how often do i need to clean??

I have a 8'x10' coop as well it was a shed but now i have made it to be a chicken coop. would the 8'x10' coop be okay for 18 to 20 chickens if i wasn't free ranging?

Took me awhile to answer. Well, you would be fine using that size for a safe roosting area at night and nesting hens. I have a big yard surrounding my coop. I found the more space you give your chickens, the less they will mat up the yard with feces, and the less they will prevent the grass from growing. I found a comfortable number for the size coop I have is 12. It's easier to keep the coop clean and the air is fresher. I'd also recommend covering the top of the yard with chicken wire. I remember being very happy with my new yard raising some chicks into happy pullets and cockerels. They were out in the yard one day and down came a hawk that made off with one.
 
I have a 4X8X6 coop with a roost with a litter screen under it. Although the open floor gets pretty dirty, the roost can get up to 1/2 an inch deep in just a week. We have fourteen hens and we clean it out at least weekly. It seems that our egg production goes up a egg or two after we clean out the litter and loose nest material. I guess they just like it clean!! We do not use the "deep litter" method but leave out floor clean. They usually spend the day out in the run anyway unless they are laying or roosting at night. They will spend the day inside if its real windy or raining hard. There was a good coop design that we liked that we found on this site. Just inspect your coop every couple of days and you will get a cleaning schedule finalized.
 
I have a 4X8X6 coop with a roost with a litter screen under it. Although the open floor gets pretty dirty, the roost can get up to 1/2 an inch deep in just a week. We have fourteen hens and we clean it out at least weekly. It seems that our egg production goes up a egg or two after we clean out the litter and loose nest material. I guess they just like it clean!! We do not use the "deep litter" method but leave out floor clean. They usually spend the day out in the run anyway unless they are laying or roosting at night. They will spend the day inside if its real windy or raining hard. There was a good coop design that we liked that we found on this site. Just inspect your coop every couple of days and you will get a cleaning schedule finalized.
Don't know if you have a problem with it, but ammonia can be the cause the reductiion you have seen.
 
I have a 16ft by 8ft coop and around 10 chickens, so I just change bedding and nesting boxes every Saturday and it doesn't smell bad at all. I just buy pine shavings from TSC and it is easier to clean than straw or hay because it absorbs better. :)
 
I rake their droppings out every day usually, my bedding is about 3-6 inches, we have a 8x8 coop. i take all the
hay out ever month usually, and replace the nesting hay about every 2 weeks..
 
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