How often to deep clean coop and how often to do regular cleaning?

[21hens-incharge]

I agree with the Lady.

What works for me and mine may not work for you and yours.

I too have clay.

I do deep litter in the run. I clean under the roosts every week, the entire coop once a month. I do not soak the walls down but do sweep the dust down twice as year.

I recommend always using dust masks when cleaning coops. I go one step farther and wear safety goggles during sweep down.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes...I agree wear a mask for any work that stirs up dander.

And of all of you who clean cobwebs in the coop...uh...cobwebs...you actually clean those in the coop???? (Looks around and sees the pile of cobwebs in the high corners of her ceiling in the HOUSE)....I'll get to those....sooner....or later...probably later...but the coop? the COOP???? Tooo?????

You guys are cute.

Oh dear...I'm hopelessly lost.

Lofmc

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yes...I agree wear a mask for any work that stirs up dander.

And of all of you who clean cobwebs in the coop...uh...cobwebs...you actually clean those in the coop???? (Looks around and sees the pile of cobwebs in the high corners of her ceiling in the HOUSE)....I'll get to those....sooner....or later...probably later...but the coop? the COOP???? Tooo?????

You guys are cute.

Oh dear...I'm hopelessly lost.

Lofmc

I get the feeling you are wiping tears of laughter bout now!

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

I use construction sand on the floor, and shredded paper from work for bedding. I clean their nests daily, because they insist on sleeping in them - just take out dirty shred and put more clean stuff in. I pick up poop around the coop and run daily, because it only takes a few minutes. I haven't done an intensive clean, but I have wiped away wild bird poop with white vinegar. I guess I'd use white vinegar to wipe down anything that needed it. I clean their plastic waterer with white vinegar.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have never washed my coop. I go with my senses. If it feels damp, smells like ammonia, then I clean out the bedding in the coop. I will only get an ammonia smell if the poop has been frozen and warm weather brings on a thaw. I to toss everything out into the run. Last year, I piled the hay in deep in the fall, and occasionally I would put scratch on top of it. The girls will tear it all up, flip it for me. This breaks up any clumps of manure, and I was quite pleased how well it looked and smelled the next day.

I mostly use waste hay, full of weed seeds. The girls clean that up for me, and it goes as mulch on the garden.

 

[PirateGirl]

I keep about 3 inches of pine shavings in the coop. I sweep them out and replace them when it looks like more poop than shavings under the roost, maybe twice a month. I only ever feel the need to sweep up with a dust pan and brush, no scrubbing.

The run is dirt. Maybe twice a month I take a pick to the dirt and break it up (it gets hard packed) and turn the earth, it helps mix in the decomposing poop, the chickens love when I do this because it unearths bugs and worms and they dig and scratch extra and complete turning the earth and breaking everything down.

I live in a very dry and temperate to cold environment. I only notice odor when it's very hot and rains.

 

[aart]

And of all of you who clean cobwebs in the coop...uh...cobwebs...you actually clean those in the coop???? (Looks around and sees the pile of cobwebs in the high corners of her ceiling in the HOUSE)....I'll get to those....sooner....or later...probably later...but the coop? the COOP???? Tooo?????

You guys are cute.

Haha! IKR!?
I actually take the shop vac out to clear the accumulated dust off the windows that have been tipped in all summer so more light will get thru, use the garden hose for the tipped out ones, and while I'm out there with the vac I hit a few other places. The shed my coop is in is also used for other things, the dust that accumulates outside the actual coop is crazy.

 

[lazy gardener]

I agree with the Lady.

What works for me and mine may not work for you and yours. I too have clay.
I do deep litter in the run. I clean under the roosts every week, the entire coop once a month. I do not soak the walls down but do sweep the dust down twice as year.

I recommend always using dust masks when cleaning coops. I go one step farther and wear safety goggles during sweep down.

What she said. If you have respiratory issues (that would be me) a quality mask is absolutely necessary. If you don't YET have respiratory issues, use a quality mask so you don't end up with respiratory issues. Take care of your lungs so they can take care of you.

 

[RonP]

As discussed and shared, there are many acceptable methods to maintain an environment for a healthy and “happy” flock.

I personally find one critical aspect being proper ventilation.

With such, my coop deep litter is quite dry, even when it gets damp, muggy, or rainy outside and relative humidly is high. I have no foul odors. The manure is not absorbing moisture, it just eventually dries out to a fine dust like material. It is not putrid nor turning into compost. I have a wooden unprotected floor that never seems wet, looks as new, now in the 11th year containing chickens.

My collected manure breakdown occurs once disposed in the outdoor run where the moisture level is sufficient and unregulated.

Contrary to what some may believe, this type of environment will not attract mice, rats and all kinds of critters, although food and water certainly may. Fortunately, there are methods that successfully control the risk.

If you experience any of the above issues, consider yourself lucky!

This forum is a wealth of information where those with experience and wisdom are happy to share what works well for them.

Take all with a “grain of salt” and choose what you believe will work best for you considering your personal circumstances and environmental conditions.

Personally, I design and or utilize simple methods, especially those requiring the least amount of energy, with which I treasure.

Doing so, I have more time to enjoy my birds, preferably with a good cup of coffee instead of a shovel…

Hope this helps.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

We clean out the coop twice a year, spring & fall. Pine flakes are used in there. The poopboard, filled with PDZ, get sifted out everyday or two. Hubs uses a landscape blower to blow out the dust & cobwebs. We don't wash anything down.

The run gets cleaned out once a year, spring. We do Deep Litter there.

All this gets tilled into the garden.

We do wear masks.