I usually try to pick up poop piles around the barn and roundbale area. Now it’s totally frozen and they won’t budge.
For those who live in the frozen north, do you just “give up” for a few months and scrape in the spring?
Up until last week we have had some above freezing temperatures but now it’s all well below and assume it will be that way for at least another 6-8 week’s.
I am one of those people who keeps my paddocks very clean, picked daily, etc.
I hate this time of year. Between the manure being buried in snow and the piles being frozen to the ground I feel like my paddock is a disaster area.
I do give up at some point.
Since our winter has been mild so far, thankfully I have not had to totally give up yet. There have been some piles that no amount of kicking and poking will make them break free, so those are left there to annoy me.
When spring gets here and things start to thaw I spend way too much time scraping all the mess up.
I suppose I can call that my spring exercise regimen, to get into shape for more riding time. :lol:
Give up. I strained my shoulder last year trying to chip away at it. Not worth it.
I finally gave up last week when the temps stayed below freezing during the day. The poop freezes too fast to do anything about it.
I wait until we have a few warmish days in a row, then go out and start picking up what I can.
Sometimes you can only do the best you can do. As long as your fields are picked regularly during warmer weather, you shouldn’t have that much of a mess.
I take a hoe with me when I go out to clean the paddocks and I break them up that way. Any more than 24 hours, though, and they are really too frozen and I have to wait for warm weather. If I ask nicely, Mr PoPo will help me with it. I do have a sore shoulder from doing it, though!
Pick axe.
and a determined high school boy.
I have an ancient metal manure fork with 10 heavy-duty tines that I use this time of year. That sucker weighs a ton, so I use it only to break the frozen pile loose from the ice and snow underneath and use my lighter manure fork to pick up the pieces. I switch arms so I abuse both sides of my body the same amount.
But really, at some point in the winter I may just give up and wait to do a massive cleanup after a major thaw.
Why hasn’t anyone invented a manure-kicking boot for this purpose? My Sorel’s + a miniature pick-axe head mounted on the toe – is it ready for Shark Tank? Or would I just kick myself in the other leg and spend the winter in traction after I wipe out on the ice? Hmm.
You need one of these.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/groundwork-16-tine-welded-bow-rake?cm_vc=-10005
I can rake up every pile even when it’s 0 degrees during the day. Works like a charm! I use this to break up all the piles and then use my regular manure fork to pick it up and toss it into the wheelbarrow.
[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;8495737]
You need one of these.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/groundwork-16-tine-welded-bow-rake?cm_vc=-10005
I can rake up every pile even when it’s 0 degrees during the day. Works like a charm! I use this to break up all the piles and then use my regular manure fork to pick it up and toss it into the wheelbarrow.[/QUOTE]
I have one of those and have never thought to use it for frozen poop! I just finished trying to chip loose frozen poop in the paddocks and gave up. Thanks for the tip 
[QUOTE=Pocket Pony;8495658]
Any more than 24 hours, though, and they are really too frozen and I have to wait for warm weather.[/QUOTE]
Darn it, I wish I had a 24 hour window.
I will try the garden rake tonight. I will be pleasantly surprised if it works.
[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;8495737]
You need one of these.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/groundwork-16-tine-welded-bow-rake?cm_vc=-10005
I can rake up every pile even when it’s 0 degrees during the day. Works like a charm! I use this to break up all the piles and then use my regular manure fork to pick it up and toss it into the wheelbarrow.[/QUOTE]
Great :mad:
You have just eliminated my reason (read: excuse) for leaving poopsicles for Spring.
I have a rake like that & use it in stalls - open to weather, so some frozen piles at the sills.
But outside?
Anybody ever try a sledgehammer? It’s heavy enough you might be able to get enough force swinging it sideways.
We use the skid steer to scrape around the hay feeder when we change the round bales. I tried the rake method and bent the rake, but it would probably work in an area that doesn’t get quite as cold as we do here. I have also shot frozen manure into my face when trying to backdrag with the rake. Just not worth it.
Sledgehammer for sure. Works great!!!
We scrape about 1X per week with the FEL.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/QEP-7-in-Wide-Floor-Tear-Out-Scraper-75006Q/100193678
Above works pretty well for breaking up piles frozen solid to the ground.
[QUOTE=Frog Pond;8495734]
Why hasn’t anyone invented a manure-kicking boot for this purpose? My Sorel’s + a miniature pick-axe head mounted on the toe – is it ready for Shark Tank? Or would I just kick myself in the other leg and spend the winter in traction after I wipe out on the ice? Hmm.[/QUOTE]
My spouse uses his steel toed boots and they work as well as the ice scraper type thing I use
I just wait for warm weather. It forms kind of a manure/snow parfait, and when things warm up, you can remove a layer or two at a time.
Much easier than beating at the frozen awfulness.
Picked up as much as I could today. Unfortunatey I’m one of those people who has to work long hours so “daylight picking” during the week isn’t an option. I used a garden rake and shovel and got most … but I’m sure there’s still some poop lingering under the snow. Oh well, they will survive!
Get thee a mattock. Very useful tool to break up ground in all sorts of situations, not just frozen poo. Just swing it at the pile and let the weight of the head do the work, not your shoulders/arms.
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