How often do I need to clean my coop?

[ChickForLife]

I have 10 chickens in a 8x6 coop. I was wondering how often I need to clean it? I am using pine shavings if that matters. Also, how much pine shavings should I pile up, and what is the deep litter method? Thank you so much!!!

 

[Mamatomany123]

I think it will depend on some things. One being are toubusing a poop board? I only clean my out once every few months but I scoop the poop every morning from the poop board.

 

[ChickForLife]

What is a poop board?

 

[Jared Vera]

You should put hay if you want to reduce the amount of times you to clean the coop. Also, chickens love hay.

 

[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.
-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.

 

[iwltfum]

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.
-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.

 

[ChickForLife]

What is a deep litter?

 

[iwltfum]

Deep litter is a style of bedding where your bedding layer is at least 12 inches deep (some people say 16 or 18 is even better) to promote the presence of bacteria, fungus, bugs, etc somewhat similar to composting. It's what I've found to be one the few ways to keep a healthy flock without continuously cleaning and sanitizing your coop. It promotes health of a flock in a similar way to probiotics promoting health in mammals. If there are enough good players (with enough diversity), the bad players will get beat out.

 

[ChickForLife]

Deep litter is a style of bedding where your bedding layer is at least 12 inches deep (some people say 16 or 18 is even better) to promote the presence of bacteria, fungus, bugs, etc somewhat similar to composting. It's what I've found to be one the few ways to keep a healthy flock without continuously cleaning and sanitizing your coop. It promotes health of a flock in a similar way to probiotics promoting health in mammals. If there are enough good players (with enough diversity), the bad players will get beat out.

Wait, so if I do the deep litter method, I will not have to clean the coop?

 

[iwltfum]

Wait, so if I do the deep litter method, I will not have to clean the coop?

No, you will have to clean the coop more often than you would like to still, but not as often as if you used a shallow bedding