Chickens not sleeping in coop

[shannara200]

You have a lot of good advice posted for you to try out, may I add one that I found to be very effective in killing mites and any other bugs that may want to hang out in the coop.

I use regular hay in the coop for my chickens to enjoy at night which I replace about once every 3 months. when that time comes I remove all hay clean out all bits and pieces with a vacuum (Wet and Dry) and which point I then wipe it clean with a mixture of water and bleach.

once the wood is dry I put new hay and sprinkle Baking Soda within the hay since that kills mites and reduces the smell that can build up due to use by the chickens.

During the time of 3 months between changes I regularly go in and remove all Poop that the chickens leave behind and any hay that is contaminated which I then replace with fresh supply.

I also spray down the inside of the coop with a can of disinfection spray, the type that kills 99% of germs ( this I do once every two days )

during my time in the coop I check for spider webs, bug nest or anything else that seems out of place.

Overall the coop never has a smell and the chickens live in a clean environment, with this and them free ranging they take dirt baths on a regular bases which keeps them clean also..

I may be a bit over zealous concerning cleanliness I enjoy picking up my chickens and holding them, and keeping them clean makes holding them a much better exp.

Crazy Yankee

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

To clear up the infestation on the birds right now, dust with Sevin Dust, which is a combination of pesticide and DE. Get it in under the feathers. Sevin is very commonly used around poultry, and is safe to use on day-old chicks.

You can also use a pour-on cattle dewormer like Ivomec or Eprinex, which will kill both internal and external parasites. Ivomec is cheaper, but you have to discard eggs for two weeks after you use it. Eprinex is flippin expensive, but no egg withholding. Buy a luer-tip syringe (no needle needed) when you buy the dewormer and add .5cc per large fowl bird, putting half that on the skin by the neck and half on the skin by the tail. These products will not only kill any mites that try to attach to the birds, they will kill a whole host of other parasites as well.

I would then remove all bedding from the next boxes, scrub well, sprinkle all over with Sevin, and put in fresh bedding.

 

[DucheneEGG]

It sucks that there might be mites. The coop has only been operational for a week. The chickens have only lived in it for a week and I completely painted the inside so that I wouldn't get mites. I'll try the bleach thing out. Thanks.

 

[DucheneEGG]

Thanks for all the feed back. I use sweet PDZ for my coop floor and it has only been in it for a week. And I pick up the poop inside the coop every other day. I guess I'll do a big clean like u all mentioned above and get some of that dust. To me the chickens seem fine they just won't sleep in the coop at night. I'll do a big clean then lock them in there for a couple of days so they get used to sleeping in there

 

[christinea]

Any updates? Was it mites? Are they sleeping in the coop? Do you live in a cold area?

 

[DucheneEGG]

Well they all decide to sleep in the coop on the roosting pole once I baught a rooster. I cleaned it like everyone said then I really wanted a rooster so I baught one from some ladie. He is 15 weeks old still has not crowed. But my hens are 13 weeks old. So once the rooster came into the flock all the girls just followed his flow.

 

[christinea]

That's great! Glad it all worked itself out.