How to clean out your chooks ?

[jimred]

at night i put newspaper down in the coop when the girls have settled down.

in the morning i pick it up with all the pooh on and stick it in the composter, but i have only got 8 chooks, but it keeps it nice and clean

[Bramble-Poultry]

chook poo is acidic, ash is alkaline. put together should neutralise.

used to use woodash to make lye, by slowly filtering water through it to make a very strong alkaline base fluid. mix this fluid with melted pork fat to make a basic soap. add flavourings and away you go. well you can, i'll stick to me bar of imperial leather

[Suechooks]

chook poo is acidic, ash is alkaline. put together should neutralise.

That's what I thought too Jenni/Mike but there were several posts recently insisting it was alkaline! So I soil tested it and got an acid reading both on meter and powder of actual poo and soil from the run.

[Liza]

Excellent question Liza!

Congratulations on your set up (I saw your photos on the other thread!) Its a FAB feeling isn't it when you get your very own girls? Just wait till they start laying eggs! It was identical to the one I had until last weekend when Mr DDL and I built the "super" run. (I will post photos - honest!). Actually, we still have, I've put the coop inside the main run.

As for cleaning, I empty the whole coop, give it a good sweep out. I then disinfect spray it all, leaving the doors open till it drys.
I know its something most people don't do, but I have a thick piece of rubber to line the main part of the coop, reason being, I don't think the base of the coop is that good a quality and I don't really want it rotting sooner than necessary by getting too wet. I then cover this with newspaper and shavings. I also put a fresh piece of newspaper under the perch and take that out everyday with the poo. I also mix Diatom (I think) its a disinfectant powder that discourages red mite with the shavings.

In fact, Ive just come in from cleaning the girls out.

I know I'm probably going OTT with the disinfectant and powder, but I'd rather keep red mite at bay than give them the slightest chance. BTW I buy all my stuff off ebay. If you want any more details, just PM me and I'll let you know.

Thanks Dexter

[Snadger]

chook poo is acidic, ash is alkaline. put together should neutralise.

used to use woodash to make lye, by slowly filtering water through it to make a very strong alkaline base fluid. mix this fluid with melted pork fat to make a basic soap. add flavourings and away you go. well you can, i'll stick to me bar of imperial leather

Below is a recent thread.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...oop_44091.html

Read Two Sheds replies on post 6 & 7?

[Urban Chickens]

i find using poultry shieldmworks well for the prevention of red ite

[BUFFS]

at night i put newspaper down in the coop when the girls have settled down.

in the morning i pick it up with all the pooh on and stick it in the composter, but i have only got 8 chooks, but it keeps it nice and clean

after reading on one of the threads,i now put two 2x2ft black plant trays into the coop floor each day while cleaning out,these sit under the roost bars,i then cover these with several layers of newspaper(which paper is optional,considering what drops on them),i put shavings around the sides,which cuts any draughts(at the rate im using it,it should last at least 6 months),so all i do each day is lift out the trays and dump the contents onto the compost bin, as for the nestboxes,i use any personal papers i have shredded and change each sunday,so it now costs me virtually nothing for their bedding,and all thanks to a previous thread,thank you, whoever you were.....

[gillian62]

I tried the 2 black trays when I got 3 chickens from a friend. Unfortunately they have spent the last year sitting on the bottom of a hutch at night, so aren't too happy sitting on perches. The just cuddle down together on the straw/sawdust underneath the nesting boxes.

[jimred]

the reward you get from laying newspaper down each night that in the morning the politicians and celebrates are covered in pooh, sad i know.

i put aubiose down in the coop and during the winter top this up with straw to reduce the air space

[OverWyreGrower]

My hens and duck are bedded on straw - i.e. on the shed floor and nestboxes. I also put a covering on the droppings tray.

I clean them out between 3 and 4 times a week - it's the ducks that make the mess mostly. I shovel all the straw/poo out and compost it, scrape off the droppings tray etc.

I put some good shakes of red mite powder on the perches and in the nest boxes as well.

I'd be happier if I didn't have some renegade hens who like to sleep (and poo) in the nestboxes! Every night I plonk them back on the perch, and then they move themselves again before I let them out in a morning!

The floor of my shed is lined with a large piece of (cheap) lino, to protect the floor. During the summer, I can remove this and scrub it clean. Once a year we replace the lino completely.

[dexterdoglancashire]

the reward you get from laying newspaper down each night that in the morning the politicians and celebrates are covered in pooh, sad i know.

I never thought of that, but its very true!

[Hilary B]

Not convinced about the alkali thing. Bird poo contains Uric Acid. When it starts to break down it tends to turn to ammonia, which is alkaline. Maybe it depends on the age......

[BUFFS]

the reward you get from laying newspaper down each night that in the morning the politicians and celebrates are covered in pooh, sad i know.

i put aubiose down in the coop and during the winter top this up with straw to reduce the air space

but jimred, what drops down on the polititions is what makes it soooo good,would you buy a second hand car from any of them? ....nooooooooooo way!!