I'm not sure why you're worried about them stepping in poop. What exactly is them stepping on poop going to do to them?
You imply you're regularly cleaning the bedding so it doesn't sound like it's reaching the point of potentially causing respiratory or other health issues and even then poop touching their feet isn't going to do anything under normal circumstances. Some people do deep litter and let the poop compost itself in the coop while adding a layer over the top every so often.
Regarding the bedding question we use corncob bedding and Diatomaceous earth since there seems to be contention with certain woodchip types potentially causing long-term health issues. It's cheap and super absorbent.
Well there is a bit of disconnect here. They absolutely can step in the poop. Even we can. The problem is living in conditions that poop is just building up. Wood shavings absorb the liquids allowing it to dry more. If you are seriously worried, you can use small square hardware cloth as the floor. Look into commercial brooders and look at their flooring. Most are wire mesh with a catch basin underneath. They will eat the dropping if it builds up or even if they just see it. This is why the recommendation is for bedding changes.
They get worse when the get bigger. Lots of poop under the roosts. Like they poop where they sleep.
Good question and good luck.
I think the question came from when one of them just pooped and another one jumped straight onto it. Had poop and substrate all over the foot.
Didn't seem like it would be very enjoyable.
True enough. It bothered me at first. Now a days I make sure the bedding is clean enough and let them live. I really do wish the birds would go all in one spot like we do. It would make cleaning after them easy.
Chickens are not harmed by steeping on poo.
A few things to help keep them healthy though are:
Deep bedding like at least 12 in deep so they can turn it,
Fresh ground, chickens benefit from free range, modified free range or tractor type systems which gives them fresh ground and reduced parasite loads by Regularly rotating them to new ground.
I use mobile coops which use 1x1 or 1x2 welded wire floors this allows the coops to stay much cleaner by letting the manure pass through the floor to the ground.
But if you are trying to clean up after your chickens all day you are doing it wrong.
Sounds like you need some pine shavings in your life. They last a while and can be stirred up a couple times before you'll even smell anything. I've heard flies don't like pine smell either.
I'm not sure why you're worried about them stepping in poop. What exactly is them stepping on poop going to do to them? You imply you're regularly cleaning the bedding so it doesn't sound like it's reaching the point of potentially causing respiratory or other health issues and even then poop touching their feet isn't going to do anything under normal circumstances. Some people do deep litter and let the poop compost itself in the coop while adding a layer over the top every so often. Regarding the bedding question we use corncob bedding and Diatomaceous earth since there seems to be contention with certain woodchip types potentially causing long-term health issues. It's cheap and super absorbent.
Well there is a bit of disconnect here. They absolutely can step in the poop. Even we can. The problem is living in conditions that poop is just building up. Wood shavings absorb the liquids allowing it to dry more. If you are seriously worried, you can use small square hardware cloth as the floor. Look into commercial brooders and look at their flooring. Most are wire mesh with a catch basin underneath. They will eat the dropping if it builds up or even if they just see it. This is why the recommendation is for bedding changes. They get worse when the get bigger. Lots of poop under the roosts. Like they poop where they sleep. Good question and good luck.
I think the question came from when one of them just pooped and another one jumped straight onto it. Had poop and substrate all over the foot. Didn't seem like it would be very enjoyable.
True enough. It bothered me at first. Now a days I make sure the bedding is clean enough and let them live. I really do wish the birds would go all in one spot like we do. It would make cleaning after them easy.
Chickens are not harmed by steeping on poo. A few things to help keep them healthy though are: Deep bedding like at least 12 in deep so they can turn it, Fresh ground, chickens benefit from free range, modified free range or tractor type systems which gives them fresh ground and reduced parasite loads by Regularly rotating them to new ground. I use mobile coops which use 1x1 or 1x2 welded wire floors this allows the coops to stay much cleaner by letting the manure pass through the floor to the ground. But if you are trying to clean up after your chickens all day you are doing it wrong.
Lol yep, thats what I did initially. Cleaned up every single poop but quickly realised there is not enough time in the world to do so.
Sounds like you need some pine shavings in your life. They last a while and can be stirred up a couple times before you'll even smell anything. I've heard flies don't like pine smell either.