First big clean out. Is there an easier way in the future?

[Kaesi2020]

Hi all! I'm not a chicken newbie but a coop/run cleanout newbie, yes! First big clean out since we got chickens and installed the coop and run last June. The raised coop is small and easy to clean but this run...wow! I'm basically removing all the old pine shavings with a shovel bit by bit. We only ever added pine shavings and in the run there is about a foot deep. Its difficult because its not a walk in, you kind of have to bend down.

I think I just have to keep shoveling bit by bit to completely clear it all out. Once its cleaned out and back to a dirt floor again, any suggestions for a fresh start? Would wood chips be a better base for this run? I think I need sturdier material because the pine shavings are so soft for the chickens that they sink in when walking in them. What would you do? Anything to make this easier the next time around....

Thank you! Pics of clean out included. Chickens are trying to help.

 

[Katanahamon]

Seems like..a lot of shavings for the run. I’m disabled, so, I have plenty of time, every time I go into the run to interact with them, I take my poop bucket and drywall spatula and scoop poop. I have typical garden center pine bark mulch in mine, the coarse stuff has held up better than the fine. I don’t have the depth you do. However, mine isn’t so dirty I would need to scrape it out 100%. Does your run get rained on? Does the poop get decayed? Do you scoop? It’s hard to see in pics because it doesn’t even look dirty to me..

 

[Katanahamon]

Hi all! I'm not a chicken newbie but a coop/run cleanout newbie, yes! First big clean out since we got chickens and installed the coop and run last June. The raised coop is small and easy to clean but this run...wow! I'm basically removing all the old pine shavings with a shovel bit by bit. We only ever added pine shavings and in the run there is about a foot deep. Its difficult because its not a walk in, you kind of have to bend down.

I think I just have to keep shoveling bit by bit to completely clear it all out. Once its cleaned out and back to a dirt floor again, any suggestions for a fresh start? Would wood chips be a better base for this run? I think I need sturdier material because the pine shavings are so soft for the chickens that they sink in when walking in them. What would you do? Anything to make this easier the next time around....

Thank you! Pics of clean out included. Chickens are trying to help.

I didn’t show what’s in mine..some pics my new iPad can “squash” the frame to get more in view, the run is actually bigger than it appears in a couple shots..

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Inside my coop, I scoop up old wood flake with a plastic shovel & 5 gal buckets, load onto truck & dump that at my big compost area, half acre away from coop.

The pens...well, mine are predator proof but not shaded & I've been doing yearly sod. It is a hassle, but with so much rain here, sand, straw, wood chips or bark mulch didn't work well.

I'm not sure how I'm going to proceed, but muddy, slippery pens are not a good option. I know one thing, a pen you can stand up in is better than one you can't...oh, the aching back!

Sorry I do not have a great suggestion for you...hoping you get lots of feedback, maybe I can learn a better idea, too.

 

[Sportsman94]

Coarse wood chips are what I use in mine. I dont ever intend to clean mine out unless I want to use them as mulch for my garden/fruit trees.

 

[Kaesi2020]

Seems like..a lot of shavings for the run. I’m disabled, so, I have plenty of time, every time I go into the run to interact with them, I take my poop bucket and drywall spatula and scoop poop. I have typical garden center pine bark mulch in mine, the coarse stuff has held up better than the fine. I don’t have the depth you do. However, mine isn’t so dirty I would need to scrape it out 100%. Does your run get rained on? Does the poop get decayed? Do you scoop? It’s hard to see in pics because it doesn’t even look dirty to me..

Thanks for your reply! The run gets moist and a little wet at times if the rain falls on the right side. The run does not smell but has wet areas and has never been cleaned out. Its more like 1.5 ft of shavings deep I wish I had not added so much in the beginning. I wonder if maybe once its totally cleaned out, I add the pine bark mulch like you have. Is that it? No adding shavings or anything after?

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Coarse wood chips are what I use in mine. I dont ever intend to clean mine out unless I want to use them as mulch for my garden/fruit trees.

Hey Sportsman, I may try that again, the sod routine is getting tedious. Crickets & bugs that like the chips keep it fun for the chickens. I just wondered, do you have any bumblefoot issues?

(Sorry Kaesi, I am not trying to hijack your thread, I just happen to be at a point where all my sod died with July drought, so I will need to make a decision as to how I proceed...another bunch of sod til it dies again next July, or go with thick wood chips this time. I just don't want my flock to get bumblefoot.)

 

[Katanahamon]

Inside my coop, I scoop up old wood flake with a plastic shovel & 5 gal buckets, load onto truck & dump that at my big compost area, half acre away from coop.

The pens...well, mine are predator proof but not shaded & I've been doing yearly sod. It is a hassle, but with so much rain here, sand, straw, wood chips or bark mulch didn't work well.

I'm not sure how I'm going to proceed, but muddy, slippery pens are not a good option. I know one thing, a pen you can stand up in is better than one you can't...oh, the aching back!

Sorry I do not have a great suggestion for you...hoping you get lots of feedback, maybe I can learn a better idea, too.

Seems like we all deal with things our initial designs could have helped..I didn’t think about the slope, except “great, the run will be bigger, they can go under for extra shade!” which is true, they love going under there to dust bathe and hang out..but it’s too small to get under and clean out effectively..so I’m relying on the occasional blast of water when they go in for the night to flush stuff out..plus the water gets absorbed (single digit humidity in summer) and makes nice cool dirt next day..but I wish I could clean under there without having to don a hazmat suit and mess up my neck more than it already is..

 

[Katanahamon]

Thanks for your reply! The run gets moist and a little wet at times if the rain falls on the right side. The run does not smell but has wet areas and has never been cleaned out. Its more like 1.5 ft of shavings deep I wish I had not added so much in the beginning. I wonder if maybe once its totally cleaned out, I add the pine bark mulch like you have. Is that it? No adding shavings or anything after?

I wouldn’t make it so deep..seems like you are inviting a mold issue..you only need a couple inches max. That way evaporation can dry it out..I wouldn’t make it so deep that a layer stays wet..the pine bark for me works..I need to get more, actually, I’m getting some thin spots..

 

[Katanahamon]

Hey Sportsman, I may try that again, the sod routine is getting tedious. Crickets & bugs that like the chips keep it fun for the chickens. I just wondered, do you have any bumblefoot issues?

(Sorry I am not trying to hijack this thread, I just happen to be at a point where all my sod died with July drought, so I will need to make a decision as to how I proceed...another bunch of sod til it dies again next July, or go with thick wood chips this time. I just don't want my flock to get bumblefoot.)

Coarse pine bark mulch works too..even the fine stuff, but it does break down quickly..