post your chicken coop pictures here!

[MeepBeep]

WOW! I wasn't really expecting a discussion about the advantages of ACV(apple cider vinegar) over DE. I was just asking about getting a used coop and what would be best to wash and disinfect it with, Guess I'll just wash it out with a hose and spray a little bleach mixed with water about to kill anything I don't my ladies catching.

Bleach and water is what I would recommend to wash it out, get a pump sprayer that is bleach rated and mix the bleach with water, mix using normal strength bleach mix 1 part bleach to 10 parts water wear your safety gear and of course don't wear any clothing you actually like spray it on in a well ventilated area outside and let dry in the sung and repeat a second time once dry... Two passes like this should kill most things that could cause harm to the chickens and even kill back any surface molds harmful or not... If you use a non-bleach rated pump sprayer empty it out immediately and run clear water through it ASAP or else the springs and seals will fail in short...

No need to rinse afterwards all the chlorine will evaporate in about 24 hours if left outside and open, a fan will speed it up...

 

[Sylvester017]

We have some treated plywood cut into 1'x1' squares for the nest boxes. I'm going to hit the dollar tree and get some plastic dish pans and put them inside the boxes for easy cleanup and safety for toes.

My husband works for a company that sells plywood products and he had them treat it with a clear, animal safe sealant before he brought it home he says. I'll trust him until my coop falls apart and then I'll make him rebuild it

He wants to take a 3'x8' area of the coop to creat a nursery for the young birds to introduce them to the flock and he will be adding a simple NONHEAT light to the coop. I'll add a heating pad from the store along the wall for the babies if they get chilly. A 2"x4" will make a nice safe roost area for them on both sides of the nursery divide.

I hope to talk him into adding an assess to the nest boxes from the outside or even an outside box to conserve floor space.

It's so cute to see your DH taking initiative for your chickens! Plastic nestboxes are better than wood but the bottoms (like the plexi-glass bottoms we used) can be slippery for chicken feet so use a good amount of bedding of whatever you use inside your nestboxes.

THESE ARE THE NESTBOXES THAT CAME WITH OUR NEW BARN COOP. THEY'RE KINDA SMALLISH AROUND 111/2x111/2 but since the nestbox length is 4 feet the manufacturer used these plastic boxes to fit. I don't like them because they don't have privacy but our chickens have been odd bedfellows for 5 years so I guess it works ok for them.

 

[Sylvester017]

WOW! I wasn't really expecting a discussion about the advantages of ACV(apple cider vinegar) over DE. I was just asking about getting a used coop and what would be best to wash and disinfect it with, Guess I'll just wash it out with a hose and spray a little bleach mixed with water about to kill anything I don't my ladies catching.

A light bleach solution works well and can be rinsed well. With all my new coops I get Manna Pro Poultry Protector which is an organic enzyme and safe to use on chickens and/or coop crevices for lice/mite prevention. It is safe to use as often as you wish to. You've got the right idea asking questions and ingesting food for thought for what methods/products will apply to your particular flock dynamics

.

 

[perchie.girl]

WOW! I wasn't really expecting a discussion about the advantages of ACV(apple cider vinegar) over DE. I was just asking about getting a used coop and what would be best to wash and disinfect it with, Guess I'll just wash it out with a hose and spray a little bleach mixed with water about to kill anything I don't my ladies catching.

best choice.... KISS.... Keep it simple.... Silly.

I am sorry to go on about it all. I am only reading occasionally and sometimes missing the original question.

deb

 

[MeepBeep]

I get Manna Pro Poultry Protector which is an organic enzyme and safe to use on chickens and/or coop crevices for lice/mite prevention.

I'm not saying it's bad, but the 'organic enzyme' claim they advertise is a little misleading as the single active ingredient is actually a preservative salt...

ACTIVE INGREDIENT: Potassium Sorbate 0.1% by weight INERT INGREDIENTS: Water, Yeast, Citric Acid 99.9%

 

[cabinchicky]

@Bruce 2000 and Perchie.girl yes the marine grade is expensive but figure how soon replacement of your floor would be.Like Perchie.girl says worth every penny. My coops are way beyond the norm and I know this and thinking of replacing a floor from under stacked landscape timbers is not something I want to dwell on.

@Sylvester017 I wish you could have guinea and I don't envy you for town life. We are just outside of town by 1/4 mile in a woods and fields around us. All the adding on to town is on the west side for the past 20 yrs. I won't mind the noise they make I hope! It's very hard to hear much once inside the house though. I wanted the guineas for pests and watch dogs. Hope it works out, ticks are horrible here.

 

[MeepBeep]

I won't mind the noise they make I hope! It's very hard to hear much once inside the house though.

For me almost all the noise they normally make just becomes normal background noise while outside, I only notice it when they ratchet it up a notch... Don't get me wrong they never shut up and are noisy but you get used to it... On the other hand when I'm inside the coop working on something and they surround me and let loose it can be quite annoying at those times, especially if you are trying to actually think or concentrate on something...

 

[Sylvester017]

I'm not saying it's bad, but the 'organic enzyme' claim they advertise is a little misleading as the single active ingredient is actually a preservative salt...

ACTIVE INGREDIENT: Potassium Sorbate 0.1% by weight INERT INGREDIENTS: Water, Yeast, Citric Acid 99.9%

I can testify to its effectiveness. Received a couple shipped juveniles with feather lice. Nipped it in the bud with immediate treatment spray following directions. Problem gone the next morning but just to be sure used it for 2 more days and followed up with a last spraying a week later. I hate bugs and I love this Poultry Protector!!!

Added note: Had to clean up a broken egg in the nestbox a few years back and ants were all over it. A couple squirts of Poultry Protector and it immobilized the ants so they didn't crawl up my arm when I cleaned the box. Works on little spiders too.

 

[Sylvester017]

@Bruce 2000 and Perchie.girl yes the marine grade is expensive but figure how soon replacement of your floor would be.Like Perchie.girl says worth every penny. My coops are way beyond the norm and I know this and thinking of replacing a floor from under stacked landscape timbers is not something I want to dwell on.

@Sylvester017 I wish you could have guinea and I don't envy you for town life. We are just outside of town by 1/4 mile in a woods and fields around us. All the adding on to town is on the west side for the past 20 yrs. I won't mind the noise they make I hope! It's very hard to hear much once inside the house though. I wanted the guineas for pests and watch dogs. Hope it works out, ticks are horrible here.

Hope it works for you!

Let us know if the Guineas are really doing their job with the ticks. I read one post where the people were disappointed about the Guineas going after ticks.

 

[tumalochick]

I built these flower boxes for the coop out of the old shutters. I think it's turning out cute

Here they are installed. Seems the chicks like their new digs pretty well.

Almost done with the run... It has taken way longer than I had anticipated!!! Doesn't it always!