Coop location /space

[mym1414]

Okay I’ll most likely not be able to do the deep litter method then. Can I go 3/4 days in between cleans though if it’s not wet outside? And if I remove the chickens can i use pesticides inside the coop or around? I was thinking last night about pests… I had widows and an assortment of various other spiders in the backyard. I have pest control come bimonthly and it seems to control it . Im worried the coop will become a breeding ground / haven for them ? (Arachnophobe here )

 

[NatJ]

Okay I’ll most likely not be able to do the deep litter method then. Can I go 3/4 days in between cleans though if it’s not wet outside?

If it does not stink, even when you put your head inside and sniff, then it is fine.

There are many levels of "cleaning." In a shallow coop like the one you pictured, it might work well to use a layer of sand, and scoop droppings each day with a kitty-litter scoop. For some people, the scooping takes only a few minutes each day, and that keeps it clean enough for long periods of time (weeks or months with no cleaning except the daily scooping).

And if I remove the chickens can i use pesticides inside the coop or around? I was thinking last night about pests… I had widows and an assortment of various other spiders in the backyard. I have pest control come bimonthly and it seems to control it . Im worried the coop will become a breeding ground / haven for them ? (Arachnophobe here )

Chicken coops do not really seem to attract spiders, unless there are so many other bugs that the spiders move in to eat them. So it might not be an issue.

I don't really know about pesticides and chickens: I haven't wanted to use them, so I haven't cared enough to do research about them.

Hopefully someone else can give helpful advice there.

 

[perkolator]

No need for spraying chemicals, chickens are a form of pest control. Spiders will always be everywhere in our lives - they say we humans are always in close proximity to a spider, no matter where you are on the planet; even microscopic ones living directly on our bodies, such as the mites that live on our skin and hair

I think you need to do more planning if you want to have chickens. Those prefab coops get a bad rap because they have many flaws. You can clean as much as you want to, but realize that most chicken setups, no matter how clean you keep them, are never going to be completely devoid of smells. Just looking at the close proximity to the houses + all that shade + comments of ground saturation, I wouldn't plan to have many chickens in that backyard as I'd assume neighbors and spouses would quickly complain about the new aromas and maybe even their sound bouncing off the house

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ok so maybe it’s a better idea to put the coop on my raised flower bed . I can reach it with an extension cord if I have to . What will electrical be used for ?

NatJ explained it well, and thanks for clarifying on the climate as we all have different weather conditions to deal with.

I know people have chickens around other subdivisions but didn’t really get details on exact rules when I spoke to city hall. They just told me I can have chickens . Do you think I Should get this in writing ?

I would want to see the exact ordinances (including restrictions on numbers, noise ordinances, and anything related to setbacks or housing of poultry) so you don't set up a coop and then find out later that you're too close to a neighbor's house and have to remove it. Or that you built bigger or smaller (yes that is a thing) than legally allowed.

Can I go 3/4 days in between cleans though if it’s not wet outside? And if I remove the chickens can i use pesticides inside the coop or around? I was thinking last night about pests… I had widows and an assortment of various other spiders in the backyard. I have pest control come bimonthly and it seems to control it . Im worried the coop will become a breeding ground / haven for them ? (Arachnophobe here )

"It depends" - until you actually have the chickens you won't know how much/how often you'll need to clean compared to someone else. As a general rule again, the more overall space and litter volume for each bird, the less you need to do. I do a full coop cleanout once a year. That is not possible with a small set up. When I had a much smaller coop and much smaller flock, something like 6 weeks was as long as I could go on the coop, but my run was much bigger to compensate.

I do have pest control service. They only treat my home and targeted specific problems (i.e. wasps nests). I do NOT have them treat anything anywhere near the chickens, the one time we had a wasp nest about 10' away I made the pest guy come back and remove it entirely so dead wasps wouldn't drop near the run. The chickens absolutely will eat spiders and insects for you.