How often do you clean out your run and coop?

[citrusdreams]

I like to keep things clean too, but I'm not that crazy in the henhouse.

I clean out mine every few months

I use a dust pan to remove all the old shavings from the nests and just sweep all the shavings out into the pen and rake it smooth. I use a scraper to scrape the roost, top of the next boxes and the perches to the nest boxes. Then I put down a generous layer of DE on the floor and the bottom of the nest boxes and put new pine shavings over that.

If I had the time and energy, I'd hose down the walls and ceiling and get rid of all the spider webs, but it's too wet right now with all the rain. I can't stand to think of the wet damp mess that will make. I plan to do that later this summer during our dry hot weather so it'll dry real good.

OTOH, I like having those spiders in there

Of course, if the nests aren't clean, I clean those out whenever they need it. And if the bedding gets wet from the rain (the door is always open), I'd do it then, and not wait. Or if it gets stinky or there are flies, then I do it again. But since I've used the DE, it doesn't smell bad and there aren't any flies, so I guess I'm okay

The chickens only spend their time in there when it's dark out anyway.

 

[norcal]

It's so weird. Last time I read a thread like this everyone said they cleaned out their coop twice a year, and used DE & the deep litter method (of course they cleaned the roost screen/pan more often). Now everyone cleans their coop multiple times a week.

I guess it just depends.............eh?

 

[scooter147]

Twice a year, once in the spring and once in late Oct. or early Nov.
My hens just don't spend a lot of time in the coop, only to roost and lay. The cleaning consist of removing all bedding, giving the roosts, walls, floor and nests a good cleaning with a bleach solution.
I do clean the dropping board weekly and the nest boxes as needed.

 

[MIKE555444]

Hmm well I'm sure it depends on how many birds per s/f. If you have a few chickies in a large area you might get by with once a year... compared to an over crowded area that may need daily/weekly attention.

Aside from the "clean freaks" that is

 

[Mrs MIA]

I clean more often in the winter because the birds spend more time in there. I stir the shavings almost daily with a rake (8x8' coop) and remove any large piles o' poopies.

Usually once a week on the smaller breeding pens, and once a month on the community coop. But the minute I start smelling ammonia, though, all the shavings get changed out.

 

[Monk]

Quote:
That's how I do it. Once a week seems a little extreme, wasteful, and expensive. Maybe in a urban area to keep neighbors happy it may be necessary???

It's all good...

 

[SC_Hugh]

I use the Deep Litter Method in my 4'x7' coop (4 chickens). Currently 4-6" of shavings and stirred up twice a week with a 5' PVC pipe from the door (I don't have to walk in when I can reach in from the man door). No poop boards for me and no flys in the coop. Before winter I will add more shavings to 8" deep and then clean out 100% in the spring.

My 4'x15' chicken run is another story just sandy soil right now. I had some grass hay in there, but a friend warned me about impacted crops, so I took that all out. Now, I am thinking about adding some sand or wood chips, but right now it is bare sandy soil. I clean the run about every two weeks, but maybe I will increase that to once a week.

Water changed every other day.

--Hugh

 

[norcal]

How exactly do you clean your run?

I've gone in and done it by hand (what a pain). I think maybe I need to buy a leaf rake, because my regular garden rakes tines are too far apart.

 

[scooter147]

Norcal,
Do you have a garden tiller?
I go in about once a week sometimes I don't get to it but once every two weeks. I just go in and till the soil, mixing the poo down in to the dirt. I also mix in my bedding from the henhouse when I clean and till that into the dirt. Then in the spring I will go in and take several wheelbarrows of this dirt and put it as a top layer in my garden. The bedding composts with the poo and makes great compost. With this method you occasionally have to remove some of the dirt or you will end of with a big pile of dirt.
An added benefit is it stirs up a lot of insects of which the hens love, makes the soil nice and loose so the hens spend lots of time scratching around and makes great dust bathing dirt, keeps them busy and from getting bored and turning to less desirable things like egg eating, feather picking or cannabilism.

 

[Rocky Top Chick]

We use the deep liter method and husband turns it over every day in the coop and uses stall dry. Haven't ever cleaned it out completely since it is only 4 months old. He also scrapes the roosts with a putty knife when it needs to be cleaned.

I rake the pen about once a week just to keep it looking good. This summer we have watered down the pen every night after the girls go to bed just to keep the grass (what is left that is) watered and all the poo gets liquified and soaks into the ground. We don't have a smell in the pen or in the coop.