Coop cleaning, how & how often?

[Iluveggers]

Wow you guys have some great ideas! Thank you to everyone who responded! I’m taking notes of ideas & will definitely try to install some poop boards. I think I need a larger layer of shavings too so there’s less scraping and easier scooping!

 

[Happy hen lover]

[QUOTE="3KillerBs, post:


I loved this article ! So informative and helpful.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Yep at 5.30 a bag mini pine shavings are pretty cheap.[/QUOTE]

 

[Iluveggers]

[QUOTE="3KillerBs, post:


I loved this article ! So informative and helpful.

Agreed!

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-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.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-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 keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 8 years.

@aart was one of my mentors when I started down this path. My management plan is pretty much the same as above and I haven't had any problems. No bad smells, no pest problems and clean, healthy birds. Works for me.

This roost and poop board is 6 feet long (more or less) and ten standard hens share it at night. Poop scooping isn't as bad as it sounds.

 

[Iluveggers]

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-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.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-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 keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 8 years.

I like a lot of your ideas!

 

[Iluveggers]

Hi! Just wondering how you clean your coop and how often.

Me
Once a week under roost bar.


do you have poop boards and how often do you replace? Do you empty out the whole thing or just clean off the top?

Me
I have a short sided box 3" tall by 12" x46" . Which just keeps it in place. I line with leftover feed bags, etc. cut to size . I then either pick up bags and toss poop coated bags or sprinkle shavings on bags with wood ash underneath . I clean once a week. ( I have to scrape poop off of roost rarely now that they're 1 year old. )


I am cleaning out the whole thing each week, but I am wondering if there’s an easier way.

Me
When they were little I used cat litter scoop to get bigger chunks out of litter that ran from 4- 10" deep. No smell to speak of . My coop is deep bedding method not deep litter. I clean it all once a year . I love this method as I can make deeper in winter to add insulation to coop. I either compost poop , garden, or toss. If bedding is dirty I just toss in " poop box" and remove then. It got down to 23 below temp with wind chill 50 below last winter and my coop is raised. Hope this helps

Thank you so much for your answers!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I think it may depend on whether you have a small, prefab coop you can't get into, or a larger walk-in type, the kind I call a hen house. We have a hen house. My DH works at a bank and we don't own a truck. So he brings home big bags of shredded paper which we use for bedding. It's great! It's free and easy to handle, and there's an unlimited supply. It doesn't smell, mat or pack down, and it doesn't breed bugs. Plus it's good for the planet. We keep a thick layer of this on the floor and also use it in the nests. It dries out the droppings so there's no smell and no mess. We clean it out about once a year, using a horse "apple picker" for the paper, then a broom for the dried poop and dust that remains. Then we compost it.

 

[Iluveggers]

I think it may depend on whether you have a small, prefab coop you can't get into, or a larger walk-in type, the kind I call a hen house. We have a hen house. My DH works at a bank and we don't own a truck. So he brings home big bags of shredded paper which we use for bedding. It's great! It's free and easy to handle, and there's an unlimited supply. It doesn't smell, mat or pack down, and it doesn't breed bugs. Plus it's good for the planet. We keep a thick layer of this on the floor and also use it in the nests. It dries out the droppings so there's no smell and no mess. We clean it out about once a year, using a horse "apple picker" for the paper, then a broom for the dried poop and dust that remains. Then we compost it.

I LOVE the shredded paper idea!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I LOVE the shredded paper idea!

Thanks!