How often should I clean out the coop, and change the bedding in the run?

[ejtalbert]

Thank you! One more question, though, is sand too heavy to use up in a elevated roosting area and draft free zone? That is my main worry about switching from wood chips to sand.

My coop is suspended from a roof 4 feet off the ground. I purchase pet grade washed sand in 50lb bags from Lowe’s. We put 3 bags in at a time on a full change, so 150lbs.

How big is your coop? Ours is 6x6 or 36sq feet. If yours is smaller than that, you wouldn’t need 150lbs of sand. (Note: the food and water are no longer in the coop, that was when we were coop training them, I added the picture so u can see the sand)
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The area that is enclosed is about 4.5x4.5
It has a pull-out drawer and 3 nesting boxes. (the drawer is made of metal and has supports on the bottom.

 

[ejtalbert]

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

Thank you so much!

 

[Grand chick]

I clean my coop daily, but I have sand and it takes me less than 5 minutes. I just use a kitty scoop and a bucket and pick up the poop under the roosts from the night. When the sand starts to get low, I add some new sand. I fully replace every 6 months.

As for my run, I bought a little doggie pooper scooper (a little extendable rake with a pan) and walk around the run just picking up random poop. Again, quick and easy to do when I’m out visiting my girls. I usually do that for about 10 minutes once a weekend.

No stink that way, with minimal effort. Btw I have 16 chickens.
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I have 24, I clean my walk in coop every day, it takes i hour and 15 min. They poop in one specific place so it makes it easier, they usually don’t poop in nest. I pick up poop from wood chips which is not much I water down yard that they use. I have no flies

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I have ducks not chickens but I clean my coop daily
I have 1 goose and 19 ducks
One night and there is a lot of poo
I don’t keep feed or water in the coop