Official BYC Poll: How Often Do You Clean Your Coop?

[arstarr]

I clean mine quarterly or sooner if it is especially messy (typically in the winter months). I voted "whenever it needs it" since quarterly wasn't an option.

 

[RuralChick83]

Every morning. I let the chickens out, go in to clean the poop, and collect the eggs. That way if the weather is bad they can go back in without any mess to step in, at least to start.

 

[MaryJake]

I scoop out poop daily from the tray under the roost. But I clean out the entire coop twice a year. It works for me so far.

 

[ron17571]

I use bedding and add more and fluff it up occasionally and every six months I clean it out and start again. The straw/shredded paper bedding is put in a greenhouse used for a garden after it composts more.

 

[MaryJake]

I scoop out poop daily from the tray under the roost. But I clean out the entire coop twice a year. It works for me so far.

 

[Avocadoman]

I clicked "once a month" only because I only have four hens now and the coop can easily handle 8-10 chickens so there's not much poop load. When I had a rooster and 7 hens I was cleaning it every week or two.

 

[mqoh]

We have an open coop with sand. I go in twice a week or so and scoop up the poop under the roost and usually by the door. They free range most of the day so there's not much to do really.

 

[Little Brit Chick]

I have an omlet Eglu coop with 5 girls in it. The bedding tray allows the poop to drop down beneath their feet and I clean it out thoroughly once a month. If it smells in the heat of the summer or I get the bedding ratio wrong and poop starts to reach their feet I'll clean it out earlier. My most dominant chicken (Trinity - who happens to be my thumbnail photo also) will actually refuse to go to bed if she thinks the coop isn't clean, especially when it's very hot outside. So if standards aren't meeting Trinity's approval I will also clean it out again as I'd rather that than try to shove her somewhere she's most intent on not going.

 

[ArthurFrane]

We only have 3 hens (with plans for another 3 later this year) so for now cleaning tends not to be a big chore. This is during dry/warm weather, to be clear. I'll let the birds out in the morning and go in to scoop and rake a bit, just to get the accumulated mess out from under their roosting bar.

We switch out shavings in the nesting boxes every few months, or if they get messy.

In colder/wetter months, we'll make sure to refresh the coop more often since they're spending more time inside.

 

[amandanp]

We have 6 adult ducks and 3 ducklings right now. I clean the babies' tub just about every day right now. The bigger coop is usually every 2 weeks, but that all depends on weather. When it rains a bunch, they track in lots of mud, so I clean it more often. If we have hot days and it smells, I clean it. If I'm getting dirty eggs, I clean it too.