Cleaning the Chicken Coop.
Yes, you will eventually have to clean out the chicken coop. Unlike pigs, chickens will poop all over their house. And you get to clean it up for them.
We use the deep litter method for keeping our chickens warm in the coldest winter months. We make sure there is plenty of hay going into January & February. Additionally, we never clean out our coop during those months. The composting manure & hay inside the chicken coop is what keeps them warm. For more on using deep litter to keep chickens warm go here.
Aside from the coldest winter months, we do try to keep our chicken coop somewhat tidy.
Not only will this keep your eggs cleaner, it will give you a steady source of compost for your garden & keep your chickens healthy.
Today, we are going to clean out the chicken coop.
These are some grody, disgusting pictures. If you have never seen the inside of a chicken coop. LOOK AWAY!
We got 6 new chickens. They had to be “coop-trained.” So, 24 chickens lived in the chicken coop for several days. 24 chickens eating, drinking and pooping in the same house. Ugh.
It had to be cleaned out.
The poop boards were overflowing.
See the lady hiding in the poop-infested nesting box? She didn’t seem to mind the mess, but we do. So, let’s get cleaning!
Step 1 to Clean the Chicken Coop – Gather the Tools
Grab some shovels and a wheel barrow. You’re gonna need something to move all this manure and hay into.
Step 2 to Clean the Chicken Coop – Rafters & Poop Boards
Start at the top and work your way towards the floor. Begin with the cobwebs in the rafters. A broom is the best way to get rid of those cobwebs. Next move to the poop boards under the roosting bars. Don’t worry if some of the dirt falls to the floor. We’ll get that soon.
Step 3 to Clean the Chicken Coop – Nesting Boxes & Floor
Clean out all the nesting boxes. Be sure to get any broken eggs or egg shells.
Last get the floor. We shoveled, then we swept then we scraped. Soon it was clean enough to eat on. Ok, maybe that’s going a little far.
Look at that clean floor! Our coop floor has laminate flooring. We put it there. It protects the wood floor so it doesn’t rot.
This is a nice look at all those nesting boxes. There’s 12 of them. 12 nesting boxes. Guess how many of them get eggs laid in them?
- That’s right. Only 2 nesting boxes get eggs deposited in them. The rest just sit there.
Step 4 to Clean the Chicken Coop – Dump the Dirt
Once you’ve cleaned your coop you will have a full wheelbarrow.
Since it’s winter, I’m going to dump this right on my garden beds. It will have plenty of time to break down and compost before spring planting.
Step 5 to Clean the Chicken Coop – Fresh Bedding
My oldest son is stuffing the coop with fresh, sweet hay for the chickens.
All clean!
All it takes is some elbow grease and time.
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-Candi
