DIY Chicken Coop All-Purpose Cleaner

Sharing is caring!

 When you have a homestead there are certain things that need to be done each month throughout the entire year. Cleaning out the chicken coop is one of those things, and if you live where it snows, something that you should do in the fall.

I have found a great DIY chicken coop all-purpose cleaner that is natural and works amazingly well in our coop. The biggest benefit of raising chickens is eggs, so keep them coming all year long!

This DIY spray includes the ingredients needed to deter pests that like to show up when it’s cold outside and has a natural deodorizer that can freshen things up a bit for you, the owner, as well.

If you are brand new to raising chickens and are not quite sure what needs to be done when cleaning out your chicken coop, you can read my article HERE. There you will get the steps that will walk you through all that needs to be done when cleaning out your coop.

When I first started raising chickens, I did not realize that pro-health in animals is crucial to a healthy flock. Not only that, encouraging health in your chickens is so much easier and more important than waiting for illness to arrive and scrambling around to treat it.

Since then, I have learned that providing a clean and healthy environment is the easiest and cheapest way to raise any animal….especially chickens.

Chickens have this tendency to mask their symptoms when they are ill or injured. This is a natural instinct and the reason why it is so important to stay on top of things. 

tips to keep in mind when raising chickens. 

There are a few things I have learned over the years that have helped me to have healthier chickens and an all-around stronger flock.

#1. Hold your hens

Be sure to put your hands on your chickens whenever you are near them. This will help you to become more accustomed to their body condition, allowing you to more easily see when things feel off. Being hands-on will also train your hens to be people friendly, allowing you to treat them more easily if an issue should come up.

#2. Train your chickens

Every time you feed your hens, use the same words and voice to call them to the food. This will teach them to know that sound means food and to come when they hear it.

This is useful for calling your chickens at night as well as getting them away from danger if it should arise. 

#3. Give fresh water

Water is crucial to healthy animals. To be sure everyone is drinking, you will want to change out the water daily. Many times animals will ignore water that is dirty or stale, so take the time to freshen it up whenever you feed your flock. 

How to Clean Out a Chicken Coop

This is a quick overview for cleaning out your coop. If you want more of an all inclusive guide, you can jump over here and read: How to Clean Out Your Coop Step by Step.

Step 1. Empty Everything Out

Before we can talk about the cleaner, you first will need to clean out your coop. Using a heavy-duty lightweight shovel, remove all the bedding and put it into your compost bin or wheelbarrow.

This part usually takes the longest, so if you can, enlist some help.

Step #2. Wash and dry

If you can, remove the nesting boxes, any dishes, bowls, and feeders. Whatever is not connected to the coop, bring it out and wash it with soap and water, allowing it to dry in the sunshine. The sun is a natural disinfectant and works quite well. 

Step #3. Sterilize

Use the DIY cleaner recipe below to ensure you are cleaning and sterilizing each part of your chicken coop without the risk of toxic chemicals. 

DIY Chicken Coop All-Purpose Cleaner

If you are getting ready to clean your chicken coop, don’t just go in with water and bleach. I have used it before myself, and I have learned that it doesn’t always work as well as we would like.

Not only is it abrasive on your hands but on your nose as well. And if it bothers us, it will also likely bother your chickens.  

You can instead use a natural spray that will clean, disinfect and help your hens fight those pests naturally and more effectively.

In this day and age, eating clean foods with as few chemicals as possible is one of the main reasons many of us have a homestead. This is an even better reason why you may want to keep the chemicals out when you can and help ensure you always have organic foods from egg to table.

Diy Chicken Coop All-Purpose Cleaner

• 2 1/2 cups of water
• 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
• 20 drops of lemongrass essential oil (parasite repellant)
• 20 drops lavender or peppermint essential oil (helps remove odors)

Step #1. In a quart-sized mason jar, combine water and vinegar.

Step #2. Add the drops of essential oils and mix gently. Remember to mix before every use since water and oil separate naturally.

Step #3. Label your mason jar with DIY all-purpose chicken coop cleaner and seal until needed.

I simply pour the amount I need into my spray bottle as I need it. Glass is needed when using essential oils in order to keep the integrity of the oil intact while being stored.

If you plan to use the entire bottle in one go, then a plastic spray bottle should be fine. However, you will want to keep any extra in a glass mason jar until you need it again. 

Since I prefer to spot clean weekly, I store mine in a glass spray bottle and a glass mason jar.

This DIY all-purpose chicken coop cleaner is great to use on any surface.

You can spray the nesting boxes, the walls of the chicken coop, entryways, and even the chicken roost. A light mist each week will ensure you are keeping up with maintenance without putting forth too much effort. Remember to gently rotate the bottle to mix BEFORE each spray, as the oils tend to separate while sitting. 

Make a schedule of your weekly and monthly chores to help ensure you do everything on your maintenance list. Keep that list in your home and on the coop door as a visual reminder of what needs to be done and when. This extra step will help you to deter disease before it hits, which is, after all, our number one goal as homesteaders.

Remember, our animals depend on us for their care, so it is important to give them the best and most natural home and coop we can. Finally, I know oils are the new buzzword, so do not jump into them lightly. Do your research and commit to making a change for your homestead, your animals, and your family.

Have you tried this DIY chicken coop all-purpose cleaner yet? If so, what did you think?

Setting Up a Chicken Coop Resources:

• How to DIY Chicken Nesting Boxes
• Building the Perfect Chicken Roost
• Having Dust Baths for your Chickens