Roosting in poop trays?

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Since our hens get snowed in quite frequently in the winter and when this happens will often hang out on the roosts during the day also, I'm considering adding a poop tray under our roosts. However, I have a sneaky suspicion that the ladies will have a blast also roosting on the side of the platform/trays. Or possibly even in the trays.

Has anyone who uses poop trays noticed this happening? If so, it seems this would make the trays fairly useless.

I keep a fairly clean coop and have never really had any poopie issues, but I thought it might keep waste more contained and the floor of the coop (bedding) cleaner, especially when I can't get down to the coop for a few days or longer due to weather, travel, etc.

 

[HowIsItDone]

Build a poop tray. I couldn't live without one.
It's like a massive kitty litter box. I use Stall Dry for horses to cover the floor of it, and scoop it into a pail daily.

The only time mine walk in the litter is when I'm in there cleaning it, and they want to say hi.

It's is 2 feet wide, with the roost 1 foot above it, centered.
The white thing you see in the photo is a SweeterHeater.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Poop trays are a "newish" improvement to my coop and I can confirm that I'm 100% on the benefits. Out of 15 chickens there is usually 1 that will randomly choose the tray ledge to roost on. This is lowest girl in the order. I just make sure that there is plenty of roosting room so that's NOT the reason any would choose the tray ledge and it's also incentive to keep it clean every day. I scoop poo into a paint bucket every single day, takes about 10mins. I then add a cup of PDZ or stall fresh on top. My floors are SO much cleaner. In short, I do not find the ledge roosting to be an issue. They would rather be up higher than the ledge, on the actual roost bar.

 

[Sally PB]

I have one hen who has nearly always roosted on the poop tray. I don't know why she does. It's not a big deal at all.

Poop trays made a huge difference in my coop. I wouldn't be without one. I scoop every day, and the coop doesn't smell. Unless someone has just dropped a cecal poop, or I have to poop bucket open.

 

[DobieLover]

the ladies will have a blast also roosting on the side of the platform/trays. Or possibly even in the trays.

It doesn't matter.

Has anyone who uses poop trays noticed this happening?

Yes.

If so, it seems this would make the trays fairly useless.

Not at all. They will roost at night and the vast majority of the nightly load will be caught and removable from the boards.

 

[aart]

Has anyone who uses poop trays noticed this happening?

All the time.

If so, it seems this would make the trays fairly useless.

Nope, not a problem at all.
I sift the boards everyday.
On occasions when I can't for a few days, they won't sleep in the poop.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Build a poop tray. I couldn't live without one.
It's like a massive kitty litter box. I use Stall Dry for horses to cover the floor of it, and scoop it into a pail daily.

The only time mine walk in the litter is when I'm in there cleaning it, and they want to say hi.

It's is 2 feet wide, with the roost 1 foot above it, centered.
The white thing you see in the photo is a SweeterHeater.

Haha I love your opener - just build it already! And much thanks for the photo. What you have is exactly what I have planned.

Directly under the roosts, we have a pop door that's open to the fully enclosed run. There is a small ramp and platform to get them up to the pop door, and I'm so tired of digging poop out of the ramp and scraping the platform. The trays should reduce or solve that issue also.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Poop trays are a "newish" improvement to my coop and I can confirm that I'm 100% on the benefits. Out of 15 chickens there is usually 1 that will randomly choose the tray ledge to roost on. This is lowest girl in the order. I just make sure that there is plenty of roosting room so that's NOT the reason any would choose the tray ledge and it's also incentive to keep it clean every day. I scoop poo into a paint bucket every single day, takes about 10mins. I then add a cup of PDZ or stall fresh on top. My floors are SO much cleaner. In short, I do not find the ledge roosting to be an issue. They would rather be up higher than the ledge, on the actual roost bar.

Thanks for your input! I already use PDZ in our coop, so we keep it around. And we do have plenty of roosting room... of course, they always take the top two roosts. I agree with you - hens tend roost as high as they possibly can.

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Much thanks to everyone for your speedy replies. You've easily talked me into it.

While our coop is empty and as clean as it's been for the first time in nearly a decade (lost our flock to either Marek's or Leukosis right after Christmas), I decided to make lemonaid out of lemons and freshen things up a bit.

All the ideas and info around the forum are igniting my creative juices. And filling up my husband's honey-do list hee-hee!

 

[HowIsItDone]

While our coop is empty and as clean as it's been for the first time in nearly a decade (lost our flock to either Marek's or Leukosis right after Christmas), I decided to make lemonaid out of lemons and freshen things up a bit.

Sorry about your flock.

Do those diseases lurk in the soil?