For the last several weeks, I have been working on preparing our coop. I own chickens–not stocks. And a lot less work too. I use the shavings in the girls laying boxes as well as the floor of their inside coop. Photo Credit. How to Keep Wild Birds out of the Chicken Coop, http://fiascofarm.com/recipes/whitewash.html, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002073/, http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/04/herbal-pest-contol-spruce-coop-herbal.html, Anatomy of a Chicken Coop | Business Chicken, Prepping for Live Nude Chick(en) Cam! I (liberally) sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the floor, then again on top of the new straw (not so liberally.) Thanks for the tips! It must come in contact with whatever it is to destroy; therefore, you delute it to 200 ppm or about 1/8th tsp per gallon of water in a spray bottle. fly control strategies for the chicken coop. As you are raking it is smart to wear a dust mask, especially if the ground isn’t wet. There is only one thing I will do in addition.. After everything is Dry, I will sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth around in order to help keep the pests out Thank you for sharing! Perform a final rinse, then allow water to drain or sweep it out the door. Our new chicks are coming in two weeks, and I am determined to be better educated and prepared this time around. I mix it up a day or two before I plan to clean; the fragrance is even better if it sits. I’m no fan of bleach, but it will easily dissipate outdoors if given a few days. it is very important that you wear a mask I have asthma and don’t take dust very well and I’ve heard for years that dry chicken litter is detrimental to a person’s health while wet litter is detrimental to a chickens health so make sure you clean early in the day on a nice day and leave the coop open to air dry throughout the day. You should also wear a face covering in indoor places not listed here where social distancing may be difficult and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet. I was wondering what I should clean everything out with. Way to go- I’m sure your chickies are lovin’ it. We’ll soon be moving to a rental property that already has a chicken coop and barn. Remember to wear gloves and a mask when cleaning a chicken coop! If you’ve been dealing with a chicken disease or illness, then by all means, disinfect that coop! First, I remove the chickens from the coop and lock them out in the run. If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, stay safe by taking some simple precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, … I despise bleach. Your peeps and cluckers will thank you!! What a great site. Yes, that’s a good idea– the dust bugs me too! A girly city girl trying to be a chicken farmer who would have thought!! You should remove the poop under the roost area every day or at least once a week (you can do this in a short time by using a litter tray). Cover your mouth and nose with a traditional mask or a bandanna until the dirty work is done. Yes– I used my pressure washer last year, too. No stinky smell and only once a year cleaning your chicken coop. The floor of the hen house is dirt, heavily sprinkled with DE and then covered with about 2 FEET DEEP hay. They are quite reasonable (about $6). And tell your chickens, “You’re welcome!” And if you’re really nice, add some fresh herbs to their nesting boxes, and mix up my favorite chicken coop spray recipe for a sweet-smelling coop. I have no idea if that’s logical, but I’m sticking with it. Will try the vinegar instead. I think the sheet/wire idea sounds splendid! Not play sand but the construction grade sand that’s silicate free. And I will be getting a few more chicks this year, too. We are just starting our homesteading venture, and I needed to know how to thoroughly clean that coop! Well, cleaning your coop is one of the best ways you can combat mites, which may be squandering their powers deep within the cavities of the coop. , Hey JackieMy name is John I’ve been raising chickens for sometime now have a ducks chickens and turkeys together but lately for no reason I’ve been having ones just dying off do you have any idea maybe what I’m doing wrong because it’s pretty sad after a while, I have insulation all around the inside of my coops so I just clean n wash the floors n stuff without spraying the walls with water, I brought a hen and 4 chicks with it 10 days back… Lost 2 chicks to pox ? We’ve kept chickens for years, for eggs, not meat. It would have been nice to see before pictures of the coop. .the second set of hens that developed the same issues totally recovered in 2 days. This farm is a distance of one mile down the road from the 84-acre ranch we had been renting and living in for some years. I think we are prepared but I guess I won’t know until I get them. Yes, I started using the deep litter method this spring as well.