Disenfecting your coop?

[aart]

I use this general cleaning recipe for the coop, roosts, and nest boxes:

Using a funnel, in a 32 oz. spray bottle, mix:

2 cups white vinegar
2 cups distilled water
20 drops lemon essential oil
20 drops peppermint essential oil
10 drops thyme or tea tree oil

Shake well and clean away!

Beware that essential oils can be hard on a birds respiratory system.

 

[RoosterML]

If something needs cleaning I use the following. In a spray bottle combine 1/8- 1/4 pool shock and fill the rest with water. It will kill everything. I have a pool so that’s why I use it. Cheap and very very effective. You will not want to let birds back in until it’s dry.
When cleaning the goats stall out I spray the floor(concrete) with same mixture. After the floor dries I sprinkle a thin layer of sweet sdz and then the bedding. So far no animals have died so that’s proof enough for me.

 

[DiveyChickens]

I know feed stores sell stuff for cleaning coops and barns and such. I've never needed to use chemicals, though. I just scrape out the poop every morning, keep the pine shavings fresh every week, and air everything out for a few hours a day after egg collection.

Also discovered that sprinkling around and mixing in some diatomaceous earth with the pine and dirt keeps flies, mites, and other unwanted pests away.

 

[aart]

Also discovered that sprinkling around and mixing in some diatomaceous earth with the pine and dirt keeps flies, mites, and other unwanted pests away.

Only if they are not around.....do not count on DE preventing a pest problem...
...or eliminating one.

 

[DiveyChickens]

Only if they are not around.....do not count on DE preventing a pest problem...
...or eliminating one.

Agreed. Keeping it all clean is the best preventative... But I know DE's helped with mites, and the flies (which have been terrible this summer in GA) don't seem to come around when it's around.