Keeping dirt chicken run clean?

[stinkyshermy]

I am so confused about the best way to keep our dirt run clean....help!

Our chicks are 6ish weeks old, and spend their day in a caged chicken run, then let out it a bigger area 2x a day. Our area is a work in progress, but will stay largely a dirt floor due to it's shaded area.

I have come to realize that I have no idea how to keep their secure area and larger area clean!

For the larger area, I have been raking it every morning, thinking that it would just help keep everything churning and drying out.

In the caged run, it has a dirt bottom, covered with rice hulls and straw. I rake it daily before I put them in, and then clean out the straw\hulls weekly.

But what do I really need to be doing? The ladies are only in the run right now as we still bring them in at night.

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[scooter147]

Honestly in my opinion there is not much you can do to "clean" it short of just poop scooping the little piles. I gave up years ago and just let the poop return to earth.

One thing you can do is till in lime if you develop a odor problem but I don't think with a few hens and in your climate that will be an issue.

 

[BruceAZ]

use a poop rake (different from the garden rake)--

i think you can find it at wal-mart or tractor supply company

just put the manure in the compost pile

wear a different pair of shoe from walking into the run to prevent from bringing the manure inside the house..