Help - Pitchfork or Manure Fork For Scooping Frozen-ish Poops Around Barn

[ytr45]

Hello Smart People!
I have a plain old plastic manure fork that is useless for frozen-ish poops in barn and haybale area (plastic tines snap). So I’m using an 8-tine pitchfork, but that is too narrow for poop-piles, AND the wooden handle is too short, so you end up bending over and killing your back.

What kind of pitchfork and/or manure fork will scoop frozen-ish poops and not kill my back ?
Thanks!!

This one at tractor supply has an even deadlier/shorter pole, but the head is wider which would be great:
GroundWork Pro 10-Tine Pitch Fork, YN-F-044FD at Tractor Supply Co.

the one I have is like this one - 48 inch wooden handle
10 Tine Manure Fork | Corona Tools (coronatoolsusa.com)

[trubandloki]

If the manure is frozen to the ground I either kick it loose or I use a hammer to dislodge it. Then I simply use my plastic fork to clean it up.

I have used a 10 tine metal fork to clean stalls many times in my life. They always came with the same length handle as the plastic forks do. Can you just buy a new handle for the fork you have that you like, that the handle is too short for you?

[Mosey_2003]

Use a shovel to go around and knock the poops loose, then use your manure fork. Takes a little longer, but you can mostly stand upright for the whole operation.

[Sunshine2Me]

I was tapping poop with a sledge hammer this morning, and then picking it up with my plastic fork. I couldn’t kick them loose, they were too frozen.

[2DogsFarm]

I use a metal landscape rake.

In the stalls, I just rake the frozen poop into a pile, then switch to my plastic forks to pick from that pile, shaking out shavings as usual.

Outdoors I can use the non-toothed end of the rake’s head to loosen poop stuck to the ground, or break apart frozen poophills.
At the -0 nighttime temps we’ve had the last 2 nights, manure freezes solid overnight.

[ytr45]

brilliant!

[candyappy]

I use a hammer with a very long screwdriver ( if hammer alone won’t dislodge them) and then my regular manure fork to scoop them up. Easier than ramming them with a metal pitchfork or shovel for me.

I use my heel for easier ones when it isn’t so cold.

[Blugal]

My preferred is a long-handled pickaxe with a flat head on one side. You cam swing it nicely. Second is a standard metal spade shovel.

For pitchforks my old barn had one like a normal fork but with metal tines which was good in winter and not as good in summer.

I use my normal fork after the Shovel. However a barnmate loves her wave fork in the snow, and it has replaceable tines. Wave Fork

[walktrot]

You can get an ice chopper, which is heavier but easier to use. It has a heavy straight blade. You can chop the frozen footprints with the frozen poop. I would try the hardware store, Home Depot or Lowe’s. $20-40.

[EssexFells]

i have a 4-tine manure fork, something like this and the handle is way longer than my plastic forks. To get the steel tines to slide under the piles of manure I have to gently kick it a few times, but once the “seal” is broken, the whole pile can be picked up in one frozen piece.