covered with bedding they might scratch bedding onto the droppings boards, making clean-up harder or wasting bedding if you throw it out.

I can't think of any other reasons to not do it. My concern would be what is more convenient for you, the chickens won't care. You are the one that is important here. To me, my comfort and convenience is very important. It might make the difference in whether I cleaned them regularly or not.

 

[Ted Brown]

My drop boards are 30" off the floor. As noted above your back should be the dictator of where it goes. I clean/remove waste almost every day, have zero interest in bending over or kneeling to accomplish that.

I hatch and integrate once, occasionally twice, per year. I have HC panels that fit under the front lip of the drop boards to give me a 10' by 42" space for "look don't touch" integration process. Panels have small openings that allow the chicks to come&go as they wish but precludes larger birds from entry.

 

[aart]

@aart, I think you mean so they wouldn't* get scratched in every day, don't you?

Phone is not letting me highlight (bold) this single word. Sorry.

Yes, thanks, I fixed it.