Best medium and cleaning tips for run and coop

[Farmer40]

As far as cleaning, I check the coop/run every couple days for a little cleaning of coop scooping out dirty stuff and applying fresh fine mulch bedding. I weekly to every other week depending on how dirty it is scrub everything down with 50/50 white vinegar/H2O with few drops of lavender essential oils for aroma therapy including roosting bars in coop/run. I put in zeolite coop odor eliminator, spray poultry protector in coop/run, and puff food grade DE in both places to prevent pests. I change out nesting box mats with fresh ones. I also add fresh herbs to nesting boxes or nesting box flakes for fresh scent. Add new bedding in coop/run. I frequently clean when chickens are out in yard so if spray something it has time to settle. However, you can do this while in coop/run if you do not let chickens out just move chickens to opposite side you are working on. If cleaning coop, they are out in run. If cleaning run, they are in coop etc. Hope this helps!

Thank you! I will definitely use some lavender EO and some other tips from your reply!

 

[Farmer40]

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

-Runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

Thank you, this has been incredibly helpful and informative!!