Cleaning out the coop?

[Mommysongbird]

We have one rooster who stays in the coop 24/7 because the other rooster hates him, which is only natural I know. I am trying to re-home him, but so far nothing. We don't really have the money to build another coop, even small scale one, but I need to clean out the big coop because of flies.

Is there something that I can put in the coop to take care of the flies until I can get him re-homed or into something else?? I have tried cating him, but he gets really stressed and he is beginning to get more agressive. All of our chicks will be 17 weeks old on Monday.

 

[Rhode Island momma]

Have you tried DE? That is what I use and it works good. Just sprinkle it around in the coop and even around the outside. We had a problem with flies in the spring, but haven't had a problem since I started using it .

 

[gavinandallison]

I would suggest de, and also go to your auto parts store and buy vanilla air freshners, flies hate the scent and will keep away..................

 

[jtbrown]

Sweet PDZ helps keep odor down and dry up what is causing the odor to bring in the flies. You sprinkle it around like DE. I got it at tractor supply, I use it with DE and haven't changed shavings since Spring. (trying deep litter method)

 

[AlienChick]

Yeah, I would sprinkle a little DE and/or PDZ and add more shavings or dry grass clippings.

Keep it as DRY as you can!

 

[Duramaxgirl]

What's PDZ? Sounds like something cool!

good ideas. I keep my coop as dry as posible... and it seems to help with flys.

 

[AlienChick]

Sweet PDZ is a stall freshener that horse owners use for odor control and deodorizing.

It works just as well in chicken coops.

 

[Nicole01]

I don't have a single fly or bug in my coop. I use DE food grade and I clean out the poop 3-5 times daily or whenever I'm out visiting the chickens. I spot clean the run daily and rake it 1-2 times a week and hose it down. I have my coop inside the garage, so keeping it clean is a must. I add a small dusting of DE every 2 weeks.

Good luck!

 

[Mommysongbird]

Okay, I didn't realize I could put the DE IN the coop. I was only told to put it on the outside of the coop and run.

I will have to do that, but it will have to wait until they are roosting because of our 24/7 guest.

I will get out the DE this evening and do that.

 

[R_Chickens]

When we start to notice a little odor (not strong like chickens, just a notice to stay ahead of an issue), I spread a liberal dusting of food grade DE and add a little bit of large pine shavings. We are also doing the deep litter method, which has worked great over the past few months.

I only add shavings to the areas where the bedding is thinnest or starting to get packed down- and in the nesting box.

Then amongst all the excitement (the birds LOVE playing in new DE and bedding!), I take one spot in particular and add a heavy amount of DE there as a dusting area.

I keep the door wide open because of the dust and try not to breath it in too much.

It is sort of a merry go round effect. As I add the DE and bedding, they all group ahead of me and run out of the way, then run in behind me to play in the new stuff

Within an hour or so you can't see the DE, it has be thoroughly mixed in by scratching chickens playing volleyball or whatever it is they are doing!

DE and deep litter with large pine shavings (TSC) have been an incredible combination that has really allow my (sometimes squeemish) wife and daughter *enjoy* spending time with chickens instead of it being an unpleasant chore.

Just keep in mind, DE must be kept dry to be effective.

Hope this helps!

- JC