Tarp to easy clean coop

[MimiBroad]

I have been trying to find ways to make cleaning of my coop easier and I came across a post where someone lined the floor with a heavy duty tarp. Then covered the tarp with pine shavings. Then they would just pull up the tarp, dump the contents and hose it down. Has anyone tried this, any thoughts?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think chickens would end up tearing the tarp up by scratching.
I guess you could just keep buying new tarps.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Not sure that sounds easier to me. I simply rake out the bedding (and sweep after if I really want it cleared out). Takes maybe 5 minutes, and no fussing with a tarp or having to lift it.

 

[blackdog043]

I would be concerned that they would scratch the tarp apart and get caught up in the strands. A better option would be to get a piece of vinyl flooring to put down, IMHO.

I used Blackjack 57 rubber roof coating on my coop floor, it holds up well.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I would also be concerned about that tarp wearing out fast. I just use deep litter and clean my coop 1-4 times a year depending on how heavily stocked I am. It's lifting but it's only a few days a year instead of the daily-weekly you'd have to with the tarp.

 

[Hokum Coco]

lined the floor with a heavy duty tarp. Then they would just pull up the tarp, dump the contents and hose it down.

It sounds like an "EXCELLENT" idea. I do something very similar.
I have gone with a wire 2" grid (wire the size of a pencil) over my coop floor. Similar to what is pictured below with 4"x4"x4" cubed blocks stationed under neath the grid on top of a tarp to form a drop pit it worked excellent all summer and I will clean the coop before winter sets in and things freeze solid. The grid even keeps your chickens feet cleaner which in turn keeps your eggs and nest boxes less soiled. I live in Canada and am subject to -40º temperatures.

Clean up is simple replace the tarp with a second one. Spread the first tarp out away from the coop. Let it bake in the sun. Then flex the first tarp over the compost bin and hose off any stubborn chicken poop. Fold it up to store and get ready in a while to repeat the process.

 

[aart]

hose it down

Hosing a coop down is not a good idea...would take for ever to dry out and moisture in coop is something to avoid. ETA: oh, maybe you meant hosing down tarp outside of coop? That would be fine as long as it was totally dry before putting back into coop.

How you manage the manure is key...I pick it up everyday and send to friends compost.
-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.
-Runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
-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 5 years.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/6...raphic-gross-poop-pictures/1100#post_13179595

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-poop-pictures.621363/page-178#post-18966048

 

[thecreekhouse]

I have been trying to find ways to make cleaning of my coop easier and I came across a post where someone lined the floor with a heavy duty tarp. Then covered the tarp with pine shavings. Then they would just pull up the tarp, dump the contents and hose it down. Has anyone tried this, any thoughts?

It would need to be a high quality, heavy duty tarp to hold up to the scratching that chickens do all day but I think this is a good idea that would work.

 

[chickengr]

I have 1 pen with dirt floor. from time to time I add pine needles or pine shavings. that pen is much easier to maintain and cleaner too than my other pens. when I move to my new place I will definitely have dirt floors in all the pens.

 

[flyin-lowe]

My doors are all about 18 inches above the bottom of the floor so my deep bedding/litter can build up without blocking doors. I think it would be a pain, no matter how high up the bottom of your doors are, to try and fold and pull a tarp with litter on it out of a narrow door way. When i built mine a did put in a hatch on one side even with the floor in case I ever wanted to sweep litter out of it. In 3 years I have never used it. I just use a scoop shovel to get all the litter out twice a year. I never get it 100% but I don't think that is necessary ether.