chicken coop cleaning hacks
Providing your chickens with a clean environment is part of being a responsible owner. This list of chicken coop cleaning hacks will make this chore easier to do. Give your flock the best care by setting up a neater coop.
Raising chickens that are healthy and happy, all begins with their home. Start there and keep those fresh eggs coming all year long.
Be sure to grab the FREE Chicken Coop Recipe + Cleaning Guide Below!
Every backyard chicken keeper knows how important it is to keep the coop clean and neat. Not only does a clean chicken coop provide a healthy environment for your chickens, but it can also help lessen bad odors and protect them from worms or parasites. Cleaning a chicken coop doesn’t need to be hard or time-consuming. Instead, rely on these easy cleaning hacks that can save you valuable time while ensuring your chickens remain in peak health.
Can chickens get worms?
Yes, chickens can get worms. Worms are parasites that live in the digestive system of chickens and can cause harm to your flock’s health if left untreated. These pesky creatures are transmitted through infected droppings or contaminated food and water sources. To prevent a worm infestation, it is important to keep their living environment clean at all times.
Tools For Coop Cleaning:
MLTOOLS | Rake | Shovel | Sieve | 3-in-1 Garden Tool | R8279
Harris Farms Poly Shovel | Non-Corrosive & Chemical Resistant | Designed to Handle Heavy Loads | Comfortable D-Grip Handle4 pcs Extendable and Washable Microfibre Feather Duster,13QEP 5 Gallon Mixing Bucket – 90 mil HDPEBates- Paint Scraper, 10 in 1 Painters Tool, Paint Scrapers for Wood, Painters Tool, Painters Knife, Paint Scraper for Painting, Putty Knife, Metal Scraper, Spackle Tool, Putty Scraper, Knife Scraper
Chicken Coop Cleaning Hacks
Try out some or all of these tips to help keep a hygienic area for your chickens and turn this chore into a part of your daily routine.
Why Chicken Coop Cleanliness Matters
A clean chicken coop is important not only for the well-being of your chickens but also for their egg production. Chickens are naturally clean animals; a dirty coop can make them stressed and susceptible to diseases. A stressed or sick chicken is not a consistent egg layer.
Use Natural Cleaning Products
When cleaning your chicken coop, try to opt for natural cleaning products instead of harsh chemicals. Vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils are all effective and safe alternatives that can help you maintain a clean coop without any negative impact on your flock’s health.
READ: DIY Chicken Coop All-Purpose Cleaner
Keep a bottle of cleaner in the coop for quick wipe-ups as needed. You can use the spray on soiled nesting boxes, feeders, waterers, and window frames.
Implement a Regular Cleaning Schedule
Consistency is key when it comes to keeping a clean chicken coop. Set a regular cleaning schedule to ensure that your coop is maintained regularly.
Coop Cleaning Schedule:
- Daily – Scrape roosts, clean out water dishes, and remove any bedding or debris from door jams.
- Weekly – Clean out and replace any soiled bedding, clean out feeders, and replace bedding in nesting boxes.
- Monthly – Clean out bedding, remove dust from vents, sweep walls, and wipe down nesting boxes.
- Seaonal – Do a full cleanout of the coop, sterilize nesting boxes, feeders, and waterers.
Quick and Easy Ways to Improve the Smell of Coop
The smell of a chicken coop can be unpleasant, especially during hot and humid weather. To combat this:
- Remove any soiled bedding.
- Sprinkle some baking soda or food-grade diatomaceous earth on the coop floor.
- Add some fresh bedding.
This can help absorb any odors and keep your coop smelling fresh. Keeping soiled bedding out of the coop will cut down on flies, parasites, and other pests that are attracted to dirt and droppings.
Consider Using Sand Instead of Bedding
While traditional bedding such as wood shavings or straw, can be effective, they can also hold onto moisture, producing a foul smell that is not good for your chickens to breathe in. Consider using sand instead, as it is easy to clean and does not retain moisture. Although I am not a fan of using sand, I do see the benefits.
Con of Using Sand:
- It’s heavy! Moving bags of sand around is hard to do, especially if you are older or have any physical limitations.
Pro of Using Sand:
- Easy to keep clean. You can use a manure rake to remove soiled areas as they are easily seen on a sandy surface.
Be sure to grab the FREE Chicken Coop Recipe + Cleaning Guide Below!
Use scrape boards for easier cleanup
If there is one thing I have learned over my years of raising chickens, is they poo quite a bit especially at night. That means you will have a large area of droppings each morning below your roosting area. A great cleaning hack is to put scrape boards under roosting bars to catch droppings and make for easier cleanup. Each day you can remove the boards and scrap the contents into your compost area. Just a few minutes of cleanup can make a huge difference in the quality of your coop.
Indoor/Outdoor Carpet in Nesting Boxes for Easy Clean Up
Nesting boxes can get messy quickly, especially during molting season when feathers and dust are more prevalent. Consider lining the bottom of your nesting boxes with indoor/outdoor carpeting for easy cleanup. Simply remove and shake or hose off any debris, and your nesting boxes will stay clean and hygienic.
READ: Chicken Molting care and tips
Use herbs for better smelling nesting boxes
Incorporating herbs such as lavender, mint, or rosemary into your chicken’s nesting boxes can help naturally deodorize and freshen the area. Plus, some herbs have antibacterial properties that help keep your chickens healthy.
Keep a duster in the coop for quick cleanups
Having a small duster hanging in the coop can make it easy to quickly sweep up any debris or dust that may accumulate on the walls or over any air vents. Regularly removing dust and cobwebs will create a cleaner breathing environment for your chickens.
Use a paint scraper for caked-on droppings
Sometimes, droppings can get caked onto the walls, roost, or floor of the coop, making it difficult to clean. Use a paint scraper to remove and scrape off any dried droppings easily. This will not only keep your coop cleaner but also prevent any potential buildup of bacteria.
Use a manure bucket for spot-cleaning
To make things easier on my back, I like to keep a bucket in our coop for daily cleanups. Each morning, I will fill the bucket with soiled bedding and scrapings from the roost. A medium-sized bucket can hold five shovel fulls of soiled bedding and keep a coop in better shape if done daily. Once full, I can take the bucket to our compost area and dump it out.
Rake the Run
Once a week, rake the run to remove any excess droppings, food rinds, or misc items such as branches or rocks. This can help to keep the run in better shape, making it nicer for your chickens to relax in.
Keeping a clean and tidy coop is essential for the overall health and wellbeing of your chickens. By incorporating simple practices such as using herbs, keeping a duster on hand, and regularly spot-cleaning, you can maintain a hygienic environment for your flock. Additionally, raking the run and using a manure bucket for daily cleanups are effective ways to prevent the buildup of bacteria and maintain a clean coop. With these tips, your chickens will have a safe and comfortable living space to thrive in.
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