Trying to do the spring cleaning of my duck "shed" coop..

[dawnjoennikki98]

Does anyone have any tips on the easiest way to do it? It's a 6 by 8 shed, filled with wood shaving from the laast 4-5 months. I only have my twin sister to help me, and we are both in severe pain after shoveling for just a little while! It doesn't seem doable at all. one of the problems is i don't think i've perfected the DLM yet ...because the shavings underneath are so wet and heavy. tried raking it out onto a tarp but the rake won't get further than the top dry layer. How do you guys do it? thanks!

Dawn

 

[Wifezilla]

You just dig!

I am almost 50 and I dig the wet nasty hay out by myself.

If you are using deep litter you only have to do it a few times a year.

 

[jack & mommy's duckies]

Not warm enough here yet to do it...Still can't get my man door open all the way....but another 2-3 weeks i'll be knee deep in it to........the not so fun part of the hobby. But just think of the clean hay you can sit on and feed them treat

 

[Amiga]

I agree - since I am - on the other side of 50, let's say, here is what I do. Take a deep breath, know that it's going to take some time, get a tarp and/or wheelbarrow, a metal rake (a cultivator can come in handy, or use my pitchfork.

I take thick stuff off in layers - it saves my back and my strength. Two or three inches at a time, eventually I get down to the bottom of it. I carry small loads. I take a breather every half hour or so. And remind myself it's a couple of times a year.

 

[The Duck ABC's]

Man reading this is cruel some and I really feel your pain. It is so much work compared to what I do. Ok I clean daily, so it does not get that heavy in the first place. I know there is a reason for deep litter, but I could not do it. I prefer the small oil filled radiator for the heat source, and the one 5 gallon bucket I clean out daily. Oh and I have been there with the deep liter methods, only I was much younger back then. Now I have bad knees and simply cannot do it. Good luck with your big job.

 

[Kansaseq]

Maybe you could do it in stages? Say, over a few days? I've never been a fan of the dlm, so clean mine out once every month or so.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Use a 5 tine pitch fork to losen it up, then keep digging....... No easy way after several months.

 

[Bleenie]

A couple times a year?

I wish... I clean my run out at least once a week and the house probably once every 2 weeks. messy and heavy with 14+ ducks and just as many chickens, lol.

 

[gofasterstripe]

I clean out my duck house daily..take me 5 minutes to sweep up the shavings and cart it off.

 

[RockwaterFarm]

Quote:
Im right there with ya, i have a concrete part i clean eveyday, then the othe half is wood pellets i take out once a year. Probabaly takes my 30 minutes to take all the pellets, well saw dust by now, and replace it with new stuff. I definitley recommend cleaning everday if you can. Only takes 5-10 minutes and you'll feel better that your ducks are in a cleaner, healthier environment. The reason i dont use shavings is because when they get wet they pack together and they get HEAVY. The wood pellets clump together when they get wet and i just use a pitchfork to take out the clump. I also mix the saw dust together everyday to get a fresh, not wet layer on top.