Routine coop maintenance is an essential part of keeping your chickens healthy and safe, as well as, aid in preventing parasite infestations, rodent infestations, and predator attacks.
How often you should clean your hen house or chicken coop
How often you should clean your hen house and coops depends on how many chickens you have and how big your hen house or coop run is. However, developing and following a routine cleaning schedule will make cleaning your coop much easier. You should clean your hen house and chicken coop regularly (a good rule of thumb-if you can smell chicken feces-it is time to clean your coop). Make a schedule for coop cleaning and follow these guidelines to maintain your chickens coop:
- Poop scoop under your chickens roosting bars every morning.
- You should poop scoop your hen house litter at least every other day and make a complete change if litter is too dirty. Dirty chicken litter can cause bacterial infections and is a breeding ground for parasites.
- Remove any wet bedding-Any wet bedding or litter should be removed right away as it can cause serious illness to your flock.
- Move your chicken coop-It is a good idea to move your chicken coop weekly, once a month is okay but never wait until two months to move or deep clean your coop and ground where your coop sits, as certain bacteria and fungal infestations that can make your chickens very sick occur during the second month. If you have a chicken tractor you should move it regularly and before the chickens eat all of the grass. If you leave the tractor to long in one area and allow your chickens to eat all of the grass, greens, herbs, and allow feces to build up the nitrogen from their feces will make it impossible to grow anything in that spot for several months. You should till the soil after moving your coop and wait one year before planting crops where chicken coops were.
- If you cannot move your chicken coop-If your coop is not mobile cleaning your coop will be alot harder and will need to be done more often. Deep cleaning floors, walls, ceilings, roosts, nest boxes will need to be done at least once a month. If your coop is not infested with parasites or rodents you can spread these chores out throughout the week or month and can be scheduled around your schedule.
- Till the ground-You should till the ground in your coop and run area is at least once every 2 months.
- Nest boxes should be kept clean and dry at all times. Do daily inspections of your nest boxes. Never leave eggs in the nest box overnight as this will attract rodents, snakes, and other more vicious predators.
- Clean and disinfect roosting bars weekly to prevent mite and lice infestations
- Chicken coops should be cleaned and disinfected weekly but can be delayed up to 2 months but not any longer.
- While cleaning your coop inspect and repair any holes, cracked wood, loose boards, or torn wire or fencing as soon as possible.
