Cleaning UNDER the 8 X 12 coop. Will be stinky!!

[Beyond Yonder]

I keep asking this question, but there doesn't seem to be an answer yet.
My coop is 8 X 12 and is 2 feet high off the ground so they can go under as well. I can't imagine crawling under there and sweeping up daily or cleaning. I'm 67. I want to add a tarp nailed to the 4 X 4's that is supporting the coop and then put the litter on top of that. Then every so often i can crawl under, undo the tarp, and drag it out and dump it in compost. Help anyone have some better ideas. When I was building the coop I kept reading that under the coop gives them extra room, in addition to them

having their run, but I can't imagine the stink if I can't clean it. It is also a very wet area in the winter. Thanks for the advise.

 

[Angiebubs]

Could you just hose it out? I think I have read of others that put small rock down under, then hosed it out.

 

[Beyond Yonder]

Thank you for the reply. The only running water I have is in my kitchen sink, so I don't have a hose that would go to the coop. It would be just clay or sand under there so that wouldn't work to wash it out anyway. It is a mystery to me how others do it that allow them to go under. It would smell awful. I don't have the run started as of yet. So I just have them in a temporary setting attached to the pen. They are 6 weeks old.

 

[Angiebubs]

Hmm so now I am curious so I went and googled this to see if anyone else had any answers. Is the floor of the coop wire (not recommended as its really hard on their feet and can cause leg damage) and their droppings will fall through? Or are you worried about them going under there during the day and leaving a mess? If it is just them being able to get under there during the day, I wouldnt think it would build up much at all?

What about some sort of commercial plastic or metal tray that you could pull out? You could then put pine shavings on them and just dump them every few weeks. Or use sand, pull the trays out, scoop and put back. I would think the tarp would work as well. You could toss some pine shavings on there at first, to help absorb droppings too.

Would you be able to rake under there from around the sides?

I will keep looking to see if I can find anything else on what others do with this setup!!

 

[madicakes]

My 8x8 coop is raised just as yours is. I have had them in it since May, so about 2 1/2 months, and have not cleaned it out, nor do I have any issues with odors. As of right now it is bare dirt, but I am planning on putting sand or crushed stone in there. I do, very rarely, sprinkle some Sweet PDZ on the ground when I have it out to refill the poop board in the coop. I'm not sure what to suggest to you though, as I haven't figured out how I'm going to do it if the need arises.

 

[Beyond Yonder]

Hi and thank you. The coop floor is plywood with linoleum and a tarp on top of the linoleum. Then I am doing the deep litter method on top of the tarp in the coop. No wire for my dozen little ones. I have a temporary run outside while I build their permanent run. Did you see the photo in my reply? It is screen all the way around except where they will be going under and attached to the run that is not there yet.

 

[AV8RChick]

I have dirt under my coop. I have had chickens for about a year and a half. I haven't cleaned under there or had an odor problem. They like to take dirt baths there and escape the rain at times. There hasn't been a poo accumulation under the coop in my experience. The coop is full of poo. I do deep litter with straw and clean it out every few months. Hope that helps and your coop looks great!

 

[Beyond Yonder]

Maybe the PDZ helped. I have had the 12 6-week-old chicks in a temporary run for a week and a half and it already stinks. It is just grass.

 

[6of6chicks]

I turned the area under my coop into a dust bath box. It saves me from having to crawl under there and scrub poop - and you're right, it's a nasty business when you've got poop accumulated under the coop (I learned that the hard way!). At first I left it bare, and in just two weeks the entire area was plastered with poop (from just six chickens). So half of it became a raised dust bath box, and the other half I filled with sand. They spend most of the day laying around on the sandy part (probably cooler - it was 97 today). When the poop accumulates I just rake it out and scoop it up with the shovel. So far it's working really well for me - both my coop and run stay clean (no smells or flies).

Good luck!

 

[madicakes]

I turned the area under my coop into a dust bath box. It saves me from having to crawl under there and scrub poop - and you're right, it's a nasty business when you've got poop accumulated under the coop (I learned that the hard way!). At first I left it bare, and in just two weeks the entire area was plastered with poop (from just six chickens). So half of it became a raised dust bath box, and the other half I filled with sand. They spend most of the day laying around on the sandy part (probably cooler - it was 97 today). When the poop accumulates I just rake it out and scoop it up with the shovel. So far it's working really well for me - both my coop and run stay clean (no smells or flies).

Good luck!

^^^^^This is what I intend to do with mine, put sand/crushed stone down, and then rake/scoop as needed. Dust bath is a great idea! I will have to do that with a portion of mine as well.