What do you use for coop cleaning?

[The Chicken Lady]

A shovel, a rake/pitchfork, a wheelbarrow, and a very powerful garden hose and sprayer nozzle...

 

[pips&peeps]

Quote:
What DO you spray as disinfectant ? and the name ?

I use oxine and I use something from my vet called d-256, it is made by VEDCO. You have to let it dry and rinse it off feeders and waterers though.

 

[mamarosa]

cajunlizz
thanks for the info on the boxes, my chicks are 10 weeks old and I have not put my boxes in.... How high from the ground do the boxes have to be
thanks

 

[havi]

Im curious..has anyone thought about putting vinyl tiles on the walls? I see most people cover their coop floor with it for easier cleaning, but has anyone done this for the walls as well? Maybe even the nest, such as the backs and/or the bottom of the nest?

The other day when I was in the Dollar Store I saw vinyl tiles for $8 or so. I think there were 20 or so in there. Or even at Lowes..when we remodle our bathroom there were these tiles I noticed Lowes would mark off ones that were being discontinued or were a little scratched up. They were $10-15 for the thirty or so in there compared to the $30 for the nicer looking ones.


Just a thought..seeing as I hope to be doing another coop soon.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Rule of thumb is 18 inches off the floor .

and I DO NOT put anything above the nesting boxes , I DO NOT want them to poop and dropping fall in nest . MY roosting area is on back wall of the coop .

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
SUGGESTION : regardless if they are only 9 weeks old and not laying , go ahead and set up your area with the nesting boxes so they can get accustomed to seeing them and messing around them . ( preparing to lay ) ALSO drop 2 golf balls in each nesting box so they know that is where they are suppose to lay .

If you wait and they notice something different if their coop , it will delay them from laying and OR they may start laying in the shavings . YOU do not want them laying thru out the coop instead of the boxes . LOL

.

Not nessesary to add nest boxes so young. Adding nest boxes at around 17 or 18 weeks is just fine, they're not going to take months to get used to something new - it might take a week at most.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
Rule of thumb is 18 inches off the floor .

and I DO NOT put anything above the nesting boxes , I DO NOT want them to poop and dropping fall in nest . MY roosting area is on back wall of the coop .

Not sure what "rule of thumb" that is. (?) Never heard of that.

My nest boxes are either on the ground or a few inches above. You can put them however high you want to really - I like to keep mine low - my kids can collect eggs, and if my hens go broody - they can hatch their babies right there without fear of babies falling out.
As I said in my previous post - no need to put nest boxes in for chicks so young, its not going to take weeks and weeks and weeks for them to get used to seeing them, around 17 - 18 weeks add the nest box, and you'll be fine, the hens will be fine.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
Rule of thumb is 18 inches off the floor .

and I DO NOT put anything above the nesting boxes , I DO NOT want them to poop and dropping fall in nest . MY roosting area is on back wall of the coop .

Not sure what "rule of thumb" that is. (?) Never heard of that.

My nest boxes are either on the ground or a few inches above. You can put them however high you want to really - I like to keep mine low - my kids can collect eggs, and if my hens go broody - they can hatch their babies right there without fear of babies falling out.
As I said in my previous post - no need to put nest boxes in for chicks so young, its not going to take weeks and weeks and weeks for them to get used to seeing them, around 17 - 18 weeks add the nest box, and you'll be fine, the hens will be fine.

I agree, Wildsky. I added a second nest box when they started laying, and it took a week for them to start using it.
I like my nesting boxes low, too. So do my chickens. I had 2 nest boxes at 18 inches, and two ground level, and they all fight over the ones on the ground. Go figure. I might as well use the upper ones as storage for my cleaning supplies.

 

[Buster]

Quote:
Rule of thumb is 18 inches off the floor .

and I DO NOT put anything above the nesting boxes , I DO NOT want them to poop and dropping fall in nest . MY roosting area is on back wall of the coop .

Not sure what "rule of thumb" that is. (?) Never heard of that.

My nest boxes are either on the ground or a few inches above. You can put them however high you want to really - I like to keep mine low - my kids can collect eggs, and if my hens go broody - they can hatch their babies right there without fear of babies falling out.
As I said in my previous post - no need to put nest boxes in for chicks so young, its not going to take weeks and weeks and weeks for them to get used to seeing them, around 17 - 18 weeks add the nest box, and you'll be fine, the hens will be fine.

I really like my nesting boxes low. My boys can collect the eggs easier that way. I've never had a problem with my girls using them as long as I keep fresh straw or shavings in them.

Good luck to you!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I just use a rake, and a hoe to get all of the shavings and hay out. Then I sweep out the coop with a broom, so all the dust is gone.

Then if there is a big glob of dried on poop, I use a hoe to scrape it all off. Then, I lay down new shavings, and sprinkle a little Sevin 5% dust on the shavings and mix it in. Then I take a bunch of dried lemon balm and lay it in the corner or near the windows, because it helps to repel mice and rats, and insects.

Then for the run. I muck out the whole run. And then I take a spade, and dig up the dirt, so it is fluffy again. Then in the back corner I lay down some more hay.

I just mucked my 21x24' chicken and duck run today, and it took around 4-5 hours to do everything.