Manure belts — clean under the cages, less ammonia
A manure belt is a moving strip under the cages or aviary tiers that collects the birds’ droppings and regularly carries them out of the house. As a result manure does not pile up under the flock and there is less ammonia in the air. We show how belts work, the types available, how to match them to your system and how to run them so they last for years.
verifiedFrom the team that has organised work on poultry farms for years.
What a manure belt is and why it is on the farm
A manure belt (droppings belt) is a long plastic strip running under each tier of cages or aviaries that collects the droppings falling from the birds. Every so often a drive moves the belt and the manure tips onto a cross conveyor and leaves the house. Without a belt the droppings would pile up under the flock and rot, and ammonia would rise with them. It is one part of litter and hygiene management in the house, although here a mechanism works instead of litter.
Where they are used
Manure belts are standard in caged and aviary layer housing, where birds sit on several levels and each one needs a way to collect droppings. They are also found in pullet rearing houses. In floor litter housing there are no belts — there the manure mixes with the litter and is removed only after the cycle. Wherever birds sit on tiers, a belt is practically the only sensible solution, because manure from the upper levels cannot be collected efficiently any other way.
Why it matters: ammonia, welfare, hygiene
Fresh manure quickly releases ammonia — a gas that irritates the airways of birds and people, lowers gains and lay, and worsens welfare. Regular belt removal means the droppings do not lie around for long, so there is less ammonia and cleaner air. It also means fewer flies, less moisture and better hygiene across the whole building. Clean air goes hand in hand with good ventilation and a sound nipple drinking system that does not spill water under the cages.
Drying the manure on the belt
More modern belts also have drying: air flows through channels above the belt and dries the manure before it goes outside. Dry manure means less ammonia in the house, less weight to haul away and a better, easier-to-use fertiliser. Drying costs more (channels, fans, power), but on larger layer farms it usually pays off — both for the air and for the logistics of removal.
Everything tied to your DlaFerm.pl records
Efficient manure removal is part of daily flock care — like inspections, cleaning and small repairs. In DlaFerm.pl you keep a digital Flock Card, and DlaFerm.pl can file your flock records in IRZplus for you — automatically, if you want. So equipment servicing and house conditions are noted in one place. You can create a farm account for free.
Manure belts — six things to understand
Before you choose a system, it is worth knowing the belt types, how the removal cycle works and what its effectiveness depends on. Here are six basics.
Types: cage belts and air drying
The simplest belt only collects and removes manure from under the cages. The drying version has channels above the strip through which air flows to dry the droppings — the manure leaves dry, is lighter to haul and smells less of ammonia. The choice depends on the size of the farm and how you use the manure.
How it works: the removal cycle
The belt stays still under the birds and collects droppings, and every so often the drive moves the whole strip, tipping the manure onto a cross conveyor at the end of the row. From there it goes outside, into a trailer or store. The cycle runs every several to a dozen hours, or once a day — you set the frequency so manure does not pile up but power is not wasted.
Key parameters: width, speed, frequency
Belt width is matched to the width of the cage tier. The travel speed should be gentle enough that manure does not fall beside the conveyor or startle the birds. Removal frequency is a trade-off: more often = cleaner and less ammonia, but more wear and power. These three parameters decide effectiveness and how long the equipment lasts.
Where and when to use them
Belts make sense wherever birds are on tiers: in layer cages and multi-tier aviaries, as well as in rearing houses. In floor litter housing belts are not used — there manure is removed with the litter after the cycle. When designing a new house, the belt system is planned from the start, because adding it later is hard and costly.
Installation and integration with the cages
The belt is an integral part of the cage battery or aviary structure — it runs under each tier, with a drive at the end of the row and a cross conveyor collecting manure from all the strips. Even tension and tracking matter, so the belt does not run off to the side. Water from drinking should not reach the belt — so a well-chosen nipple drinking system with drip cups limits flooding of the belt.
Controller integration
The removal cycle is run by the climate controller or a separate module: you set the hours and start frequency, and the system runs the drive itself. In the drying version the controller also switches on the channel fans. Well-planned starts (e.g. outside the birds’ peak activity) mean less stress for the flock and even manure removal around the clock.
Selection, costs and servicing of manure belts
A belt is an investment for years, so selection and running decide profitability. Here are six areas to think through.
Matching to the system and scale
The belt is matched to the housing type: cages or aviary, how many levels, how long the rows are. The strip width must fit the tier, and the drive and cross conveyor must match the manure volume from the whole building. On a larger farm a drying version is worth considering; on a smaller one a plain belt is often enough. Best to discuss the choice with the cage supplier, since the belt is part of the whole battery.
Costs: purchase and running
The cost is the belt system itself (usually bundled with cages or aviary) plus running: drive power, and with drying also fans and more energy. List prices are published by farm equipment makers — worth comparing several offers and working out the cost per metre of row. A cheaper system without drying has lower power cost, but you haul heavier, wet manure, which also costs.
Servicing, cleaning and lifespan
The belt must be evenly tensioned and cleaned — dried manure on the edges can pull it sideways and damage it. Scrapers and guides are checked regularly, and after each cycle, when washing the house, the belt is cleaned thoroughly. A sound pressure washer helps with washing the whole building. A well-kept belt lasts many years; a neglected one wears faster and stops more often.
Impact on ammonia and welfare
The more often and efficiently you remove manure, the less ammonia in the air — and that means healthier airways, better gains and lay, and fewer losses. Drying lowers ammonia further, because dry manure releases less of it. It is a real part of welfare, not just cleanliness — clean air shows in the flock’s results.
Common mistakes
The most common slips are too-rare removal (manure piles up, ammonia rises), a poorly tensioned belt running sideways, flooding the strip with water from leaky drinking, and not cleaning the scrapers. Choosing a belt without spare capacity for the manure volume is also a mistake — an overloaded conveyor jams. Most of these are avoided through inspections and a sensibly set cycle in the controller.
When it pays off (own model)
A simple model: if the belt cuts the labour time on manure removal and lowers ammonia enough to improve flock results, it pays back over the cage lifespan. Using public equipment prices, work out the system cost per metre of row and compare it with the labour saving and better lay. On tiered farms a belt is not a question of “whether" but “which" — without it you simply cannot collect manure from the upper levels.
Frequently asked questions about manure belts
How does a manure belt work?add
A belt is a plastic strip running under each tier of cages or aviaries. It stays still and collects the droppings falling from the birds, and every so often the drive moves the whole strip, tipping the manure onto a cross conveyor that carries it out of the house. The removal frequency is set in the controller so manure does not pile up.
Does a manure belt reduce ammonia?add
Yes. The faster manure leaves the house, the less ammonia has time to be released. Regular removal keeps the air cleaner, which improves the flock’s health and results. The drying version lowers ammonia even more, because dried manure releases far less of it than wet manure.
How does a plain belt differ from a drying belt?add
A plain belt only collects and removes manure. A drying belt has channels above the strip through which air flows to dry the droppings before they go outside. Drying gives dry, lighter and less smelly manure and less ammonia, but costs more to buy and in power. On larger farms it usually pays off.
How often should the belt run?add
It depends on the stocking and how fast manure builds up — from once a day to several times a day. The rule is simple: often enough that droppings do not pile up and raise ammonia, but no more often than needed, so you do not wear out the equipment and power. The frequency is set in the controller and adjusted as you observe.
Can a belt be added to an existing house?add
The belt is an integral part of the cage battery or aviary structure, so adding it to a finished litter building is hard and usually not worth it. The belt system is planned together with the cages at build or upgrade. In floor litter housing belts are not used — there the manure is removed with the litter after the cycle.
How do I care for the belt so it lasts?add
The key is even tension and tracking of the strip, cleaning the scrapers and washing the belt thoroughly whenever you wash the house. The strip should not be flooded with drinking water, and dried manure on the edges must be removed, as it pulls the belt sideways. Regular inspections mean a well-chosen belt lasts many years.
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