how often do i need to clean??

[Our Roost]

I'm going to disagree with some things mentioned. I have an 8x16 coop with 19 hens and 1 rooster. 2 ducks share that space also.
First off, I have a dirt floor and I use straw (hay is for horses) for bedding. I wouldn't recomend the deep litter method of piling on more bedding instead of cleaning it out as needed. I remove and refresh with new straw about every 3 to 4 weeks. 2 bales covers that space nicely. Best to add some diatomaceous earth for mites and lice along with it. The deep litter method can be a real mess when it comes time to finally clean it out especially if you have a dirt floor like I do. Its a good alternative in the winter but sooner or later you have to clean it out.
Secondly, what ever is under your roosting boards is going to get full of chicken poop. You will be surprized what they can excrete during the night hours! I get a 2 1/2 gallon bucket full every 2 or 3 days. Try putting a scrape board underneath to catch the droppings.
Thirdly, after every winter, the dander build up inside the coop on the walls, ceiling, crevices, and cob webs will be all over everything! No way of explaining it and its a remember I told you so kind of thing. If you are using heat or light bulbs, clean them frequently because of this. This dander and cobweb buildup is a good fire starter!
Last but not least, birds dig holes to dust bath in to remove mites and lice. A way of self cleanliness. You might want to get a big clay pot to put in the coop area filled with sand and once again, diatomaceous earth.
Sooo! In answer to your posted question on how often do I need to clean? Its an ongoing process that never stops!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DuginMT]

Dried grass lawn clippings would probably work, if you let the clippings dry out thoroughly first. You could spread them out in about a 2" layer and let the sun and breeze dry them out. If you put the clippings in there wet, you may end up with mold problems. If you or your neighbor commonly throws out grass clippings, you might be able to re-purpose them as bedding. It is about the same as hay, and your chicks may eat some too.

 

[Chicken Myster]

Good Day
It depends....the shirt answer is every six months and the explanation is :.if you have a coop with a dirt base it works well to use the "Deep Layer Method" which is simply 8 to 12 inches of pine shavings and leaves. The chickens will mix it up on their own. Throw down some greens which will help in the ammonia levels being some what neutralized. Keeping it dry it should only have to be cleaned once every six months making good compost during that time. A separate scuff box works well with this method. Cross ventilation helps as well

 

[featherweightmn]

Our Coop/Run isn't really large so, we clean daily. I'm amazed others don't clean daily. It helps with the smell! LOL

 

[AussieHens96]

Our winter in Australia, where I am, isn't snowy or icy just cold and windy so we let our girls out free range their yard to peck around. We clean out their roosting area often but rake in their poo into the garden, it acts as great fertiliser.

 

[AussieHens96]

Our Coop/Run isn't really large so, we clean daily. I'm amazed others don't clean daily. It helps with the smell! LOL

What smell? Ours hardly smell at all, unless you sniff the roosting area really hard but even that just smells farmy. Nothing too terrible.

 

[Barred4Life]

so is pine shavings better than using staw for bedding in going deep i was gonna go straw but if pine is better i will use that i have pine in my brooder box and it worked well just thought that worked for chicks in brooders

I find straw will compost faster...one year and you've got awesome compost. Shavings will take longer to decompose. I find shavings do keep the coop dryer tho...so pros and cons for both.
Personally I use straw for my large fowl because they poop lots and use it in my compost pile. I use shavings (with a bit of straw) for my bantams because they love to scratch all the time and shavings keeps their coop nice dry (even under the roost because they move it around so much).

 

[Keggen]

I prefer using straw in my coop and really like the deep litter method. This winter I would throw down scratch on cold nights, probably 5 nights a week. The chickens would busy themselves with kicking the bedding around to find the scratch and in the process keep warm AND help the bedding break down into compost. The bottom 3 inches of bedding is now fine, crumbly stuff ready for my garden. The top 2 to 3 inches is almost as good and will be put in the compost for a while to break down some more this spring.

I'm waiting a little longer to clean out the winter bedding because it has still been so cold here in Minnesota. (down to the 30s at night).

During the summer I clean the coop more often, about once a week or so. But I haven't cleaned it out since last September and because of the nice composting process it doesn't smell stinky, just kind of earthy/farmy.

My coop is an 8x10 converted shed with 21 chickens in it.

I use pine shavings in the brooder with chicks and compost those when they get poopy because they take a much longer time to decompose.

 

[drlcb]

I've always used the pine shavings and deep litter. My flock is small (30-50).
I add fresh shavings at least three times a month and sprinkle the DE between layers.
Once in a while I'll turn it and deposit any nastiness in my worm bins.
My flock free ranges all day everyday so they are really only in at night.
It's worked well so far - no odors or noticeable insect infestations so far.
Annually it all goes into thee compost pile and I start over after a good power wash.

 

[okmarge]

I am confused on what is called a coop. I have an indoor area of a shed that is 4x8 and an attached fenced yard that is 10x18. I use pine shavings in the indoor coop and sweep it out to the yard every week or so. The yard is mostly dirt. The chickens are not out of the yard. I have too many hawks in this area.

using 6 to 12 inches of pine shavings indoor is not possible. In the outdoor yard it is possible. So do I need to clean out the outdoor yard every six months or so? And can I use this for composting?
Marge