Who cleans out feathers from their coop and/or run?

[aart]

On a chicken keeping blog I follow, someone recently posted that we should clean out feathers from the coop because they don't absorb moisture and it may encourage feather picking during the winter months when hens may get bored.........

Just because someone posted it, doesn't make it true.
You need more than just a grain of salt when you read on the net, you need a whole shaker of salt (and I'm not talking tequila lol!)

I scoop the feathers off the roosts boards with the poops, but don't bother with any that are anywhere else.....like everywhere right about now!
The day after I did the total fall change out of coop shavings, a couple started molting.
I do think they eat some of them, but don't think that leads to feather picking....just like eating accidentally broken eggs(opportunistic) doesn't lead to egg eating(deliberate).

 

[Back2Roots]

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My thoughts exactly. My take on it is that it's one person's opinion, maybe even based on their own experience, but that doesn't make it true in all cases. I have learned there are several reasons for feather eating and / or picking. From my perspective, if I were see a hen feather-eating, that would be my cue to add some additional protein to their diet ;-) I have not seen any of my chickens interested in the feathers that are lying around between cleanups, so it never occurred to me to be more conscientious about removing them until I read that blog. Then I wondered. And then I decided to start this thread - to get some other chicken keepers' opinions on managing feathers in their coops and runs. So, thanks to all of you for your responses!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I sure missed that one, didn’t I. I guess you should never underestimate the power of a woman’s urge to clean whether it’s needed or not. (I can’t find those Smilie’s or I’d hide under a chair about now.) Maybe if they are blowing around the neighborhood I could see it. If you have allergies, that is different. That’s not talking about the chicken’s health but yours.

It’s fairly normal for mine to eat some of the feathers, especially the small fluffy ones if they are blowing a bit in the wind. They are a good source of protein and appear to be a lot of fun to chase down. It can lead to some good games of keep-away too. That has never led to feather picking in my flock, which is where one chicken purposely pecks the feathers off another. I think most of the time feather-picking is caused by boredom from overcrowded conditions, not them eating feathers blowing around.

I just don’t see where feathers are unhealthy in any way. The larger tail or wing feathers can last a while, but the smaller ones get eaten, break down, or get scratched to bits fairly quickly. If you feel the urge to remove the feathers go for it but I certainly don’t see it as a health issue for the chickens.

B2R, I think it is always a good idea to ask these things. Not only do you get a range of views, others learn things too. I learned that ChickenCanoe vacuums the coop. I would never have imagined that one from ‘Canoe.

 

[donrae]

I just always figured they break down into the deep liter and add more material

I'm a woman, but seem to have missed that cleaning gene......and the shoe gene.......but I've got a colorful egg basket and healthy birds

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...
B2R, I think it is always a good idea to ask these things. Not only do you get a range of views, others learn things too. I learned that ChickenCanoe vacuums the coop. I would never have imagined that one from ‘Canoe.

Ridgerunner, here's a smiley for you.

In my curmudgeon like defense, it's usually only once a year when the cobwebs get out of control.
Even though I only had one inspection when I applied for my permit a couple years ago, theoretically the city could be BA-ACK.
All that dust suspended everywhere could reinforce what they thought in the first place before I beat city hall.
With 8 housing units, I do have a bit to keep up with.

 

[azygous]

You aren't a bad person if you never clean up the molted feathers in your coop and run. Nor are feathers left lying around to decompose any sort of health hazard. If you're allergic to feathers, that makes it a health issue for you, not the chickens.

I happen to be very OC about keeping the coop and run clean, and I scoop up the feathers every day along with the poop. It doesn't make me any better than those who ignore the feathers, just more tired.

 

[aart]

I just always figured they break down into the deep liter and add more material

I'm a woman, but seem to have missed that cleaning gene......and the shoe gene.......but I've got a colorful egg basket and healthy birds

LOL me too!! ....and on the other hand I know several men who are clean freaks.

But in general, RR's got it right.

 

[Back2Roots]

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I agree! No one would ever think I was OCD when it comes to cleaning. I do like to do whatever is necessary to keep my animals healthy, but don't want to be spending more time cleaning the chicken coop and run than I do cleaning the house. I just did my pre-winter major cleanout last weekend, but other than scooping out the poop and topping up bedding a few times a week, I figure the coop is good to go until next spring.
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LOL! Thanks for the chuckle, azygous. And for affirmation that just because I am not as diligent about feather removal as some, doesn't make me a bad person.
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I have to admit, I vacuumed out all the cobwebs too when I did the pre-winter cleanout last weekend. I will not do that again until the next big cleanout in the spring. I figured that since all the old bedding was being removed and replaced I might as well give the interior a quick vacuum while I was at it.

 

[aart]

My idea of house cleaning is to sweep the room with a glance!

I vacuum the garage shop floor more often that I do the house...so I don't track stuff into the house, right?

 

[Back2Roots]

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LOL! Good theory, and I imagine that sweeping out the garage regularly really does cut down on the amount of dirt making it into the house.