Will this work to clean out the coop?

[crazeetxn]

As usual, great replies.

Thanks for all the inputs! Guess if I can find something with close enough tines, I'll snag it up, otherwise, I'll still with the old fashioned, by gloved hand method

 

[CountryPantry]

We use a snow shovel and a leaf rake(plastic) with the handle cut down. they work great.

 

[Woodcutterron]

These things work great for cleaning out a coop. As with most tasks like this, a few tools are necessary. For the bulk of the bedding, this type of fork works WAY better and moves more material more quickly with less effort than a flat shovel. The manure dropping in between the tines just isn't much of an issue, unless someone is using dry sand or something for bedding. Flat shovels are good for getting the corners scraped out or knocking a tough deposit loose. Leaf rakes are good at moving material on a horizontal plane, but they aren't really designed for lifting things up efficiently. A future fork, Wonder fork, etc are a better tool in the coop.

We also use a shop vac for the "phase three" of the cleanup, as it'll also remove some parasites like mites, louse, etc. A tip on the Shop vac if ya use one: A squirt of insecticide before ya start and after you're done into the end of the hose while the vac is running will kill some of the critters that ya vacuum up too.

Might not hurt to wear a dust mask or respirator-type mask with a particulate filter if you use it inside a coop and the shop vac filter isn't efficient at trapping particulate. Not all filters are the same, and some work better than others.

 

[seminolewind]

My routine is usually to clean up under the roosts, move the cleaner shavings under the roost, then refill with clean shavings in the rest of the coop. No reason to put clean shavings under the roost, just use the lightly soiled ones under the roost and the clean shavings everywhere else.

 

[EweSheep]

I've still have my twenty some year old horse manure apple picker that I got from Omaha Vaccine company. It is metal. I love this type of shovel for cleaning out my horse stalls but horrible for chicken cleaning.

I've found out over the years, I've used a flat head shovel and snowshovel with wide blade are the best to use for cleaning up packed or wet shavings. I've got a rubber truck bed mat for the flooring and it takes the abuse better than the lino.