How to clean the hen house?

[TnMama]

Today we've cleaned out the hen house, washed the nest buckets, & I'm burning the 27 trillion infinity pine needles in the hen yard. My question is, what cleaner do I use to clean out all the old hens debris, so my new babies have the best start possible? Do I even need to give it a good scrub, like with soap, water,& white vinegar? My old ones died, so we're starting from scratch again.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

What you clean it with depends on how your old hens died. Was it from sickness or just old age?

 

[TnMama]

Guess I should have specified. A Bob cat ate them.

 

[ronmauldin]

I use my own concoction (recipe came from others). Gallon of white vinegar, one tablespoon vanilla extract, two tablespoons of orange peel extract (can just use orange peels) and ground cinnamon (can use cinnamon sticks). Let it age a week or so and put in a spray bottle. Apply liberally and scrub with a brush as necessary. Vinegar acts as a disinfectant, vanilla acts as a deoderizer, orange peel as a cleaning agent and Cinnamon acts as an insect (lice, mites and fly repellent). Together they leave a nice clean, fresh smelling coop.

 

[TnMama]

Thanks. I clean just about everything in my house with homemade vinegar cleaner. I'll add some lemon extract to it. How bout lavender essential oil? Would that or eucalyptus oil work on bug deterrent?

 

[ronmauldin]

Maybe. Just be careful not to use anything too aromatic. Could cause respiratory issues with the chickens if confined in the coop much.

 

[TnMama]

Good point. I'll stick to extracts then. Thanks

 

[ronmauldin]

By the way, you can get a bottle of concentrated orange peel extract on Amazon for pretty cheap. Alot less work and you don't have to let the mix "age", to let the oils soak out of the orange peels.

 

[Irishhenman]

Get some F10 disinfectant, it kills just about all poultry disease and is even gentle enough to put in nebulisers for respiratory problems. It costs around €12 here for 100mls concentrated (makes 50 litres). On top of that get some ant powder and give the floor and walls a liberal coating to get rid of any Morpheus or lice you might have had.

 

[TnMama]

Get some F10 disinfectant, it kills just about all poultry disease and is even gentle enough to put in nebulisers for respiratory problems. It costs around €12 here for 100mls concentrated (makes 50 litres). On top of that get some ant powder and give the floor and walls a liberal coating to get rid of any Morpheus or lice you might have had.

I see you're an Irishman. My ancestors hail from co.Kerry, Cork, & Kilkenny. it's the most recent immigration in my tree, only back to 1880. Is there an American version of the stuff you mentioned? Thanks