Deep-cleaning the coop became easier after we made a few simple management modifications. Not only is it faster to complete the semi-annual ‘deep cleanings,’ but I find that I am able to keep the coops cleaner in between deep cleanings by employing these five elements: droppings boards, removable roosts, a dedicated coop duster and sand . Not only is it faster to complete the semi-annual ‘deep cleanings,’ but I find that I am able to keep the coops cleaner in between deep cleanings by employing these five elements: droppings boards, removable roosts, a dedicated coop duster, sand and apple cider vinegar.

 

DROPPINGS BOARDS 

Droppings boards are essentially shelves designed to collect chicken poop deposited overnight. Backyard chickens spend most of their waking hours outside the coop, either ranging freely outside the run or wandering around inside an enclosed run, which means that droppings inside the coop accumulate primarily overnight underneath the roosts. Utilizing droppings boards to collect those droppings is a simple and effective method
for keeping the coop largely poop-free.

Utilizing droppings boards to collect those droppings is a simple and effective method for keeping the coop largely poop-free.

Each morning, I take my trusty beach pail and scrape the droppings into it with a taping knife. The droppings are then added directly to my compost pile. Droppings boards keep the litter/bedding cleaner, which means less frequent litter changes and less frequent litter changes result in time and money savings.

I use a thin layer of Sweet Coop® to absorb any residual moisture on the droppings boards after daily scraping, which creates an inhospitable environment for flies and the generation of ammonia!

Sweet Coop® zeolite

 

Sweet Coop®

Bonus:  Sweet Coop® acts like a slow-release fertilizer in the garden after being composted with droppings! 

 Each morning, I take my trusty beach pail and scrape the droppings into it with a taping knife. The droppings are then added directly to my compost pile. Droppings boards keep the litter/bedding cleaner, which means less frequent litter changes and less frequent litter changes result in time and money savings.

Beyond coop sanitation, droppings boards provide a daily opportunity to assess the health and well-being of the flock. I am able to see plainly whether a chicken has been injured in a scuffle overnight, has contracted coccidiosisworms or diarrhea. Without droppings boards, most of that evidence would be hidden in the bedding, denying the chicken-keeper the opportunity to detect and treat certain health problems as early as possible.

When reinstalling the roosts, my husband affixed joist hangers, which the 2-by-4s fit into, which made the roosts removable for cleaning.

REMOVABLE ROOSTS

We removed the original roosts that came installed in the pre-fab coop with a sledgehammer.  

The replacement roosts were 2 x 4s inserted into joist hangers secured to the walls.

When reinstalling the roosts, my husband affixed joist hangers, which the 2-by-4s fit into, which made the roosts removable for cleaning.

When we purchased our first coop, it came with roosts permanently affixed to the walls. When we decided to install droppings boards, the roosts needed to be raised in order for the droppings boards to fit underneath. When reinstalling the roosts, my husband affixed joist hangers, which the 2-by-4s fit into, which made the roosts removable for cleaning. I find that removable roosts much easier to sand or scrub clean if they are on the ground outside the coop. It is also much easier to access the areas behind and underneath the roosts when they are out of the way. I periodically replace the roosts with new 2x4s.

Coop with roosts and droppings boards removed for semi-annual cleaning.
Coop with roosts and droppings boards removed for semi-annual cleaning
Sand as litter in the chicken coop looks cleaner than other litter option and is cleaner!

SAND – THE LITTER SUPERSTAR

Sand as litter in the chicken coop looks cleaner than other litter option and is cleaner! In scientific studies done by the Auburn University Department of Poultry Science, sand performed better than pine shavings with lower bacterial counts, lower fungal populations and lower moisture levels. The Auburn study states, “Sand, being inorganic, contains few nutrients that could be utilized by bacteria and, thus, would tend to lead to lower bacterial numbers.” “Additionally, sand may lack binding sites for bacteria.” Coliform counts, including E.coli, were found be significantly lower in sand than in wood shavings. Sand costs a fraction of the price of any other litter material and keeps the coop cleaner with less effort! Like the droppings boards, sand is attended to once daily, which takes only minutes to achieve a clean, dry environment for my flock, which is healthier for them.

Chicken coop and run sand scoopers
For more about the benefits of using sand as chicken coop litter, please visit my blog post here

FEED BAGS ON WALLS

Staple empty feed bags onto the walls behind the roosts. It’s much easier to replace soiled feed bags than it is to scrape chicken poop off the walls!

Staple empty feed bags onto the walls behind the roosts. It's much easier to replace soiled feed bags than it is to scrape chicken poop off the walls!

DUSTER

The harsh reality of housekeeping in chicken coops is that they are perpetually dusty. Regardless of the litter choice, it generates dust. In fact, chickens themselves are especially dusty. If you have ever raised baby chicks inside the house in a brooder, you know this to be true.

The harsh reality of housekeeping in chicken coops is that they are perpetually dusty. Regardless of the litter choice, it generates dust. In fact, chickens themselves are especially dusty. If you have ever raised baby chicks inside the house in a brooder, you know this to be true.

To keep the dust to a manageable level, I keep a duster inside the chicken coop. Whenever I have a moment to spare, I give the walls, nest box curtains, window dressings and feedbag artwork a quick dusting, which makes the semi-annual cleaning a much less tedious undertaking.

To keep the dust to a manageable level, I keep a duster inside the chicken coop. Whenever I have a moment to spare, I give the walls, nest box curtains, window dressings and feedbag artwork a quick dusting, which makes the semi-annual cleaning a much less tedious undertaking.
Kathy Shea Mormino, The Chicken Chick®
Rachel Divider

Kathy Shea Mormino

Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on

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Deep-cleaning the coop became easier after we made a few simple management modifications. Not only is it faster to complete the semi-annual ‘deep cleanings,’ but I find that I am able to keep the coops cleaner in between deep cleanings by employing these five elements: droppings boards, removable roosts, a dedicated coop duster and sand . Not only is it faster to complete the semi-annual ‘deep cleanings,’ but I find that I am able to keep the coops cleaner in between deep cleanings by employing these five elements: droppings boards, removable roosts, a dedicated coop duster, sand and apple cider vinegar.

 

DROPPINGS BOARDS 

Droppings boards are essentially shelves designed to collect chicken poop deposited overnight. Backyard chickens spend most of their waking hours outside the coop, either ranging freely outside the run or wandering around inside an enclosed run, which means that droppings inside the coop accumulate primarily overnight underneath the roosts. Utilizing droppings boards to collect those droppings is a simple and effective method
for keeping the coop largely poop-free.

Utilizing droppings boards to collect those droppings is a simple and effective method for keeping the coop largely poop-free.

Each morning, I take my trusty beach pail and scrape the droppings into it with a taping knife. The droppings are then added directly to my compost pile. Droppings boards keep the litter/bedding cleaner, which means less frequent litter changes and less frequent litter changes result in time and money savings.

I use a thin layer of Sweet Coop® to absorb any residual moisture on the droppings boards after daily scraping, which creates an inhospitable environment for flies and the generation of ammonia!

Sweet Coop® zeolite

 

Sweet Coop®

Bonus:  Sweet Coop® acts like a slow-release fertilizer in the garden after being composted with droppings! 

 Each morning, I take my trusty beach pail and scrape the droppings into it with a taping knife. The droppings are then added directly to my compost pile. Droppings boards keep the litter/bedding cleaner, which means less frequent litter changes and less frequent litter changes result in time and money savings.

Beyond coop sanitation, droppings boards provide a daily opportunity to assess the health and well-being of the flock. I am able to see plainly whether a chicken has been injured in a scuffle overnight, has contracted coccidiosisworms or diarrhea. Without droppings boards, most of that evidence would be hidden in the bedding, denying the chicken-keeper the opportunity to detect and treat certain health problems as early as possible.

When reinstalling the roosts, my husband affixed joist hangers, which the 2-by-4s fit into, which made the roosts removable for cleaning.

REMOVABLE ROOSTS

We removed the original roosts that came installed in the pre-fab coop with a sledgehammer.  

The replacement roosts were 2 x 4s inserted into joist hangers secured to the walls.

When reinstalling the roosts, my husband affixed joist hangers, which the 2-by-4s fit into, which made the roosts removable for cleaning.

When we purchased our first coop, it came with roosts permanently affixed to the walls. When we decided to install droppings boards, the roosts needed to be raised in order for the droppings boards to fit underneath. When reinstalling the roosts, my husband affixed joist hangers, which the 2-by-4s fit into, which made the roosts removable for cleaning. I find that removable roosts much easier to sand or scrub clean if they are on the ground outside the coop. It is also much easier to access the areas behind and underneath the roosts when they are out of the way. I periodically replace the roosts with new 2x4s.

Coop with roosts and droppings boards removed for semi-annual cleaning.
Coop with roosts and droppings boards removed for semi-annual cleaning
Sand as litter in the chicken coop looks cleaner than other litter option and is cleaner!

SAND – THE LITTER SUPERSTAR

Sand as litter in the chicken coop looks cleaner than other litter option and is cleaner! In scientific studies done by the Auburn University Department of Poultry Science, sand performed better than pine shavings with lower bacterial counts, lower fungal populations and lower moisture levels. The Auburn study states, “Sand, being inorganic, contains few nutrients that could be utilized by bacteria and, thus, would tend to lead to lower bacterial numbers.” “Additionally, sand may lack binding sites for bacteria.” Coliform counts, including E.coli, were found be significantly lower in sand than in wood shavings. Sand costs a fraction of the price of any other litter material and keeps the coop cleaner with less effort! Like the droppings boards, sand is attended to once daily, which takes only minutes to achieve a clean, dry environment for my flock, which is healthier for them.

Chicken coop and run sand scoopers
For more about the benefits of using sand as chicken coop litter, please visit my blog post here

FEED BAGS ON WALLS

Staple empty feed bags onto the walls behind the roosts. It’s much easier to replace soiled feed bags than it is to scrape chicken poop off the walls!

Staple empty feed bags onto the walls behind the roosts. It's much easier to replace soiled feed bags than it is to scrape chicken poop off the walls!

DUSTER

The harsh reality of housekeeping in chicken coops is that they are perpetually dusty. Regardless of the litter choice, it generates dust. In fact, chickens themselves are especially dusty. If you have ever raised baby chicks inside the house in a brooder, you know this to be true.

The harsh reality of housekeeping in chicken coops is that they are perpetually dusty. Regardless of the litter choice, it generates dust. In fact, chickens themselves are especially dusty. If you have ever raised baby chicks inside the house in a brooder, you know this to be true.

To keep the dust to a manageable level, I keep a duster inside the chicken coop. Whenever I have a moment to spare, I give the walls, nest box curtains, window dressings and feedbag artwork a quick dusting, which makes the semi-annual cleaning a much less tedious undertaking.

To keep the dust to a manageable level, I keep a duster inside the chicken coop. Whenever I have a moment to spare, I give the walls, nest box curtains, window dressings and feedbag artwork a quick dusting, which makes the semi-annual cleaning a much less tedious undertaking.
Kathy Shea Mormino, The Chicken Chick®
Rachel Divider
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Sara
Sara
27 days ago

Do you have a link for the scooper?

Amber
Amber
2 years ago

Does the sand in the coop chickens as warm as other types of bedding such as pine shavings?

Tara E Turner
Tara E Turner
4 years ago

Is there somewhere on your site that you list your daily, weekly, monthly, bi-annual, and annual coop cleaning chores?

Julianne
Julianne
4 years ago

Great tips! Thank you. We have a roost over a sandbox, but I’ve never thought of a droopings board in the coop. I’ll get right to that. Great point about assessing their health.

Mary Abraham
Mary Abraham
4 years ago

What is that white stuf you use on your perch pace for your chickens. Plus what do you use in your nesting boxes.

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