Keeping a clean coop...

[HennyPenny2019]

If I had four to six birds, rather than 35 to 50, these daily poop scoop methods might make more sense. Want to try it here?
Mary

No thank you For me the 4 girls are pets ... for you this is farming. Both are fine, just different.

 

[HennyPenny2019]

Hi Mary,
Very similar here, i have 28 chickens plus 3 ducks plus 6 turkeys plus 7 guineas. I use straw on a dirt floor. I also freerange so they arent in the run alot so the run isnt an issue just the coop. I use an old dustpan and scrape poo off roosts weekly. I just add more straw ( hubby said it breaks down not to scoop) Yes it smells, but i figure thats chicken life isnt it? I just found out our local store will not be carrying any more straw until fall, im drying out leaves for the time being. After the winter i will move the coop and make a garden there hopefully something will grow in this clay.
I was considering spraydown my coop with soluguard (from melaleuca) if anyone else uses this please let me know. Ive heard mixed things about using it with birds. I used it to disinfect brooders but i wash them off, in the coop its kinda impossible beings i use a hand pump for water and that would be a huge job.
Thanks yall

Can you rake up dry lawn grass (not treated or fertilized) and use that in place of the straw?

 

[HennyPenny2019]

As you well know I suspect my flock had Marek's. Since I had to cull the entire older flock, I did change my routine...vacuuming the dust out rather than sweeping to the floor since Marek's is shed in dander, and sanitizing the coop once a year.

As I said, what works does, until it doesn't.

Sounds like you found a good solution that works well for you.

 

[Folly's place]

For me it's covering all the bases; pets, cute, nice eggs, and some freezer fare. The total package!
Mary

 

[HennyPenny2019]

Hi. I'm just new to the forum. I got my first batch of girls in Feb. Built our own coop. We put rubber floors in with de powder under them & lined walls with kitchen splash backs & put an Upstairs/poop deck under the roost bars. Really easily cleaned & I use poultry shield & kg poultry wash for all cleaning plus I've spray cleaner to wipe down walls between times. Seems to b working fine. All girls healthy & happy. I have dengie fresh bed in coop & easy chick in run & lift droppings few times a day & freshen with a powder disinfectant. Seems to b working great. Posted some pics.

Very nice!

 

[LizaKnepper]

I must be crazy!cuz I pull shavings and cut straw totally out twice a month! and put new straw can shavings in... I treat their coop as if it's a luxury hotel! Jack and Jill are so so spoiled. I scrub the concrete down with warm soap and water. I'm so scared that they are going to get some kind of virus or influenza.I make sure the ventilation is very good I've read so much about them not getting the proper ventilation. but then again I am a perfectionist so you can't go on what I say you have to read up and do what you feel is best for your hen house. Your peace of mind course I have ducks I don't have chickens. Some say might say I am on the psychotic side when it comes to Jack and Jill!

 

[Rockdale Chick]

I have construction grade sand in coop and run with PDZ sprinkled throughout. Sand in coop is 3-4 inches deep, in run is 6-8 inched deep. I use a long handled cat litter scoop to clean the coop in the AM and the run 3 times/day in warm weather. No Smell and almost no flies. Poop is put in a covered bucket for composting. I don't get poop on the walls because the roosts are far enough from them. Any poop on the roost in the AM is scraped off right away. Any rare poop in the nest boxes is cleaned right away. Eggs are always poop free. I have 8 chickens right now. Cleaning takes no longer than 10 min. in AM and about 5 min. for each run cleaning. The hens get to free range for 2-2 1/2 every evening.

 

[igorsMistress]

Sounds like you found a good solution that works well for you.

We'll see I suppose.

 

[Rommy]

I was using shavings in my coops floor, which is cement block, but switched to river sand for easier clean up; but still put a small layer of shavings over the sand for easier clean up. I scrape, rake and scoop with a litter scoop at least every other week to keep any odor down and use all my clean up debris and poo for my plants. As the others do, I scrape old dry poo off the perch/roost and the walking board. I rake the run about every 3 to 4 weeks and try to stir the areas they use for dust baths to freshen the soil for them. I do throw out some DE every once in a while and rake it into the soil. I have read pros and cons about it; but trust many who think it is ok and have raised chickens for quite a while with no ill effects. My girls were pooing on top of their nesting boxes but appear to have stopped that b/c I have not had to scrape there in a while. I would love to have a pristine chicken coop; but I don't think they care and if it doesn't smell to high heaven when I walk in I am good. My girls are growing and their feathers are so pretty and shiny I know they are healthy and that makes me feel good. Amazing how we can grow to love these little cluckers! <3

 

[ecwdavis]

I had a half bale of Bermuda hay my horse refused, so I was using that as bedding in the nest boxes for my 2 month old BSL and x2 3 month Aus... they liked to poop in that at night, because they were also eating it, so the nesting boxes got cleaned every day and new hay put in.

Now they are on straw from a compressed bale, which is 6 - 8 inch pieces, not full length straw stalks.

I do not think they like it as much, because there is now more poop under the two roosting perches on the tray than in the nesting boxes.

I take the tray out and hose it off every day, and wipe the roosting perches down at the same time, I just use water and lemon/vinegar dish soap on the cloth...

Now, just grabbing a handfull of straw from the nesting boxes that has the poop and replacing that, instead of the entire nesting material.

The coop itself is on wheels, and I move it every few days around the 1acre paddock (it's mainly dirt and weeds, I am in N. AZ), so the poop in the run is not an issue.

Their food and water containers get cleaned every day, as the dust gets into everything.