What do you use inside the coop to clean the "woodwork"

[Hope49]

Someone mentioned that "you would be surprised the odd places that a chicken can fling their poop", and that was what decided me to paint the inside of the coop. But what do I use to wash down walls and nest boxes, roots, and ramps. I haven't had chickens in many years, and I don't really remember doing much cleaning - but we didn't have a coop that closed off and was a big investment, like this one has turned out to be. I was lucky and got a remnent of linoleum today that only needs one side cut to fit, so that should be a nice flooring. Inside the coop, what should be on the floor, pine shavings or sand? We are doing sand in the run.

Thanks very much.

Here's what we have done so far. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6297244#p6297244

 

[TigerLilly]

I dont have an answer for you, but I am anxiously awaiting one as well. Right now my chickens are in modified, covered dog kennels & dont have to worry about it. I plan on having a real coop one day (soon); with all the pretty coops I've seen on here, I've never thought about it!

 

[Patricia Jane]

I think it's just personal preference. I myself use shavings and find it works great. A lot of people also use sand and it works for them. I've also read where some use pine needles, leaves etc. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[TigerLilly]

I plan on using sand; right now it's just dirt.
But what do you clean the walls with if they're painted? Can you paint the inside with latex paint? I know that's easy to clean.

 

[TouchO'Lass]

Quote:
Don't know, truely don't. I plan to paint the entire inside of my coop and use DLM, but at least once a year, I'm gonna put the girls in a tractor, completely clear their coop and use a soapy scrub and rinse. FYI: Clothes soap is formulated for all water temps and rinses better than dish soap, which also makes it better for car washing. I plan to then spray everything with a bleach/water solution and let it dry. I inspected food service facilities for YEARS, and we recommended a tbsp of bleach to a gallon of water for food surfaces. Same thing I use in my house! I even toss a splash of bleach in my dish basin most the time....

I KNOW! Chickens have survived for centuries without my intervention, but the cleaning thing is an illness with me, inflicted by years in the Navy. Check with me in a few years, I'll prolly be over it.

NOT telling you to do this jus' cuz I'm gonna, cuz it isn't based on experience with chickens! And I'm standing by to hear what everyone else does. I'm just a bleach addict...

Anyone?

 

[Hope49]

Thanks for all the replies. I have seen so many threads about what to put on the bottom of the run, and we are still leaning towards sand. But this question was mostly about the inside of the coop, which I am painting. I thought I had heard of some spray that makes it easy to clean off the boop boards and other areas under roosts where you don't have one. Also, I'm sure the nest boxes will need cleaning. And at least in the beginning which it's so pretty inside, I will probably wipe down "stuff" on the walls. I'm not a complete dunce, mind you, I know chickens will change my pretty coop into a disaster area soon enough, but I am not sure whether I can even use handi-wipes on the walls - just don't want to poison anyone LOL.

I kinda like the soapy water with a little bleach idea for maybe every so often. At least if I use sand there will be less stuff, but isn't there going to be a lot of dust from the sand if I put it on the lino of the coop? Should I just leave the linoleum alone and forget the sand?

Gee, maybe I'm over thinking this?

 

[briteday]

Linoleum by itself is going to be a little slippery. I'd put some shavings or sand on it for traction. Otherwise the girls may have a difficult time jumping onto roosts or into nests.

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

I use vinegar water and a stiff brush to clean the wood work.

I mostly use straw on the floor and in nesting boxes, sometimes shavings, and recently shredded paper -- which I love!

 

[kjpanda]

I was considering putting the sheets of melamine on the walls inside my coop to help with ease of cleaning. Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas on that???

 

[CityChook]

The inside of my coop is painted. Including the floor. When I clean it out (once in May, once in Oct), I sweep out all the pine shavings from the floor, open all windows/doors, blow out all the dust with a leaf blower and wash down the walls/floor with warm water/dishsoap. Any poo that is on the walls seems to pretty much dissolve in the warm water. I may have to go over some spots twice, but that's about it. Nest box is clean and the roost can be removed and sprayed with the hose in the yard and left in the sun to dry/disinfect. Pretty easy. Once all walls/floor are clean, I spritz all surfaces with plain vinegar and let it air dry then refill with fresh shavings. My coop is 8x6 and the whole process takes about 2 hours start to finish working alone.

ETA: Hope, your coop is really nice!