Chicken Run and Poop - how to clean

[6chickens15]

I'm So excited that I have our 6 chickens as a new part of our family!
We just brought them outside to their new coop and run and they are loving it! And it makes us happy to see them happy.

We have an enclosed run attached to their coop - 5 1/2 feet long, 48" height, 24" width. To keep out critters, we lined the bottom of the run with chicken wire.
Question - How do we clean the poop from underneath the run with the chicken wire there? My daughters love to hold the chickens but then freak a bit when poop from the chickens feet get on their clothing (part of the package - I say!).

Any suggestions? I hate having to think we need to remove the run every time to clean underneath it but at this point seems our only option unless anyone has suggestions?
Thank you all!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I'm So excited that I have our 6 chickens as a new part of our family!
We just brought them outside to their new coop and run and they are loving it! And it makes us happy to see them happy.

We have an enclosed run attached to their coop - 5 1/2 feet long, 48" height, 24" width. To keep out critters, we lined the bottom of the run with chicken wire.
Question - How do we clean the poop from underneath the run with the chicken wire there? My daughters love to hold the chickens but then freak a bit when poop from the chickens feet get on their clothing (part of the package - I say!).

Any suggestions? I hate having to think we need to remove the run every time to clean underneath it but at this point our only option unless anyone has suggestions?
Thank you all!

Welcome to BYC!
My first though on reading your description is that your run does not sound like it is large enough to accommodate a flock of 6. If I am reading your dimensions correctly you have just over 11 square feet of run space (5.5 ft long x 2 feet wide). What are the dimensions of your coop? Are your birds confined for all or even most of the day or are they allowed to be out ranging in a larger, open space such as your yard? Space is important not only from a keeping happy, healthy birds but also from the point of maintenance as an overcrowded space is going to be much harder to keep clean.
Can you maybe take a picture or two of the coop and run so we can see what you are working with? Knowing what the setup is can help guide suggestions that can address your concern about cleanliness.

 

[evitachu]

I have a similar situation, although i only have 4 birds. I put Top Soil, brand new from Home Depot. Mix with a bit of sand and DE. For some reason, the wood shaving from the upstairs house get down...which is ok. Then a week later, the soil became like gritty?!? Almost like wood chips (instead of fine shavings)?! Plus, it was HARD to look for poops...the color either becomes like top soil, or the poops have become one with the soil now? Is it bad for the ground? Is t going to breed bad parasites and mites? I tried to rake the top layer out, then the soil underneath is just like that brand new top soil. But it was hard to rake under the coop. Help help help. I love my Polish and I don't want mites or lice on them, as I like to cuddle them every afternoon! Here is the picture of my coop.