How to clean old coop for new batch of chicks

BellaBelinski

In the Brooder
7 Years
Mar 13, 2012
63
1
41
Beavercreek, OR
Hi all!

We just got a new batch of chicks (8 to be exact). We have 2 coops. Our big girls will be in one and the new pullets will be in the other until they are big enough to intermingle. I was wondering if it was crucial to sanitize the old coop before putting the new chicks in? We've never had any problems with disease or parasites. If the answer is yes, is the bleach to water solution 1 Tbs:1 gallon respectively?

On another subject, my big girls have been laying eggs in the coop that they are in now for a while now. They have all of a sudden started to lay in our other coop that we are going to be using for the new chicks. I closed the coop up today so that they will lay in their own coop, but one of the girls was squawking frantically trying to get in to lay. I put her in her own coop but she jumped out and started once again trying to get into the other coop. Will she eventually lay in her own coop if she can't get into the other one? I finally ended up opening up the other coop for her. She ran right in and laid her egg within a matter of minutes.

Any suggestions are highly appreciated. Thanks!
 
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I have an old rebuilt wooden coop that's impossible to sanitize. It would rot! I clean out all the old bedding, make sure it's scraped out and dry, then liberally sprinkle Sevin or pyrethrin poultry dust, and add new shavings. I do only get baby chicks from good sources, never older birds; I also raise some chicks under broody hens. Had mites one year; it was awful, never again, hence the insecticide. I have a mixed flock birds from babies to a couple of pet hens nine years old. The "all in- all out" commercial flock plan was a non-starter here! Mary
 
I have an old rebuilt wooden coop that's impossible to sanitize. It would rot! I clean out all the old bedding, make sure it's scraped out and dry, then liberally sprinkle Sevin or pyrethrin poultry dust, and add new shavings. I do only get baby chicks from good sources, never older birds; I also raise some chicks under broody hens. Had mites one year; it was awful, never again, hence the insecticide. I have a mixed flock birds from babies to a couple of pet hens nine years old. The "all in- all out" commercial flock plan was a non-starter here! Mary
 
Thanks Folly!

I think I will do that. There were initially only 4 hens in it. One of those died from a leg injury and 2 fell prey to a great horned owl. There's only one left of the original 4 that we got in spring 2012. We got four more this past spring. One turned out to be a rooster (which we found a good home for), and 1 fell prey to a bobcat. So, to make a short story long, the coop was only used for 4 chickens and for less than a year. As I stated before, we never had any problems with disease or parasites, and with such a small brood I didn't think that it would matter much if I didn't do the whole sanitizing with a bleach solution. However, I'm wondering if sprinkling some DE in the coop instead of Sevin or pyrethrin dust would do the job. I'm not a big fan of chemical pesticides.
 
You could just pick up your old hen and check her all over for parasites (even the ones that live on the perches and not on the birds tend to leave behind what looks like freckles all over the skin, but most especially around the vent. Then, check your chicks too, and if you don't see any, then, don't worry.

A bit of the food grade DE would be a wonderful idea in any cracks and such, but I wouldn't bother with anything else, especially with such a small flock, and if you give all of your girls a thorough inspection first.

But then again I am a bit laid back about such things since I haven't had any problems (yet! EEK! -you don't think I have jinxed myself now, have I????)
 
I am pretty laid back myself. I was looking for a response like yours. You're my only response, but if there were any more I would go with your idea! I actually thought about sprinkling some DE throughout the coop. You just confirmed this thought. Thanks for your input.
 

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