How often do you clean your coop?

[MeatKing]

Hi everyone we are new to the whole chicken world. How often do you clean the coop? I realize it depends on how many birds/ how much square ft. but if your useing shavings, do you do the deep litter method? My husband thinks maybe my whole idea of emptying the coop weekly and putting new shavings in is too costly, especially for meat birds. As when they are slaughtered, we can do a really good clean then. We are in Canada and it's cold here already and they don't want to go outside. He wants me to skim off the top dirty stuff, and replace with new stuff.. I want to throw it all out and give them nice fresh stuff? Curious what do you do?
Thanks in advance

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

I do a layer of fresh on top each day, then once a week, clean off the top dirty layers and start the routine over. They are on dirt, so I'm not cleaning to the "floor", just removing the layers that are compacted and obviously soiled.

 

[BarkerChickens]

We use the deep litter method. We add shavings as needed (depending on weather it could be once a week or once every other week). Every month or two, we take a rake and mix it. Then, every 4-6 months we fully clean it out and start over. However, I will add that we live in a desert, so it is DRY and the chickens stay outside most of the time year round. Really the only area that gets poop is under the roosts. The rest of the coop usually stays pretty clean (hence raking and mixing it to spread it out even).

ETA: I am looking into having DH make a poop board for the roosts, which will mean that I can scrape them off twice a week and actually clean the coop out just once a year.

 

[Judy]

I have dirt floors and never really clean them. When using hay, I would lift out the most soiled stuff every month or so and add fresh. With the pine shavings, I just add more, rake, and add pelleted lime and a little DE. But my birds have a lot more than 4 sq ft per bird in their coops. Also, this was for dual purpose birds; I have not raised meaties.

 

[jaku]

If you do meat birds in a "coop," you'll regret it. Build a moveable tractor, and there is no cleaning. In a coop, even with deep litter, it will be literally caked in poo every day and you won't be able to keep up with it. Some people on here keep them in a stall with straw, but personally I wouldn't even do that. DEFINITELY don't keep them in a coop though. They just poo too much and your life will be miserable.

 

[cassie]

We raise ours 25 at a time in a 12 X 12 box stall bedded with shavings. We add shavings as needed. There is no odor because the bedding stays dry. We don't clean it until the meaties are all processed.

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Quote:
Also, it costs money to provide bedding. Straw is a big expense in my small operation.

 

[sundance]

I have 2 pieces of tin that I fit under the roost, so they are easy to remove and wash off in the garden. I usuallt try to clean my coop at least once a month, but this year it has rained so much, I can't do that so since I use hay anyway, I just pour plenty of de on it to kill the odor, HOPEFULLY it will dry out so I can rake out all the old hay and replace it with nice new clean hay, marrie