So I am co-oping the chicken coop in the barn behind my house from a farmer who doesn't have time for chickens anymore.
Today was clean out day. There haven't been chickens in there since October, but I'm guessing it hasn't been cleaned out since way before that.
With my 16 year old step-son in tow, we tackled the job. The coop is about 8 x 15 in my best estimate. We cleaned it down to the concrete.
There was at least 4 inches of old poop and feathers (no straw or shavings, it was like mud bricks). Cleaned out the old feeder and waterers. Cleaned out 12 nest boxes and filled them up with fresh pine shavings.
4 hours, 16 wheelbarrows full, and 5 rotten eggs later, we are all done.
We wore masks (good decision). Old cloths and shoes (another good decision). And brought zip lock bags to coax old eggs into (best decision of all).
All I can say is it looks great and now I just need my chicks to arrive. I have 30 on order.
I'm thinking of posting some pictures and making this an on going thread. This will be my first time raising chicks and my first time with a "real" coop. I have 4 backyard chickens that I got as pullets. I've had them since last summer.
Would anyone be interested in my adventures?
Liz
edited to say.....See post # 4 below for many, many photos
Today was clean out day. There haven't been chickens in there since October, but I'm guessing it hasn't been cleaned out since way before that.
With my 16 year old step-son in tow, we tackled the job. The coop is about 8 x 15 in my best estimate. We cleaned it down to the concrete.
There was at least 4 inches of old poop and feathers (no straw or shavings, it was like mud bricks). Cleaned out the old feeder and waterers. Cleaned out 12 nest boxes and filled them up with fresh pine shavings.
4 hours, 16 wheelbarrows full, and 5 rotten eggs later, we are all done.
We wore masks (good decision). Old cloths and shoes (another good decision). And brought zip lock bags to coax old eggs into (best decision of all).
All I can say is it looks great and now I just need my chicks to arrive. I have 30 on order.
I'm thinking of posting some pictures and making this an on going thread. This will be my first time raising chicks and my first time with a "real" coop. I have 4 backyard chickens that I got as pullets. I've had them since last summer.
Would anyone be interested in my adventures?
Liz
edited to say.....See post # 4 below for many, many photos
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