Cleaned half the coop today

[woodmort]

Finally got a sunny day above 40 with no wind so did the first part of the cleaning process--cleaned out the northern(smaller) half of the coop. This is the part where I brooded the chicks last spring and, except for adding shavings, it hasn't been cleaned since then--I remove the door between the two parts and they have full run of the place. Took 5 Kabota RTV loads of light, fluffy manure away and spread them on the garden. Then spread a couple bales of shavings to replace it. Also took up the water heater. The next warm spell I'll start on the other half which is half again bigger but doesn't seem to have as much manure--they apparently prefer to hang where they were brooded. Might be a while though since weatherman is waffling about us getting a possible 1 to 8 inches of snow this weekend--he'll let us know for sure on Monday.

Forgot one thing though, don't sit down after you do a job like that--you stiffen up.

 

[moonlyghtegirl]

I have been cleaning the run, slowly, over the past three days. We still don't have sun, just wind and rain still. My run is covered, 14 x 20. I have been sick a lot since December, and have not had a lot of strength until recently.

Didn't realize how built up the litter had become. My hubby has helped some, but of course, not to my standards. I moved the roost, and now the "Heathens," as I call them, can't find it...I guess I will have to KEEP MOVING THEM until they figure it out on their own!

Ready for the sun to come out here, but I'm not holding my breath!

 

[calicokat]

I had to clean our last week due to finding lice ugh.

Get to do it again tomorrow since it's the 10 day mark. But we'll have a super duper clean coop and that always makes me smile

I do have a question, since I had to strip all the bedding because of the lice - I spread it in the garden . . . . . . but the girls followed and kept scratching and pecking in it

I sprinkled more Sevin-5 over it, but will that be enough or am I in danger of reinfesting the flock?

 

[woodmort]

I'd check on the life cycle of bird lice--I think they will die without a host but takes time. Meanwhile it is probably a good idea to keep the birds away from the coop cleanings.