Spring Cleaning the Coop for the first time. Advice welcome!

[CoopsNPoops]

After a hen fell ill, ive dedicated this beautiful Saturday to deep cleaning the coop! I completely removed all the old hay bedding and will be replacing it with pine shavings. Does anyone have any favorite disinfectant "recipes?" I was advised a diluted bleach solution, but i read online that bleach isn't a very safe option. Vinegar was prolly best. I didn't have any vinegar on hand, so i did use a very little bit of bleach. I also added some lavender essential oil, VetRx, a few drops of dawn, and a squirt of safeguard sanitizing soap. I dont know how safe and effective it will be, but gosh it smells good! I have a fan going in the coop to speed up drying time, then i will be adding some coop refesher with natural oregano and lemongrass essential oils. It says to sprinkle on top of fresh bedding, but do i need to put some down before the bedding does down too? I think i will anyways. I also just opened up 360° of 6 inch ventilation around the entire top of the coop, as opposed to the 3 smaller ventilation holes there was before. I'm also debating on adding a "window" on the door. I may not do that because it wont be protected from rain like the upper ventilation. The roof has an overhang of about 3 foot on 3 sides, so the 360° ventilation on top will be rainproof.

 

[3KillerBs]

A lot of my ideas about cleaning are included in this article.

I think that you'll find that your improved ventilation works wonders!

 

[CoopsNPoops]

A lot of my ideas about cleaning are included in this article.

I think that you'll find that your improved ventilation works wonders!

Thats a great article! This is actually exactly what I've been doing, however, it wasn't working with hay. The hay was just way to bulky and heavy to try to shovel out on cleaning day. However, i bet a hay fork/shovel would make it easier than a regular shovel, lol. This switch to pine shavings should be much easier for me. Both to apply and to remove. I think the chickens will be much happier with their new ventilation as well. I can sure tell a breezy difference just be being in there myself. Its a pretty small coop (approx 4x6) for 15 chickens, but it works just fine for strictly roosting. Im super satisfied with the coop refresher i used. It smells so fresh and good in there. I didn't think that was possible with a chicken coop, lol.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thats a great article! This is actually exactly what I've been doing, however, it wasn't working with hay. The hay was just way to bulky and heavy to try to shovel out on cleaning day. However, i bet a hay fork/shovel would make it easier than a regular shovel, lol. This switch to pine shavings should be much easier for me. Both to apply and to remove. I think the chickens will be much happier with their new ventilation as well. I can sure tell a breezy difference just be being in there myself. Its a pretty small coop (approx 4x6) for 15 chickens, but it works just fine for strictly roosting. Im super satisfied with the coop refresher i used. It smells so fresh and good in there. I didn't think that was possible with a chicken coop, lol.

A good fork is an excellent investment because it makes handling the bedding much easier.

 

[aart]

I'd be wary of the essential oils,
what smells good to some humans,
can be a serious respiratory irritant for birds delicate lungs and air sacks.
As well as using any kind of liquid to 'clean'.

Its a pretty small coop (approx 4x6) for 15 chickens, but it works just fine for strictly roosting.

HooBoy, that is tight space.
Do they have a run too?
Pics?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

I'd be wary of the essential oils,
what smells good to some humans,
can be a serious respiratory irritant for birds delicate lungs and air sacks.
As well as using any kind of liquid to 'clean'.


HooBoy, that is tight space.
Do they have a run too?
Pics?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2645576


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.

Essential oils aren't just fragrance and are perfectly safe for chickens. Although i am new to my first flock of chickens, i am not new to essential oils and i am very well educated on them and am an advocate for them when needed. Their coop is strictly for roosting, so floor space isn't a priority in their coop. They have more than enough roost space and plenty of ventilation. They do not have a run as they free range 40 acres. I deep cleaned and disinfected it because of an illness and for safety precautions. I am located in southeast Missouri so its spring rainy season and the pollen is in full force right now.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Essential oils aren't just fragrance and are perfectly safe for chickens. Although i am new to my first flock of chickens, i am not new to essential oils and i am very well educated on them and am an advocate for them when needed. Their coop is strictly for roosting, so floor space isn't a priority in their coop. They have more than enough roost space and plenty of ventilation. They do not have a run as they free range 40 acres. I deep cleaned and disinfected it because of an illness and for safety precautions. I am located in southeast Missouri so its spring rainy season and the pollen is in full force right now.

oh, and i must add that the chickens weren't in the coop when i cleaned and i made sure the coop was thoroughly dry before adding fresh bedding and before roost time.