Keeping a clean coop...

[Pampered Chicks11]

Some people do try putting them onto the roost after they have gone to bed so they will wake up in the morning on the roost. Others leave them alone letting instinct motivate them. However they should never be allowed to sleep in nests. If they aren't laying eggs yet the nests should be blocked off. They will develop a bad habit of pooping in the nest and you will eventually have poop covered eggs. Also use a deeply slanted roof over the nests so they can't roost there and poop down onto nesting area.

I put few grains of scratch on the bars. They jus went up on their own. Try it.

 

[aart]

also cover everything with DE in the coop - shavings, nesting boxes, roost

No, don't.

 

[ValerieJ]

I get mine on Amazon, but I am sure you can find it on other websites. I like the smell, the chickens seem to like eating the dried flowers, and it is supposed to help them be calm while laying - jury is out on that since they are pretty calm in the nesting boxes anyway. The coop does occasionally get spiders, so that helps with mites- also cover everything with DE in the coop - shavings, nesting boxes, roost

So many on here will tell you not to use FGDE, but I have used it for 4 years and have yet to have a mite infestation. Until it doesn't work I will use it. never had a problem with respiratory, but I don't put it on my birds, just in the coop when I'm cleaning. And I wear a mask. I recommend doing that. And, of course, spiders. LOL

 

[HennyPenny2019]

Do you do this for odor control......or just to satisfy some need of your own>
I just wrote on another thread:
What makes us keepers 'feel good', might not be the best for the birds

After reading the post about Spruce Coop I looked it up, read the ingredients and ordered some. Is it necessary, no .. is it harmful ... very doubtful. My girls are pets, I have spent a ridiculous amount of money on a coop and custom built pen/run. I think there are “serious” chicken people on here and there are “pet” chicken people on here. Different but neither is wrong. I am the second and take it very serious.

I get mine on Amazon, but I am sure you can find it on other websites. I like the smell, the chickens seem to like eating the dried flowers, and it is supposed to help them be calm while laying - jury is out on that since they are pretty calm in the nesting boxes anyway. The coop does occasionally get spiders, so that helps with mites- also cover everything with DE in the coop - shavings, nesting boxes, roost

 

[HennyPenny2019]

I get mine on Amazon, but I am sure you can find it on other websites. I like the smell, the chickens seem to like eating the dried flowers, and it is supposed to help them be calm while laying - jury is out on that since they are pretty calm in the nesting boxes anyway. The coop does occasionally get spiders, so that helps with mites- also cover everything with DE in the coop - shavings, nesting boxes, roost

I ordered it yesterday from Amazon. I would think the chickens would eat spiders? No mites here ... not yet. I clean my coop each morning and wipe the vinyl floor with Clorox wipes. So far so good, but with cold weather approaching I’m going to have to start putting wood chips on the floor ... unless I add central heating

 

[HennyPenny2019]

I'd think that a bare vinyl floor would be slippery for them; better to add bedding of some sort. And Clorox wipes every day? I hope you have stock in the company! Let's just say that it's overkill...
I consider myself a serious experienced pet and production chicken person, BTW. The roles are not mutually exclusive, and 'pet chickens' are still chickens.
Mary

Thank you for your input, I am new at this but an old hand at keeping birds and other animals. The vinyl floor was chose for texture and ease of cleaning. I use about 3 Clorox wipes per day as an extra step in ensuring a clean environment for my girls. I don’t have stock in the company, but buy the multipacks at Sams club. My chickens are pets first ... meaning I won’t be eating them and they are catered to as one does with a pet rather than a farm animal.