emmalou Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 I am on week 2 of my chickens and my routine is getting better but at the moment I am using some plastic sheeting to line the bottom of the chicken roosting section of the house but is not ideal. I am looking for ideas please on what to use instead. I would like a slide out tray but being a home built coop do not have a design for this. I need something like a huge oven tray or similar. The bottom is around 80x80 square. There was lino glued down when we moved in but not very hygienic and whilst my plastic sheeting is easy to remove I really want a pull out tray that I can wash easily. Ideally I need a shallow large metal tray but cannot find any. It is tricky making a slide out tray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 If they have specific spot they roost above, you can start with a tray on that spot. I line mine with newspaper. Easy and cheap. Maybe one of those leak trays you put under your washingmachines? They are something like 70x70 or so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 Try Home Bargains I have a plastic boot tray from there (for dirty boots obviously) I think it was two or three pounds, would be ideal as a poop tray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 13, 2016 Author Share Posted July 13, 2016 We are in France so no bargain bucket stores here I'm afraid. I have had a look on line by they are quite dear. Will keep hunting for something! Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 I just use newspapers and change every other day. I get all my friends to save theirs for me as I don't get a paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 13, 2016 Author Share Posted July 13, 2016 I use the plastic sheeting and then wood chip. I would prefer just a plastic tray and wood chip, then I can lift it all oit in one go, wash it and put it straight back which cuts down on too much work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 Assuming they have a perch to roost on, you really don't need woodchip. It will only encourage them to not perch and sleep on the ground. I only have woodchip in the nestbox and paper in the poop tray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 13, 2016 Author Share Posted July 13, 2016 They have 4 roost posts and roost every night on the posts, so no problems there. So just newspaper then? Also the nest box area is always so clean and no poo. I have not cleaned them out for a while now as they are so clean. I just use DE, is this OK hygiene wise or should I be cleaning it out regardless? They seem to use the same two nest boxes so clean those. The roosting area I deepoo every day and clear out the woodchip once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 As long as they don't sleep/poo in their nestboxes, you really don't need to clean them very often. I clean mine every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 13, 2016 Author Share Posted July 13, 2016 Do you deepoo each day though? Our hcoop would smell awful if we didn't deepoo every day. I clean it out once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 I don't do anything... Clean out everything once a week and it really doesn't smell then either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chooksRCute Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 Hi, you can order acrylic sheets cut to size on the Internet or maybe get a large storage box lid & turn upside down?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 When I had a wooden coop it had a pull out tray and I used cat litter. It was really easy to poo pick every day and didn't smell at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 14, 2016 Author Share Posted July 14, 2016 Yes it's sourcing a tray though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalou Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 Just refreshing this post as I am still looking for something. I have tried using newspaper last night. Firstly the chickens weren't happy with the change and secondly when they flap it moves around too much so was a bit pf a mess this morning. They seem to like the wood chip although at 36 degrees atm attracts the heat so am using as minimal as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
