treating coop...

[swimmer]

We are fairly new at raising chickens. Just wondering after we clean the shavings out of the coop, should we be treating the coop with anything as a preventative measure? For bugs of any sort? There are no signs the chickens have mites or lice. Also, the chickens free range 3-4 hours a day, but am thinking of putting sand in the 10x4 chicken run for when they are in there. How deep should the sand be? There is a 3 inch high border around the bottom, would 2 inches of sand be deep enough? We live in a fairly dry climate and don't have too much of a problem with mud. Winter may be a different story. And does the sand need to be replaced over time, or just add new as it get kicked around? Any tips are appreciated. Lovin' the new gals.

 

[33yardbirds]

I don't get real carried away, just knock down the cob webs old bedding, floor covering, on the compost heap, good sweeping with dust mask and then use a garden sprayer with 50/50 mix of water and Clorox (bleach). Ready for the birds by roosting time. Done Quarterly. As far as sand I have know Idea. I imagine they will swim in it so judge buy how deep they scratch they're dust ponds when they free range.