First coop/run cleanout

[Kaesi2020]

Hi everyone, the title is a little misleading since I technically scoop out all poop from the raised coop each morning (small coop for five hens) and replenish with a bucket of pine shavings. I'm referring to a total coop and run clean out- removing all shavings, cleaning down the surfaces, and adding new shavings. It will be my first complete clean out since I got our chickens last April so I know I'm behind.

I'm anticipating this taking a while, especially the area of the run under the raised coop which is just difficult to get to.

I'm also wanting to spray for mites/lice in case my birds have them as well as treat the chickens too.

What do you all use for cleaning your coops and runs? Just remove, wash, replenish? Do you add any sprays or anything special? Does it hurt to treat for pests and clean for pests even if they may not have any?

Thank you

 

[kathy32]

It sounds silly, but I go over my coop interior with a shop vac every few cleanings after I shovel out the shavings. Its great for getting up the remaining dust and I think it helps with insects/pests too? Unless your coop gets damp I don't know that you need to wet wash; I don't with mine although I know some people do. I would not treat for pests unless you see a problem. For getting under a raised coop, a hoe or sturdy garden rake is your friend! Happy cleaning!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't wash anything - only time moisture has been applied to the coop interior after construction was when I cleaned out and sprayed for an existing mite issue.

If you've been on top of picking up poops daily, your coop is probably pretty clean. As I have a bigger coop I'm planning on only doing 1 clean out a year from here on out, and that much might not even be necessary, but of course that will vary from set up to set up. For my clean outs I use a leaf blower to blow out dust on surfaces and over ventilation, rake and sweep out all the old coop litter into the run, replace with new litter, and I'm done.

I use deep litter so the run doesn't get cleaned out at all. Either I add more material if more is needed, or I harvest some of the broken down litter for my own gardening use.

Does it hurt to treat for pests if they don't exist - well... permethrin is still a pesticide and affects everything from honeybees to water runoff, so I don't believe in using it unless it's actually needed. You can't preventatively treat for mites or lice - it's meant to kill what is there, not what might show up later. Better off doing a health check on a few of the chickens and seeing if there is anything there, and if so, then treat for the specific issue you have.

 

[3KillerBs]

Dry chickens are healthy chickens -- there's no need to use any wet cleaning unless you have some kind of extreme condition.

My cleaning is documented here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

I'm also wanting to spray for mites/lice in case my birds have them as well as treat the chickens too.

Does it hurt to treat for pests if they don't exist - well... permethrin is still a pesticide and affects everything from honeybees to water runoff, so I don't believe in using it unless it's actually needed. You can't preventatively treat for mites or lice - it's meant to kill what is there, not what might show up later. Better off doing a health check on a few of the chickens and seeing if there is anything there, and if so, then treat for the specific issue you have.

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

[Fieldsfive]

Hi All. I read this thread and want to confirm what many are saying about the run. It sounds like there is no need to ever remove the material in the run, as long as you are scooping obvious poops up regularly. And, many of you add the old coop bedding to the run (I assume when no obvious pest issues have popped up) so it sounds like the run can be very low maintenance?
I live in the PNW where it has been unseasonably dry since the hens have lived in their covered run/house, but will soon become quite wet. I use mulch in the roofed run (and pine shavings in the coop) and will probably just add new mulch as it disappears with regular scooping. I also have pavers under the mulch with about 1 inch spacing between them, mostly as an additional deterrent to digging predators. Does that sound like it should work out for the hens' health, considering my climate? Many thanks. Always learning.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hi All. I read this thread and want to confirm what many are saying about the run. It sounds like there is no need to ever remove the material in the run, as long as you are scooping obvious poops up regularly.

A lot of people don't even scoop poops. If you have enough volume of deep litter (which is more than just mulch, you'd need additional organic material like dried leaves, dried grass, and garden trimmings to help with the composting action) the poop should compost down in it. I choose to scoop obvious surface poops simply because I don't like stepping in them but probably only pick up about half the poop, and the rest simply composts in place.

And, many of you add the old coop bedding to the run (I assume when no obvious pest issues have popped up) so it sounds like the run can be very low maintenance?

You'll get different responses on this but I add my old coop bedding to the run - I figure it's just another way to reuse the materials and it's not like bedding goes bad after a year. Only exception was when I had mites one time, and in that case I tossed out the coop bedding.

I also have pavers under the mulch with about 1 inch spacing between them, mostly as an additional deterrent to digging predators. Does that sound like it should work out for the hens' health, considering my climate? Many thanks. Always learning.

You'll probably know the answer to this soon when fall rains come, but do the pavers interfere with drainage?

 

[3KillerBs]

A lot of people don't even scoop poops. If you have enough volume of deep litter (which is more than just mulch, you'd need additional organic material like dried leaves, dried grass, and garden trimmings to help with the composting action) the poop should compost down in it. I choose to scoop obvious surface poops simply because I don't like stepping in them but probably only pick up about half the poop, and the rest simply composts in place.

I don't even do that, because I find that they are quickly buried in the bedding by the normal chicken activity.

Whether you ever have to take any litter out of the run depends on how deep it builds up and whether you want compost for your garden.

 

[K0k0shka]

I have a lot of material in the run (wood chips, dry leaves, grass clippings etc.) and I never clean it. Poops get mixed in by chickens scratching. I might fluff it up occasionally, but that's it. Doesn't look poopy or get muddy.

I clean the coop twice a year. I don't have a poop board and don't scoop poops daily (too much work, and unnecessary). Poops fall into the deep layer of shavings and get lost. If the ratio of poop to shavings changes too much, I add more clean shavings to the top. That's it. Twice a year I clean everything out. I use the litter I clean out for my garden. Bury it in the garden in the fall, and by planting time it's mostly broken down.

 

[Dlepage]

Hi everyone, the title is a little misleading since I technically scoop out all poop from the raised coop each morning (small coop for five hens) and replenish with a bucket of pine shavings. I'm referring to a total coop and run clean out- removing all shavings, cleaning down the surfaces, and adding new shavings. It will be my first complete clean out since I got our chickens last April so I know I'm behind.

I'm anticipating this taking a while, especially the area of the run under the raised coop which is just difficult to get to.

I'm also wanting to spray for mites/lice in case my birds have them as well as treat the chickens too.

What do you all use for cleaning your coops and runs? Just remove, wash, replenish? Do you add any sprays or anything special? Does it hurt to treat for pests and clean for pests even if they may not have any?

Thank you

Google sand in coop it’s a game changer!!!!
My entire coop is 6 inches of dry sand. No flies no smell. I have a nice warm perch and no draft but controlled ventilation. I scoop each day. Amazing so happy with it and so are my 4 ladies.

 

[K0k0shka]

Google sand in coop it’s a game changer!!!!
My entire coop is 6 inches of dry sand. No flies no smell. I have a nice warm perch and no draft but controlled ventilation. I scoop each day. Amazing so happy with it and so are my 4 ladies.

Scooping each day would definitely be a game changer for me. With shavings, I clean twice a year And no smell either. Sand is for those who want to do a lot of frequent cleaning, which not everybody wants to sign up for.