How do I deep clean my coop?

[cmom]

P.S. I have been blessed to have never had a mite issue so I've never had to "deep clean". I just fork out all the bedding and start the process of building it up again every 6-12 weeks or so.

I thought I was blessed because I never had any issues with mites or lice then a couple of years ago they came. I had no issues but then noticed my birds weren't looking too well. I thought they were molting but upon further inspection they had lice and mites. First I found them in one coop and then another. I immediately treated the birds with DE. After a couple of weeks of treating them with the DE they weren't improving and still had the pests on them. I had a little bit of sevin and it helped but sevin is no longer approved for use on animals. Then I bought some permethrin. After a couple weekly treatments with the permethrin the birds starting improving and no bugs. I continued treatment for a couple of more weeks and the birds continued to improve. I cleaned out their coops and bought the permethrin concentrate and then treated all of the coops thoroughly inside. I think if I hadn't treated them with the permethrin I might have lost some of the birds. I wish I had taken pictures but was so concentrating on them and getting rid of the bugs, I didn't. I used the poultry dust in the nest boxes. I used the 0.50% solution. I used permethrin 10. It worked. First I cleaned out the coops and I sprayed in the coops thoroughly every crack and crevice. I used poultry dust in the nest boxes. You have been lucky so far and maybe you will never have to deal with them. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

Here is a chart a BYC member made. I have used the different concentrates but mostly permethrin 10. I use the 0.50% solution and spray weekly for 3 or 4 weeks and put poultry dust in the nest boxes. Problem solved. You can get the premixed sprays.

 

[3KillerBs]

You have been lucky so far and maybe you will never have to deal with them.

Yes. I can *hope* to never have an issue, but I have tried to learn and be prepared in case I do.

 

[black_cat]

Roost mites identified- they're the red roost ones. I know this because they are red and are on the birds' vent feathers.

Same plan of change all bedding, spray with permethrin, and continue to spray?

 

[topochico225]

In my previous wood coop, I used DLM and never saw mites, but I may have just been inexperienced. I did a complete deep clean out every two weeks (I'm in South Louisiana, so heat and moisture reign over all), removing the droppings tray/nesting box shavings and blasting down roost bars and the droppings tray completely with water. When I clean out my Omlet Eglu now, I do regular cleanouts weekly, spraying the inside down with Manna Pro Poultry Protector Enzyme Spray. (Please no one get on me for using that. Congratulations, you don't agree with me, move on.)

This may have been a stroke of luck, but I found that a little Dawn soap mixed with water in a spray bottle killed mites and lice on my chickens and the red roost mites in the coop. Again, please no one attack me for using that.

 

[aart]

Roost mites identified- they're the red roost ones. I know this because they are red and are on the birds' vent feathers.

Same plan of change all bedding, spray with permethrin, and continue to spray?

Roost mites will be on the birds at night and roosts and other coop structures.
I'm going to assume you read the link I provided or IDing and my treatment instructions.

 

[black_cat]

Roost mites will be on the birds at night and roosts and other coop structures.

That sounds right.

I'm going to assume you read the link I provided or IDing and my treatment instructions.

Yep!

 

[black_cat]

Is there anything that I should do that would be part of a semi annual/annual deep clean on the coop, ignoring the issue of mites? If I'm replacing all of the shavings anyway, I may as well do a nice deep clean, because it's the right time of year (got the coop in November, so it's been ~8 months).

 

[3KillerBs]

Is there anything that I should do that would be part of a semi annual/annual deep clean on the coop, ignoring the issue of mites? If I'm replacing all of the shavings anyway, I may as well do a nice deep clean, because it's the right time of year (got the coop in November, so it's been ~8 months).

If you don't have mites or any other such problem there's no need to do more than knock down the cobwebs and change the bedding.

Dry chickens are healthy chickens.

 

[aart]

Is there anything that I should do that would be part of a semi annual/annual deep clean on the coop, ignoring the issue of mites? If I'm replacing all of the shavings anyway, I may as well do a nice deep clean, because it's the right time of year (got the coop in November, so it's been ~8 months).

Every situation is different, and it might depends on your tolerance for poop stains, but.....

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.