Coop cleaning

[Eggstra New]

How often are you supposed to clean out the coop? I've been stripping my every couple weeks, but now I'm hearing folks only totally clean them out a couple times a year. What do you all do?

 

[Domestic_goddess]

I just do it as needed, 1-2 times monthly!

 

[Dar]

it depends on if you use a deep litter method... i only clean my coop if 19 chickens 3X a year but i use the DLM and lots of DE

 

[CityChook]

twice a year - May and October

 

[xke4]

Remember........by draping a tarp on the edge of the threshold of the door, you can easily shovel all the shavings out on to the tarp and pull it like you would a sleigh over the snow to your disposal area. Very easy on the back and the ONLY reason I like winter.

 

[devittjl]

Just joined and thought I would answer...

I clean mine once a year.

I use a deep litter. By one year it is down to sawdust consistency.

Water is outside on a drip system so the bedding stays dry.

The key for me is I have my roost above an enclosed comparment with a screen over it. the chickens can not get in and move it around and scatch it all over the place. I clean it out and put new bedding down in the spring after the rainy season (WA state). To remove the poop, I just unscrew a panel off the back of the coop and scoop out.

I usually keep 10-30 birds in a 16x16 coop. There is a run attached and we free range every few days.

 

[LynneP]

I spot-clean daily.
Never need a big clean-out (hurrah)

Details below.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Quote:
Me too. I just use old spagethi tongs to get the poo into a bucket which I tote to the compost bin every few days.
Shavings last a long time that way and nothing ever gets disgusting.

BUT, I only have four chickens. I can't imagine scooping the nightly poo of 20 chickens...

 

[teach1rusl]

I clean daily (scrape dropping boards and spot clean soiled bedding). I like a clean environment!

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I only have three chickens so easy to clean out the poo daily from the coop countertops (use latex gloves and toss the poo in a compost pile). The countertops have layers of newspapers and paper towels covered with pine shavings and I replace everything as needed on a daily basis - if soiled or wet, it goes. I also wipe down the roost boards daily. We rake out the coop floor and replace it with fresh shavings every 2-3 weeks. If I had a lot more chickens this approach would not be practical, but with just a few I can have high standards. I never want to walk in the coop and have it smell bad, so I'm motivated to keep it clean. Anywhere between 10-30 minutes a day, depending on the day. During that time, the girls get to free-range and I can keep an eye on them.