Dirty chicken coop...

[77horses]

OK so yes, we procrastinated,

All winter, the chicken's droppings kept piling up under their perch, because they slept in the same spot every night. It was too frozen to shovel out, so it got up to be a big mound of stinky droppings.

Finally, when the weather warmed up, we were planning on scooping out the poo and using it for gardening. But we got busy with other things and pushed it aside...and it kept getting stinkier and the mound got bigger...

Now, I noticed how bad it really is. It smells bad! The whole coop floor is covered in poo and the pine shavings are dirty.

I scooped out most of it and it's all moist underneath because of the large mound of poo.

I got most of it out and will soon put new layers of pine shavings down.

Hopefully it won't get so bad again!

 

[DonnaBelle]

Get some PDZ, it's a stall/coop deodorizer and it is granulated and you just sprinkle some in the shavings about once a week, it really helps keep down the stink.

I get mine at the feed store in town, it's about $12. a big 40 lb bag.

Hope this helps

DonnaBelle

 

[77horses]

Quote:
Is this what you're talking about?
http://www.sweetpdz.com/

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Next winter, try layering clean shavings over that area from time to time. It won't be so nasty in the spring.

 

[cherig22]

Guilty of the exact same thing. Too cold, and me too lazy

.

I hauled and mucked and hauled off and on for four hours. I had been throwing mulched leaves under the perch once a week, and my pile was about a foot and a half deep, eight feet long.

That's a lot of poo

Cheri

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

A thin layer of diatamatious earth will help keep the icky stuff from getting to the wood. just sprinle it over the boards and then put you shavings over it. It's kind of a super absorbant crumbly clay and I am sure I spelled it wrong

 

[CityChook]

I tossed my shavings with a garden rake about once a week all winter. They were about 9 inches deep. It only took a second and kept them fluffy. Keeps the smell down, too. I sprinkled a couple of times with DE just to ensure dryness. When I cleaned out the coop last week (hadn't been cleaned since September) it was dry to the floor and I just swept it out into the wheelbarrow for the compost pile. It was much less dramatic than I thought it was going to be. I was, however, *very* thankful for painted walls/floor as I was able to wash everything down easily and reload with fresh shavings. Good as new.

 

[A2SciTeach]

What did the chickens do when you were doing that? I started cleaning out the deep litter last week with the chickens out in the yard and they completely freaked out. I started and stopped a couple of times, but I still need to finish! I had a very hard time getting them to go back into the coop after that episode. Now, I've got to try again this weekend...

 

[featheredflock]

I have 3 A frame tractor coops. I live about 90 miles North of Memphis . The coops are built pretty good but my 3rd one was built quick as I rescued 6birds. Their tractor is built out of a swing set with tin on each side and wire at the bottom. Thereis tar paper over all coops & on the 3rd one I have plywood leaned up against it.
So my question is will my birds be ok through winter until I can get a real coop built. I love my birds and fear I am not doing enough to prepare them for the winter.
I have red were heat lamps are not good for them. I have 3 RIR, 1 Wyondette, 1NH, 1Leghorn , 1Jersey Giant, 2 W Crested Polish, 2 W Jap Bantam hens & 1Plymouth Rock, 1Americauna, 1WC Polish & 1W Jap Bantam Roosters.
Any advice to give my babies a healthy warm winter will be appreciated. I only have internet through my phone, which is a lot different than a pc. I am fairly new to this site. So anybody want to send me anything helpful if I miss it here can email me at [email protected]

 

[KristyMoo]

I did the same thing!! We have four and they poop out the most nastiest craps I've ever seen!! I feel sorry for them though
In the summer I can finally !!