Keeping a clean coop...

[oldhen2345]

totally agree with you aart! a thin layer of shavings on them and clean as needed

Starting this time of year, after the garden has been stripped of debris, I empty the poop board directly into the garden then turn it on occasion. I can continue this into January. That gives it time to decompose before planting time. Makes good rich soil.

 

[Jealous Gypsy]

LOL. I have a linoleum floor covered with pine shavings. When I clean, I scrape out the dirty pine shavings and wash down the floor, scrape the roosts. Put down Stalldry(PDZ?) and cover with clean shavings. Decorate everything with DE and add dried herbs ( the hens love it). Once a year I clear everything out an spray down with Oxine. The coop sits above a sand run and I sift out the poop and feathers and old food. Then I put a layer of new sand down. They free range in the yard and I have a dust bath for them. I put fresh sand, peat, and dirt in there when it needs it. As for fresh water, I use a fountain waterer. I tried the nipple. but they kept leaking and I would end up filling the stupid thing all the time. I ran a water line to the chicken yard and have a faucet there handy, so I can clean the waterer and add fresh water right there.

What kind of dried herbs?

 

[oldhen2345]

I use Spruce the Coop - It contains Rose buds and petals, mint leaves, chamomile flowers, marigold (calendula) petals, lavender, cornflower petals, catnip.. A little expensive, but I love the way the coop smells and the hens love the dried flowers and herbs.

 

[HennyPenny2019]

I use Spruce the Coop - It contains Rose buds and petals, mint leaves, chamomile flowers, marigold (calendula) petals, lavender, cornflower petals, catnip.. A little expensive, but I love the way the coop smells and the hens love the dried flowers and herbs.

I love this idea ... where do you buy Spruce the Coop?

 

[aart]

I use Spruce the Coop - It contains Rose buds and petals, mint leaves, chamomile flowers, marigold (calendula) petals, lavender, cornflower petals, catnip.. A little expensive, but I love the way the coop smells and the hens love the dried flowers and herbs.

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

 

[ValerieJ]

I use Spruce the Coop - It contains Rose buds and petals, mint leaves, chamomile flowers, marigold (calendula) petals, lavender, cornflower petals, catnip.. A little expensive, but I love the way the coop smells and the hens love the dried flowers and herbs.

That sounds lovely. Where do you find that? An added benefit is mint leaves are a pest repellent. I'm going to have to find this. One thing I do have here is spiders. Everywhere. It's a forest after all. Mint is a good spider repellent. Hmmm....then again, wonder if having spiders has been my secret weapon against mites?

(Don't jump all over me...just wondering...)

 

[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.

 

[oldhen2345]

That sounds lovely. Where do you find that? An added benefit is mint leaves are a pest repellent. I'm going to have to find this. One thing I do have here is spiders. Everywhere. It's a forest after all. Mint is a good spider repellent. Hmmm....then again, wonder if having spiders has been my secret weapon against mites?

(Don't jump all over me...just wondering...)

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

 

[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