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Looks great. I find that if I clean away all new poop on the floor before I start cleaning the poop board the coop stays clean. Unless it rains they are out free ranging or under the shade tree where I have a mist system set up and a 16.5 x 16.5 sun shade tarp set up near the tree.I have 23 hens and 2 coops (each w/3 windows) with attached hardware clothed runs.
1) 7 hens, 6x8 coop, 12x12 run
2) 16 hens (including 8 bantams), 6x10 coop, 16x16 run.
Poop decks under all roosts, filled with Sweet PDZ.
Every morning 20-30 mins tops: I scoop all poop decks with a litter scooper and kids beach sand tray for pieces that fall through the scooper. And turn and scoop out occasional stray poops in the floor shavings.
And I obsessively rake poop from both runs several times /day. It all goes to a compost pile. I have NO flies and no odor and it gives me plenty of opportunities to observe and enjoy their behavior. My step-father came over unexpectedly one afternoon for garden manure and couldn't find a single morsel in the coop.
The interior pic of coop #2 was taken just as they were joining me but it looks pretty much the same way 3 months later. I supply the runs with hay, peat moss, leaves, whatever gives them safe stuff to pick around in. They pretty much stay on the coop roosts until I let them out (5-6am) so the floor stays clean.
I know I'm going to be slammed for saying this, but I'm appalled at what I read and observe regarding the typical coop maintenance and the deep litter method is disgusting. I wouldn't force my hens to live in an atmosphere that I wouldn't keep my dogs, cats or self in!
So slam away, but I prefer a clean coop at all times!
o
When my first 4 hens were free ranging last year, one was killed by a fox right in front of me and the other three hens. It was so traumatic I can't even imagine free-ranging them again. I wish I could but I have too many aerial and land predators. Everyone around here is constantly losing their chickens to predators.
That's awful.
And thus the very reason I, too, do not free-range @mainchicklet .... My little flock are secure in their very roomy run, just too much blood, sweat and tears into my girls to have them succumb to a scumbag predator...
I have 23 hens and 2 coops (each w/3 windows) with attached hardware clothed runs.
1) 7 hens, 6x8 coop, 12x12 run
2) 16 hens (including 8 bantams), 6x10 coop, 16x16 run.
Poop decks under all roosts, filled with Sweet PDZ.
Every morning 20-30 mins tops: I scoop all poop decks with a litter scooper and kids beach sand tray for pieces that fall through the scooper. And turn and scoop out occasional stray poops in the floor shavings.
And I obsessively rake poop from both runs several times /day. It all goes to a compost pile. I have NO flies and no odor and it gives me plenty of opportunities to observe and enjoy their behavior. My step-father came over unexpectedly one afternoon for garden manure and couldn't find a single morsel in the coop.
The interior pic of coop #2 was taken just as they were joining me but it looks pretty much the same way 3 months later. I supply the runs with hay, peat moss, leaves, whatever gives them safe stuff to pick around in. They pretty much stay on the coop roosts until I let them out (5-6am) so the floor stays clean.
I know I'm going to be slammed for saying this, but I'm appalled at what I read and observe regarding the typical coop maintenance and the deep litter method is disgusting. I wouldn't force my hens to live in an atmosphere that I wouldn't keep my dogs, cats or self in!
So slam away, but I prefer a clean coop at all times!
o
