What is Sweet PDZ

[jthornton]

Sweet PDZ is a mineral called zeolite. It is primarily used to eliminate odors and absorb moisture/urine, predominately associated with animal waste.

Sweet PDZ is an earth mineral — it is non-toxic, organic, recyclable and compostable.

When I first started using Sweet PDZ in Coop Uno the hens thought it was boiling lava or something and would fly over it to the roost. In Coop Deux I had Sweet PDZ in there from the first day the chicks arrived so they could look out the brooder and see it every day.

My daily clean up takes me less than 5 minutes for both coops. I down to 5 hens in each coop now...

JT

 

[sourland]

It's a good product, and yep, chickens hate/fear change.

 

[FunClucks]

Thank you so much!!! I think I need to do this. Been considering it for a while, but your video has helped me make up my mind. Appreciate the post!

What tools are you using? One of those office supply In-Box wire baskets? A mortar spreading tool for flooring tile? Kitty litter scoop I did recognize. How wide is your poop board? 24" wide? Framed out of 2"x6" and 1/4" plywood on the bottom? Is your perch 12" above the board surface?

I need to go assess what I've got and what I don't so I can put this together.

 

[jthornton]

Thank you so much!!! I think I need to do this. Been considering it for a while, but your video has helped me make up my mind. Appreciate the post!

What tools are you using? One of those office supply In-Box wire baskets? A mortar spreading tool for flooring tile? Kitty litter scoop I did recognize. How wide is your poop board? 24" wide? Framed out of 2"x6" and 1/4" plywood on the bottom? Is your perch 12" above the board surface?

I need to go assess what I've got and what I don't so I can put this together.

The sifter is a drawer organizer from Bed Bath and Beyond.

The Japanese zen rake in the first part of the video I made from some scraps of wood and some wood dowel.

The poop table in the first part of the video is 32" deep and much too wide now for only 5 hens. The roost is 16" above the table. This makes it easier for me to reach the back of the poop table. I used 2x4's with 3/4" MDF sealed with lacquer IIRC.

The original build article is https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/sweet-pdz-table-with-roost.76104/

Once you have put the PDZ down depending on the amount of chickens you only need to add a tiny bit each week for make up.

The tool I used in the second part of the video to level the PDZ is simply a large dowel with some washers glued on the end and a smaller dowel glued in as a handle.

JT

 

[FunClucks]

The sifter is a drawer organizer from Bed Bath and Beyond.

The Japanese zen rake in the first part of the video I made from some scraps of wood and some wood dowel.

The poop table in the first part of the video is 32" deep and much too wide now for only 5 hens. The roost is 16" above the table. This makes it easier for me to reach the back of the poop table. I used 2x4's with 3/4" MDF sealed with lacquer IIRC.

The original build article is https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/sweet-pdz-table-with-roost.76104/

Once you have put the PDZ down depending on the amount of chickens you only need to add a tiny bit each week for make up.

The tool I used in the second part of the video to level the PDZ is simply a large dowel with some washers glued on the end and a smaller dowel glued in as a handle.

JT

Thank you so much! I'll go check out your coop build. I'm looking at 10-20 chickens per roost, so will scale the width accordingly. Are you happy with the 32" deep distance? It looked like it was easy to reach.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Such a game changer, your process is mine as I learned from you years ago. Never going back to poopy coop!

 

[jthornton]

Thank you so much! I'll go check out your coop build. I'm looking at 10-20 chickens per roost, so will scale the width accordingly. Are you happy with the 32" deep distance? It looked like it was easy to reach.

Yes, 32" deep with 16" high roost works very well for me and the hens.

JT

 

[NNYchick]

I use the same method that I learned from your post years ago. It definitely is a game changer and makes clean up so quick, never any ammonia smell and floor shavings last so much longer. I always tell people the 2 best things I ever did was add my poop boards with PZD and my hanging trough pvc feeders.

 

[jthornton]

Some replies from the Missouri Thread.

You can’t beat TSC’s price on sweet PDZ stall refresher…View attachment 3492344
btw, did you see @jthornton ‘s excellent thread on PDZ? https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/what-is-sweet-pdz.1577385/#post-26801922

That is a good price. I've never used it, but i may ought to try some.
What does that stuff do when it gets wet? Could it be used in the deck run to help dry things up or does it harden.

I've never used it in a wet area so no clue... but I suspect it will dry pretty quick because it's hollow rocks for the most part. There is a bit of fines in there tho.

JT

I would say it’s for inside. No it doesn’t harden tho, I have had it get wet in the doorway of the little coop which has it all over the floor. It dries out and looks the same after.

Wow that is very cost effective, I've been getting PDZ from our local feed store when Rural King in Farmington stopped carrying it. There is a TSC in Doniphan, I'll have to check and see if they stock it.

I usually get my dried meal worms for Chicken Crack from TSC in Cape Girardeau.

JT

JT

 

[SueT]

Right now, TSC has it on sale 25 lbs For $9.99!!!