How do I keep the coop and run clean??

[Samanthaalvin1]

We have 6 chickens that are ages 3-5 months old. I feel like there is always poop on everything lol.. I go down every morning and clean poop from under the roosting bars but its all over the wood sides of the coop and ladder. Any tips or tricks to keep these areas cleaner? What do you use to help with odor? I currently use pine shavings in the nesting area and pdz under the roosting bars. We live in east Tennessee so the run is a mixture of our dirt/clay. I use the microbe-lift spray once a week to try and clean all the wood areas.

 

[RobertaD1]

Well... Im not sure how big your coop is, but you could cover the interior walls with that plastic sheeting they use with shower surrounds..... At least where the mess is the worst. That would help with cleaning it off the walls.
I personally have learned to live with the poo... I brush it off when I see it build up, and throw it on the compost,I have a dirt floor during the summer, and other than a quick rake under the roost, they tend to turn the dirt over quit often. I dont tend to worry about it because I currently have 23 chickens and a huge coop.... I would drive myself crazy with poo moving if I let it bother me too much. I tend to just keep it tidy.

 

[RobertaD1]

OH... You could use wood chips in the run to help. I currently have grass because for the winter I only had 4 birds.... THIS summer, that will change. Ordered my first load of chips this morning!

 

[RobertaD1]

OH.... sorry, this just hit me..... If the smell is bad... Hows your ventilation? The only poops you should really smell are the fresh cecal poops, and that should fade pretty quickly.

 

[Samanthaalvin1]

OH... You could use wood chips in the run to help. I currently have grass because for the winter I only had 4 birds.... THIS summer, that will change. Ordered my first load of chips this morning!

I may give that a try.. I am hoping as they get older maybe they will keep the poop off the walls .. I can handle the run better than the inside of the coop.. We are going to do alittle work on it this weekend to try and make a little more roosting area to see if that helps

 

[nchls school]

We have 6 chickens that are ages 3-5 months old. I feel like there is always poop on everything lol.. I go down every morning and clean poop from under the roosting bars but its all over the wood sides of the coop and ladder. Any tips or tricks to keep these areas cleaner? What do you use to help with odor? I currently use pine shavings in the nesting area and pdz under the roosting bars. We live in east Tennessee so the run is a mixture of our dirt/clay. I use the microbe-lift spray once a week to try and clean all the wood areas.

Make sure that all roosting spots are not over each other, the ladder, and well away from the wall. Be sure the water container is not leaking (wet/damp poop stinks a lot worse than dry droppings. Your ventilation may not be adequate. Try deeper bedding. Six chickens should not be overly smelly. I have 9 turkeys and twenty chickens sharing a large coop in a free range situation. I do not clean nearly as often as you. There is little smell unless the coop becomes damp from all the rain we've been getting.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I know many use wood chips. Those are not so easy for me to come by.

I made my roosts removable. Once a week or so I pull the roost boards and scrub them down and dry them in the sun before putting them back.
My run gets leaves, garden waste like trimmed leaves from anything they can eat, grass clippings and edible weeds. I take my small tiller in there and turn/fluff it as needed. I even manage to get leaves from a neighbor.
There is only a smell in there if someone drops a cecal poo or broody poo near me.


I pull out what I want to add to the garden in the fall before adding all those wonderful leaves.

 

[Samanthaalvin1]

I know many use wood chips. Those are not so easy for me to come by.

I made my roosts removable. Once a week or so I pull the roost boards and scrub them down and dry them in the sun before putting them back.
My run gets leaves, garden waste like trimmed leaves from anything they can eat, grass clippings and edible weeds. I take my small tiller in there and turn/fluff it as needed. I even manage to get leaves from a neighbor.
There is only a smell in there if someone drops a cecal poo or broody poo near me.


I pull out what I want to add to the garden in the fall before adding all those wonderful leaves.

Thanks a bunch! I did that recently with our roosts too and it has definitely helped.. Do you have steps or a ladder? I have a horrible time keeping it clean.. I was thinking of trying a different style or maybe painting to make it easier?

 

[Samanthaalvin1]

Make sure that all roosting spots are not over each other, the ladder, and well away from the wall. Be sure the water container is not leaking (wet/damp poop stinks a lot worse than dry droppings. Your ventilation may not be adequate. Try deeper bedding. Six chickens should not be overly smelly. I have 9 turkeys and twenty chickens sharing a large coop in a free range situation. I do not clean nearly as often as you. There is little smell unless the coop becomes damp from all the rain we've been getting.

Thanks so much for your comment! I am going to try working on the roosting spots alittle this weekend. I think raising them more will help... The smell is certainly not bad its more so just having the poop all over the wood inside the coop that drives me crazy lol

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thanks a bunch! I did that recently with our roosts too and it has definitely helped.. Do you have steps or a ladder? I have a horrible time keeping it clean.. I was thinking of trying a different style or maybe painting to make it easier?

My roosts are 24" from the floor and no one needs a ladder they all just hop right up.

Poo on the walls says the roost is to close to the wall to me.

Mine are 18" from the wall. I don't use poop boards because mine would have to be gigantic. It would end up 6' front to back and 8' wide. My silly birds would also try to hide eggs in the far back corner under it.

My coop is painted inside and IF a poo gets on a wall a water scrubbing is all it would take.