How do I clean a wooden chicken coop?

[tobilon]

My coop is a repurposed shed. It's completely made out of wood. I lay a three inch deep layer of wood shavings on the whole floor, as well as in the nestboxes. Every few weeks, or whenever it starts to get messy, I replace the shavings.
I've read about how to do a thorough clean by wiping everything down with a bleach and soap solution and spraying it clean, but I don't want to do that in case the floorboards (or anything else for that matter) start to rot. Suggestions?

 

[citychickx6]

I think you can put linoleum on the floor and 6 inches up the walls to protect the floor. I did it to my wood shed turned coop and sealed the corners with outdoor caulking. I also capped the linoleum where it goes up the walls to keep it from getting pecked at. So far I have only had to bucket and sponge a few "spots" of well.... poo from the walls and linoleum. Mine has not gotten very wet.... yet.

I don't know that it will need hosed out since the linoleum and paint make it so easy to clean with a sponge and water.

 

[MommyMagpie]

Our coop is a repurposed shipping crate, and we keep a deep layer of pine bedding on the floor and in the nest boxes. Once a week or so one of us will get in there with a small trowel and a bucket and scoop out the really dirty bedding, as well as removing the poop board and scrubbing that down clean and replacing. Throw back in some clean bedding and done. We do a thorough clean about 3x a year (completely empty/hose out and scrub, air dry and replace bedding). Our hens are out all day every day and are only in there to sleep and lay their eggs so it doesn't get too messy at all.

 

[wowmanacat]

I have yet to really clean my coop for I have only been here for about 8 month. The floor is dirt with about 3 inches of pine shaving on the floor that I turn and rake around about once a week. I did use a spray can of bleach water to spray the walls at one time. My chickens spend most of there time out in the yard so the just go in to eat, sleep and lay eggs. Some time they will spent time in there if the weather is bad. The also help with the turning of the shavings by trying to take there dirt baths in the savings. I have to put a couple of dirt bathtubs in there soon. Just before winter I will change out all the shavings so that it is cleaner for them in the winter for I think they will be staying in there for a bit.

I would do as others have said for the floor but do not use the peel and stick flooring water can get under them.

 

[CarolynF]

I use a couple of inches of sand on top of a painted wooden floor (3 coats of exterior paint). I use a cat litter scoop to clean out the poo. It works really well and no moisture problems, no stripping out old bedding. Luv it. And yes, I'd quickly wash (so wood doesn't get saturated) with a mild bleach solution and let it air dry before adding dry sand.

 

[tobilon]

Wow, thanks everyone! I'm new to having chickens, as well as new to here, so this is a big help!

 

[JackE]

I clean mine out twice a year (Spring, Fall) with an old coal shovel and a broom. Then dump in a few fresh bags of pine shavings. And that's it, no scrubbing with water or bleach.
Jack

 

[ThomsonCentennialFarm]

I've started using sand in my coop too and I love it. So easy to keep clean, the poop dries out nicely and clumps. I made a big screen out of 1/2" hardware cloth because it was taking too long to clean with a cat scoop though.

 

[florida lee]

when poo is dry I scrap it out then wet down the coop wood with OXINE. When dry add chickens.....If your not familiar with OXINE google it......Lots of people I know with chickens use OXINE with great success. Check it out.