How do I keep my coop clean?

[tampachick]

Yes, it is very easy to clean. It just takes me about 10 minutes to clean the whole coop with 4 roosting boxes. 19 chickens can really make a mess every night but scooping the poop in the boxes is very fast and easy. I used to have hay in them originally and I didn't like it at all, too much waste and very messy.

I am going to re-do my entire coop eventually, but in the meantime, I'm going to make a pop box under the roosting area and fill it with sand for easy clean-up, vs the pine needles from my trees that I've been using. It sure seems a lot easier to clean and not as messy, especially here in FL. Thank you for the great ideas!!!

 

[tomphot]

I am going to re-do my entire coop eventually, but in the meantime, I'm going to make a pop box under the roosting area and fill it with sand for easy clean-up, vs the pine needles from my trees that I've been using.  It sure seems a lot easier to clean and not as messy, especially here in FL.  Thank you for the great ideas!!! 

Instead of sand on the pop board, use PDZ, same consistency as sand but eliminates the smell and dries the poop quicker.

 

[tampachick]

Instead of sand on the pop board, use PDZ, same consistency as sand but eliminates the smell and dries the poop quicker.

my concern is the area I need to cover and the cost of the PDZ. I can get 1/2 ton of fine sand for about $30. The coop is a 10x10 fenced area with extra wire mesh around it for predators. With it being open air, the odor is pretty limited. I am thinking about getting some PDZ to mix in with the sand. Thoughts? The light area is under the roosting area.

 

[tomphot]

my concern is the area I need to cover and the cost of the PDZ. I can get 1/2 ton of fine sand for about $30. The coop is a 10x10 fenced area with extra wire mesh around it for predators. With it being open air, the odor is pretty limited. I am thinking about getting some PDZ to mix in with the sand. Thoughts? The light area is under the roosting area.

My poop board is just the area directly under the roost where they sleep. It's a raised board with a lip around the edges. I've filled it about 1/4" - 1/2" deep. The rest of the coop and the whole run has sand.

 

[tampachick]

sounds like a nice set up! My girls seem to spead their poop over a pretty large area under the roosting area. It's always a work in progress and trial and error for me, and I certainly appreciate your input and thoughts, tomshop! Have a great week!

 

[tomphot]

sounds like a nice set up!  My girls seem to spead their poop over a pretty large area under the roosting area.  It's always a work in progress and trial and error for me, and I certainly appreciate your input and thoughts, tomshop!  Have a great week!

Have you built a raised roost bar for them all to sleep on? This has made it easy for me to keep control of the great amount of poop that happens at night. If you haven't done that yet, it will make clean up so much easier down the road! Starting at 5 weeks old, they were all sleeping on a 5' raised bar with the board underneath.

 

[tampachick]

Have you built a raised roost bar for them all to sleep on? This has made it easy for me to keep control of the great amount of poop that happens at night. If you haven't done that yet, it will make clean up so much easier down the road! Starting at 5 weeks old, they were all sleeping on a 5' raised bar with the board underneath.

Oh yes. That was one of the very 1st things. They have a walk up to get to it, and it's about 5 1/2' off of the ground. We don't have many predators, thankfully, because although we are all on 1/2 to 1 acre lots, it's the Tampa suburbs, so we aren't in the woods. However, I'm always on the lookout for those flipping Possums which I HATE! I haven't done a raised poop board yet, just let the poop fall to the ground. Thankfully, the girls aren't so "birdbrained", they don't walk in that area, even when cooped up in the enclosure during the storm this last week. That's one of the next items on my list, a raised poop board. I started my 3 week old baby Jersey Giants on a 2" high roost bar, to get used to it, and as they grow, I keep raising it. I'm a city girl, location wise, but I think a country girl at heart, and I devour information! The more I know, the better I feel, and heaven knows, I know I sill have a ton to learn yet!!!

 

[Shezadandy]

Have you built a raised roost bar for them all to sleep on? This has made it easy for me to keep control of the great amount of poop that happens at night. If you haven't done that yet, it will make clean up so much easier down the road! Starting at 5 weeks old, they were all sleeping on a 5' raised bar with the board underneath.

Especially when they graduate from pullet poops to hen poops! Completely different league!
Love having a raised board with PDZ on it- very little 'splatter' because it doesn't fall far, and no bending over to clean- and since it's so easy to get to (and to see), it's just a quick scoop job.