How to keep the coop clean???

[ImaChickenGirl]

I don't really have what you call a coop! My 44 Chickens live in a shed that we used to use for tools, it is big enough for 44 chickens but it gets really dirty in about 3 months the dirt floor is about 2 feet of poo! I am cleaning it all the time just trying to keep it clean but it get really hard packed and it gets really tiring cleaning it! The floor is dirt and there is no way my Mum is going to put wood or anything on the floor because we are planing on building a coop in the next 2 years so what can I do to make it more clean??? Do I just have to clean it every day digging out the poo???

 

[Thebazilly]

You'll definitely have to put down sand or shavings. 2 years until a permanent coop is still a long time. A couple inches of shavings makes cleaning a lot easier, you can just sweep the whole thing out once every week or two as needed, and the poop doesn't get encrusted on everything.

 

[ShawnaScott]

What would you say if I told you that you would never have to clean you coop again? Well, you don't!!

It's called the Deep Litter Method (DLM), and it's what I use! Here's the short of it: put down four to six inches of pine shavings, and about 10 lbs of AG lime per 100 sq feet of chicken coop. Stir it all up. Watch the litter, if it starts to get crusted or wet, put down more litter. If it gets stinky, more lime. Stir every few days. The litter will break down and become dirt, which you can use on your garden and such. Many farmers will never clean their coop, only remove old litter when it gets too tall.

For the long of it, here's the article:
http://www.plamondon.com/faq_deep_litter.html

I suggest reading it, it's wonderful. Now, there is controversy on whether or not to use lime. The article says to use hydrated lime, but it can be corrosive and hurt the chicken's feet. I don't reccomend hydrated lime, but I do recommend AG lime. The difference is, one is "food grade" the other isn't. The ag lime is organic and safe for chickens to walk on or injest. It should be gray and powdery in color, as compared to hydrated which is pure white. Have you ever seen big gray mounds of dust on a cornfield, before it's planted? That's ag lime. Some people say that ag lime will hurt the chicken's feet, and won't use it. When I first started the DLM in the brooder, I put down the fresh shavings and ag lime, but I couldn't find my rake. So, I just stirred it up barefoot. It didn't hurt me, and it still doesn't. People will also use DE (Diatomaceous earth) or Stall Dry. I have never used either, and again people will say it is not safe for chickens. Read the articles, and make up your own mind about it.

 

[ImaChickenGirl]

Thank you so much!!! That is such a good idea!!! I really never thought about it! So once again thank you!!!

But I still have a question:

So if I can't get any ag lime could I just use DE ? I use DE in the chickens food and it gets rid of worms so would it work in place of the lime???

 

[ShawnaScott]

Yes, a lot of people do use it. I have never tried it, so I don't know how ag lime and DE compare. I found ag lime at Rural King and Tractor Supply. I would do a search on here and find out how much DE you need to stir in/how often. Whatever you put in (lime/de/stall dry) is supposed to help break down the waste/bedding quickly, so be sure to research how well they do it!

 

[ImaChickenGirl]

Thank You so much!!! I will have to find out what works best for me Once again Thanks!!!

 

[mebuff daisy]

What is ag lime?

 

[Messipaw]

G lime is lime that is safe for animals. It's food grade lime.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You are going to have to put litter down for them.

I use sand and rake/sift with kitty litter scoop (wear mask) but your place is so huge that isn't doable. So I second the pine shavings deep litter recommendation. You will have to muck it out either with a tractor or by hand though with a shovel. It will be a big job. So I hope this helps!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Oh old thread.