Wow do they keep me busy!

[gvntofly05]

This morning I have already run to TSC to get feed, scratch, wood shavings, fly traps and wood pellets. I still need to go pick up straw! I have set up and put the incubator on lock down, cleaned out the small brooder housing the 1 and 2 week old chicks, fed and watered the chickens and ducks. I still need to clean out and set up the large brooder to transfer the older chicks and clean out the entire chicken coop!

I would have had another month or two before having to clean out the coop but last night at about 8pm my 4 1/2 year old daughter thought it would be nice to give the chickens a bath! She doused the whole inside of the coop with the hose! It is the stinkiest, mushiest mess I have ever seen. My hubby will be home from work in an hour with a respirator. The smell gags me so much I can't go in there!

It amazes me how my coop had no odor to it at all when it was dry but now that it's wet, WOW!

My TSC doesn't have DE but they do have Sweet PDZ. Can I get that to sprinkle in the shavings to help it dry out in there once it is cleaned and new shavings laid?

 

[chicmom]

I would just scrape everything out of the run, and let it dry naturally before putting new wood shavings on top of a wet surface--if you can. You'll just be so sorry if you put shavings on top of wetness....(been there and done that...)

Once that dries, you should be fine to put those shavings down. I would recommend sand though. Hubby put sand in my chicken runs, which are not covered, and that works great! I do take a little slotted scoop (like for kitty litter) and go through it each day and get the poop out.....this is something alot of people don't have time for.....

 

[gvntofly05]

Quote:
The run will be sand by the end of the summer!

It's not the run that is soaked though it is the inside of the coop! She even had the nesting boxes full of water!

 

[chicmom]

Oh, that little stinker! LOL Boy, that would be hard to clean up on the inside of the coop......I think it would probably dry pretty quickly though........too bad you couldn't run a fan in there to help it along......?

 

[gvntofly05]

The fan is a good idea! Thanks, I just may have to do that!