How do YOU deep clean your coop?

[woodmort]

I have an automated built-in Father-in-Law.

Unfortunately I'm the automated built-in Father.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

I have an automated built-in Father-in-Law.

 

[Shezadandy]

How do you manage your coop now that helps you keep from cleaning often?thanks!

Poop boards! Actually, poop tables for some of us - so the poop falls neatly into a raised section of board instead of the floor. Then it's right there at easy scooping height for daily cleaning instead of trying to separate the floor bedding from the nightly poop barrage.

 

[woodmort]

When I was growing up one of my best friend's father had a small, commercial chicken/egg operation. Not of the caged variety, the birds(between 50 and 75) were housed in a fairly large--50 X 100'--coop with an outdoor pen about as large. Every two years he sold off the birds in the spring and got new ones. Then, and only then, did he clean the coop--I remember it well because it was my friend's job to do it and, somehow, I always got roped in to help. The point being if you give your birds enough room and are diligent about adding bedding, you shouldn't need to clean as often. Not that there is anything especially wrong with doing it more often, it just isn't necessary for the well being of the birds. If, on the other hand, things get messy and smelly very quickly I would suggest maybe you should increase the size of your operation or cut down the size of your flock.

 

[Chicken Heel]

I also just shovel everything out, scrape where needed. I generally leave some of the old litter for microbial purposes. Back when I first began raising chickens, I also put burnt motor oil on the roosts to keep the lice/mites at bay. Of course, that was a different time (50 years ago) and I would not think of doing that now. But in those days the NC DOT would put burnt motor oil on the dirt roads to keep the dust down too.

 

[Henry&Friends]

I rake out the poopy straw, clean dirty nest boxes, and put new straw in. I scrubbed the back wall (the community poop wall) once, but they all pooped on it the following night, so I don’t do that unless it gets too poopy.

 

[Chicken Heel]

I normally don't put the litter from the coops into the runs. It is too valuable and goes on my tomato garden spots and raised beds and over the winter everything breaks down nicely for the next spring's planting.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

Unfortunately I'm the automated built-in Father.

And what value you have!

 

[igorsMistress]

I remove all the litter, wash the walls with dishsoap, sanitize with Virkon S and whitewash, then put down fresh litter. I usually clean in Spring but paint the outside of the coop in Fall.

 

[chickens really]

Shovel it out and sweep the dust off walls etc. Put in dusting powder all along edges and put in new shavings.