How often to clean the run? Please help if you can!

[Bluebee]

Hi i had a quick question about how often to clean my run. I have three chickens that live in a A-shaped coop. The size of the run is about 28 sq ft. I clean the run about once a month. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear from you.

 

[CurtisHelde]

Well it really depends so if you have three chickens thn with 1 or 2 times a month and also welcome to byc!!

 

[RonC]

My run is dirt/sand and have about 15 sq ft per chicken. I just rake it about 1 or 2 times a week to cover the poop. Takes about 5 minutes to do the whole run. I rake the bedding in the coop at the same time while the girls are free ranging the back yard. I have one the comes in to inspect my work while I'm in there. Need to add a poop board under the roosts to cut down on the amount of poop in the bedding and it would last longer.

 

[terryg]

Removing the manure from inside the coop is essential for your hens' health- especially since you have little head/air room in a A-shaped coop. Manure is 75% water, so as it ages it will make the air moist (with the potential for respiratory diseases) and gives off serious ammonia fumes. I use a kitty litter scoop to do a quick daily pick-up. Takes 60 seconds, and makes a huge difference in air quality. I also rake the run weekly and this greatly reduces the potential for a parasite problem. (It breaks the lifecycle of the internal parasites.) It takes just minutes a week. You might want to see photos and read about how I manage and compost the manure here: http://hencam.com/faq/chicken-manure-management/

 

[Time-Out]

If your hens are in an ark, can you not move it daily? You wouldn't need to clean the run then, as the poop would just break down into the grass and even act as fertilizer.

 

[DawnS]

Removing the manure from inside the coop is essential for your hens' health- especially since you have little head/air room in a A-shaped coop. Manure is 75% water, so as it ages it will make the air moist (with the potential for respiratory diseases) and gives off serious ammonia fumes. I use a kitty litter scoop to do a quick daily pick-up. Takes 60 seconds, and makes a huge difference in air quality. I also rake the run weekly and this greatly reduces the potential for a parasite problem. (It breaks the lifecycle of the internal parasites.) It takes just minutes a week. You might want to see photos and read about how I manage and compost the manure here: http://hencam.com/faq/chicken-manure-management/

I do the same--especially the quick daily scoop with kitty litter scoopers. I have two: one is duct taped to an old broom handle to make it easy to get the droppings that fall far from the door without any difficulty at all.