How do we keep our coop cleaner?

[21hens-incharge]

I have standard chickens but right now they are all little chicks . We are going to build a bigger run later , however it’s not as small as it looks however I have nowhere near 17 square foot per chicken. My coop doesn’t smell at all I just want something that’ll absorb the poop better so it seems cleaner.

My 17square in the run is extra roomy as 10square is the recommended minimum. Sorry if my post was confusing.

Using a droppings board will help as others suggested.
Fluffing the shavings also helps. Just a standard take is plenty good enough to stir the shavings.

Just a forwarding so it isn't a shock to you....when they get bigger so do the poops by a LOT.

 

[Hokum Coco]

My coop stays so gross.
Is there anything we can do to help with that?

I have a 4'x8' coop at present only 10 chickens (I did have as many as 24+-.)

I have gone with a wire 2" grid (wire the size of a pencil) over my coop floor. Similar to what is pictured below with 4"x4"x4" cubed blocks stationed under neath the grid on top of a tarp to form a drop pit it worked excellent all summer and I will clean the coop before winter sets in and things freeze solid. No bedding and I sprinkle lime over the chicken manure from time to time to keep the smell down and flies away in warmer months especially. The grid even keeps you chickens feet cleaner which in turn keeps your eggs and nest boxes less soiled. I live in Canada and am subject to -40º temperatures.

Clean up is simple replace the tarp with a second one. Spread the first tarp out in the sun to bake and dry. Then flex the first tarp over the compost bin and hose off any stubborn chicken poop.
I have been raising chickens
For years I have been lining my nest boxes with the folded empty nylon mesh feed bags.
When a bag gets soiled pop out the soiled and pop in another. Poop just peels off in below freezing temperatures and just flakes off when left out in the sun to bake and dry. It is the best method I have stumbled upon in my 69 trips around the sun.

Oh! Remove the excess string from the open end of the bag it can get tangled in your birds legs and wings.
Easy Peasy Japaneasy.

 

[PirateGirl]

https://modernhomesteading.ca/blog/backyard-chicken-facts-5-things-no-one-told-us

 

[aart]

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-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. See pic below.

-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 5 years.