Clean coops

[wegotchickens]

We did the chicken tractor thing, so we just move the unit every 10-14 days. The girls love it! We figure we'll have to hose off the nestbox ledge every so often, but even it hasn't gotten that bad yet. And even in drought conditions, spot 1 in the yard had recovered by the time we moved to spot 3.

 

[Poison Ivy]

I clean under my roosts daily it keeps the flies out of the coop.I use sand under my roosts and clean it like you would a kitty litter box. Plus I keep a deep layer of coastal hay in the rest of the coop. I have more flies in the house this year for some reason and its driving me crazy. I can't figure out how the are getting in. I have screen doors on all the main doors of the house. I can't stand a dirty chicken coop I even scrub off the roosts every few weeks. Call me crazy!

 

[bayouchica]

I clean my coops out once a month.The works, I use hot water with Simple Green & scrub down the roosts & walkboards.Then I'll spray everything thing off with high pressure water hose.
I have a hand cranked duster I put DE in to dust the entire coop.
As far as the poop goes,I rake it up every morning,toss it in a 5 gallon bucket. I use those small shrub rakes from Wal Mart, there're small & do a great job.
Miriam

 

[allen wranch]

I pooper scoop my coops every morning. No flies, no smell.

 

[mainely-chick]

For anyone still building a COOP - I would suggest putting in a droppings pit under the roosts (if possible) It has made clean up so easy. 90% of droppings seem to go in pit. My roosts are on hinges and flip up. I also have outside door access from the pit for the Winter time.

 

[dragbikepilot]

How would someone go about building a "dropping pit"? What materials? etc etc
Sounds like a perfect idea....

I use a tray method under my brooder......it's 2'x4' and I bought 3 metal "donut" trays from the local restaurant supply and staggered them underneath....built slide outs out of 1x2 wood and can just slide the trays out, hose them off and slide them back in......
Plus the metal trays reflect heat from the heat lamp so you can maintain the warm temps for the chicks with less wattage lamps......

 

[magikchick]

I just cleaned my new hen house out for the first time, not too bad. I use pine litter in the floor, just open the door and sweep it into a wheel barrow. I used a brush on a pole to scub down the roost with vineger water. Took about an hour to do.

 

[Tinkerchick]

Does anybody know if Hay is okay to put in coops? Every now and then I see the chickens pick at it, I don't know if they are eating it I hope it's safe.
Tink

 

[dragbikepilot]

I've heard that hay or straw is just fine.....the general consensus seems to be that the straw has air gaps where small critters and bugs can hide.....and that it seems to draw and hold more moisture than pine chips.....but as far as being SAFE for the chickens, you can relax.....won't hurt them a bit.....

 

[okiechick57]

Quote:
I put a ton of hay in my hen house and coop......... I planned on using it in compost when it was broken down ......it is great....... although if too heavy it will hold mold .etc....... my compost pile will be great next year....... I do like the pine shavings.they do seem to help with the odor more and they are also added to compost..... so now I use hay inside the house and shavings outside......... cleaning it today UGH...with all this rain we have had this year , the fly population is HORRID