How often do you clean your coop?

[dancingchicken77]

we have 2 baby chicks we're hand-rearing, and thinking of keeping (rather than giving away to my aunt and uncle in the country). but i'm trying to work out how we'd do this, so i can then convince my dh.

so, if you have a fixed coop, how often do you clean it? how do you go about cleaning it?

oh, and does anyone lay hay down on the ground for the chooks to scratch around in?

thanks so much in advance

edited to say: i should add that we plan on having no more than 3 chooks

 

[patandchickens]

When it needs it

I dunno, I mean, what do you mean "clean". I scrape the poo off the droppings board under the roost every morning (elapsed time: 20 seconds) which removes about half the daily poo output from the coop right then and there. Once or twice a year when the birds are molting and I get a lot of feathers piling up, I rake the worst of 'em up along with any pooier spots of bedding and take that out to the compost pile. If I get a wet spot int he litter, like from spilling the waterer, I'll do a scoop or two with the shovel to remove that. Otherwise I pretty much just add litter to what's already there. It is not very time-consuming at all.

With only 3 chickens, as long as you build them a LARGE (for them) coop and LARGE WELL-DRAINED run, sanitation should not be a very big issue. Especially if you use a droppings board which I highly recommend.

I put weeds and garden weedings/trimmings (leaving out anything real toxic) into the run for them to scratch around in. Some people do use hay. Mind they have grit available if you're going to do that, and even with grit available some people have had birds get impacted crops from hay (although many have not; who knows exactly what makes the difference).

Keep the chickens, they're FUN

Good luck and have fun,

Pat

 

[vfem]

I do a weekly scoop and fluff where I add more bedding. Sadly, they spilled their water this morning and I need to go out and do a BIG scoop job. Need to stop by walmart for more pine shavings though first.

Its been a few weeks, and other then the spill its not bad. I do use the deep litter method though, and everyone raves about that!

 

[lovemychix]

I clean mine about every 2 weeks. But I have a lot of chickens. I recommend putting down a tile or linolium floor. I bought mine discounted because I wasn't worried about style. It cleans up so nice. Use pine shavings on it. They really absorb any moisture. I do go around with my pooper scooper....I use a old spoon and a bucket. I also found huge metal putty Knife that I love to use to scrape. I hose mine out and disinfect it about every month. Everyone is different but mine doesn't smell to bad.

 

[DeeTee]

Well of COURSE you plan on never having more than three... so make sure the coop is big enough for six!

My five have become eight already...
You might want to Google "deep litter method". And as patandchickens pointed out, a board or tray under the roost will take care of a lot of the cleanup.

Have fun!

 

[SewingDiva]

Every week, usually on Saturday morning. We have Dennis' Playhoue Coop,, so the run and coop really need it by then, but its quick work, maybe an hour tops.

Phyllis

 

[chickaboom]

We scrape poop off the roost and fluff the bedding every day but only clean out the floor area every 10 days or so. The girls work hard at building their nests down there and I hate to disturb them. We take everything out about every 4-6 weeks and disinfect. YMMV tho... I mean, I have a workforce.. we homeschool! LOL My boys are here to do their chores every day.

 

[DawnSuiter]

we use construction sand and kitty litter scoop it almost daily... droppings pits usually every day too.. it's quick & easy... 15 minutes for all the housing... gives me time with the chickens and they get to know us that way too.

 

[Nugget]

Can anyone elaborate on a droppings board? Is it as simple as it sounds? My guys are piling up thick wet poo under their perch. It's like bleachers (2 levels) though they usually crowd the upper level. Is it just a shelf a few inches below the perch? Should it be removable? Is there litter on it? How wide? Dumb questions but I've never seen one

 

[lovemychix]

Quote:
I've heard of these also and would really benefit from these. Thanks!