How do you clean your coop/run?

[prostar]

Just figure hey, we'll see how everyone else does it!

Right now I'm probably not doing it a very good way....I've got sandy dirt in the run and floor of the coop. (Though I've started putting the shavings down on the floor of the coop just to make cleaning easier/less use of the kitty litter scoop!) Really gross spots in the coop would get attacked with a kitty litter scoop and the run right now is just getting raked by a garden rake and hopefully composting...(hence the other reason for this. The run is big enough and I only have seven chicks so I can get away with this a bit and they've only been out there two weeks, but I do worry about if we get a poop buildup inviting parasites and disease)

So what do you use? How do you clean your coop and run? (This will be lots easier when the girls are a bit bigger and I can free range them a bit more!)

 

[papajoe]

We use a small rake to clean our the coop, it's only 4x4, not too hard with just 2 hens, then replace some of the pine shavings. Our run is 10x12, so it get totally raked and shoveled our, then put in a bunch of hay and it's done

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I use DLM in the coop and, now, the run - so "cleaning" consists of adding a new layer of litter now and then.

 

[prostar]

I use DLM in the coop and, now, the run - so "cleaning" consists of adding a new layer of litter now and then. 

What does dlm mean? (One of these days I'll get all learned I swear!)

 

[junebuggena]

Deep litter method. I use a similar method. My coop is a converted shed. I laid hardware cloth over the dirt floor and then spread an entire bale of straw over it. I use a pitchfork to scoop out the top layer of soiled straw underneath the roosts about once a week. Then I spread a new layer of fresh straw over everything.

 

[BresChicks]

For me I think I had to learn the hard way of what not to do lol. I find personally using straw too messy. In the summer I end up with a hot smelly mess that attracts way too many flies. The floor of my coop is wood. I have tried both shavings and straw in the past. I found both too messy. The straw would end up getting wet really fast and would attract way too many flies. Now I have a bit of sand thrown on the bottom. I take a little kitty litter scoop every morning and scoop out the poop from overnight. The sand dries out the poop very quickly and stops the smell.Then once a week I sprinkle a little DE on the sand to make sure the flies do not come and invade.

The ground of my run was grass when I first build it. Now years later it is mud. I had made the mistake of throwing down straw or leaves in the fall/ winter whenever it got muddy or snow covered. I caution do not do this unless each time you rake the leaves out. For me the leaves never got dry and I would always just end up throwing more down over top. After 2 years I had about 2 feet of muck build up from where the ground was. So every time it rained the chickens and myself had to tromp through it. Gross! It took a very long time to scrape all that out and get back down to a fresh start. It is now a nice sandy dirt. I use a kitty litter scoop and pick up their droppings 2x a day. Then once a week I rake out any debris that is lingering. That way it will never build up to the way it had.

I had recently heard of someone that had two runs. They alternate the runs for their hens every few weeks so there is always nice fresh grass for them. Unfortunately I do not have the ability of a rotating pen, or adding in another one. I do try to let mine free range when possible. However I do not have a fence so I have to be outside to watch them. They like to go over to my neighbours house and ruin their garden. My turkeys free range throughout my backyard as they seem to be able to stay where I want them too.

 

[MFonzi1]

What is DLM? New to the chicken business.

 

[mechanic57]

What is DLM? New to the chicken business.

Deep Litter Method. Do a search for that in the learning center part of this site and enjoys hours of reading

 

[prostar]

Ah yes. Know of that just...didn't put words to acronyms. As the scarecrow sings..."if I only had a braaaaaiiin"

 

[henless]

I've had my chickens since March of last year. I've cleaned out my coop one time. I cleaned most of it out this Spring, leaving a little to start the new batch. Then I added 5 large wheelbarrows full of leaves/pine straw to the coop. I put what I pulled out in my compost bins to sit for a while and finish cooking to put on my garden.

This year I'm using deep litter in my run and love it so far. I've also bagged up about 20 large trash sacks full of dry leaves/pine straw to use through the summer to put in my coops.