Is your coop dirty? Here are some tips to keep it a clean and healthy place for your chickens!!!
Adequate Ventilation is very important in the coop. We all know they poop in there, and it can start to smell. With the ventilation, it will take out most of the smell. Your chickens want some fresh air, also. The vents can be made on the side of the coop, but not too close to the ground so predators can get in and out, potentially threatening your flock. In the winter time, it gets cold, so you should make the vents easy to close.
What you choose to cover the bottom of your coop is also very important. you can have dirt, sand, concrete, pine shavings or straw. Each one has pros and cons, but it depends on what kind of coop you have. Pine shavings are a good choice, but you will go through a lot of it. It takes a lot to cover the entire base of your coop. The manure also sticks to the shavings. Dirt is my favorite. The manure will mix in with the dirt, and you just can take a shovel to it then mix the dirt up. It also provides nutrients for the chickens that lie in the dirt. Concrete is an efficient way. The manure can easily scooped up, but in the winter the concrete can get really cold for the chickens. And straw is basically the same as the pine shavings. You would need a lot of sand to cover the floor, depending how deep you want it.
Food dishes will need to be placed throughout your coop, and off of the ground so the bedding and manure don't get mixed in. There are feeders that can be hung off of the side or the top of the coop, but it has to be low enough to the ground so the chickens can reach it.
The water dish can be done the same way. There are many different choices and sizes, all depending on the size of the flock.
Perches are essential in the coop. It allows the chickens to be up high. a lot of manure collects around the perches so make sure to keep those areas extra clean.
Hopefully his has been helpful to you!! If you have any questions, Pm me!!
-Turkenstein25
Adequate Ventilation is very important in the coop. We all know they poop in there, and it can start to smell. With the ventilation, it will take out most of the smell. Your chickens want some fresh air, also. The vents can be made on the side of the coop, but not too close to the ground so predators can get in and out, potentially threatening your flock. In the winter time, it gets cold, so you should make the vents easy to close.
What you choose to cover the bottom of your coop is also very important. you can have dirt, sand, concrete, pine shavings or straw. Each one has pros and cons, but it depends on what kind of coop you have. Pine shavings are a good choice, but you will go through a lot of it. It takes a lot to cover the entire base of your coop. The manure also sticks to the shavings. Dirt is my favorite. The manure will mix in with the dirt, and you just can take a shovel to it then mix the dirt up. It also provides nutrients for the chickens that lie in the dirt. Concrete is an efficient way. The manure can easily scooped up, but in the winter the concrete can get really cold for the chickens. And straw is basically the same as the pine shavings. You would need a lot of sand to cover the floor, depending how deep you want it.
Food dishes will need to be placed throughout your coop, and off of the ground so the bedding and manure don't get mixed in. There are feeders that can be hung off of the side or the top of the coop, but it has to be low enough to the ground so the chickens can reach it.
The water dish can be done the same way. There are many different choices and sizes, all depending on the size of the flock.
Perches are essential in the coop. It allows the chickens to be up high. a lot of manure collects around the perches so make sure to keep those areas extra clean.
Hopefully his has been helpful to you!! If you have any questions, Pm me!!
-Turkenstein25
