cleaning with pine shavings

[packmomma]

i was curious for those of you that use pine shavings in your coops. Do you strip it down to clean or do you just take out the badly pooped areas and how often do you do this? also is there a good tool to use?

 

[ams3651]

i used the deep litter over the winter, I have a scoop shovel to clean it out. Then plan to use a bleach solution to wipe it down.

 

[chickflick]

I also use the deep litter method during winter. First warm spell we get, I clean it out and put new shavings in. Spring, I clean the coop out completely and use a bleach solution to disinfect. Let it dry out and put new shavings in. Then, I try and keep it sorta clean by using a dustpan and spatula to clean up the poop under the roosts. Add a bag of new shavings every few weeks. Keeps it smelling fresh. Also, use a rake and fluff up the shavings every few days.

 

[Blooming chicks]

Ditto the above. I do clean under the roosts/perches in the winter by picking out with a plastic pitch fork (the kind used for horse stalls). If I dont it will start to smell a bit. The deep litter method really works, people are amazed that it doesn't smell bad when they walk into my coop.

 

[vnploveschickens]

I do not use the deep litter method.

Once or twice a week, I scoop out the pooped areas, usually under the roost. I use a big dust pan. About every 1-1/2 to 2 months, I will clean out the entire coop and lay new pine shavings. I dust with DE and poultry dust too.

 

[riderbecky]

I use the deep litter method...though not as deep as some here do. I use a garden hoe to mix everything together whenever I start to notice a smell. I usually wind up cleaning the coop about 4 times a year; more if its a particularly damp year. I use both DE and agricultural lime in my coop. Also I'm thinking of adding a bit of earth in everytime I add to the shavings to promote good composting of the droppings and shavings (same as layering dirt into your compost heap) as my coop is off the ground with a wood and linoleum floor.

 

[Anny]

I also use deep litter method, and I spot scoop under the roost since it tends to get nasty under there.

 

[Bluemoon420]

I'll be doing the deep litter method also. I think we will be putting drop boards under the roost. Just to help keep it a little cleaner. Whatever gets scooped out, gets composted for the garden.


Bluemoon

 

[packmomma]

Thanks for all your input. I was going to use a deep litter method for mine as well. I just wasnt sure the best way to clean it out. I also am using the pine shavings in their area now at the baby stage and cant figure out a good way to clean it and not grab all the clean shavings. Just figured I could get some helpful hints.
I did think about getting a stall fork or a rake to take off the top layer or for the coop but this baby stage..the poop is so much smaller!

Its important these chickens not stink. The whole reason my husband didnt want them was because they did. I told them they didnt and in order to support my habit that I now have of fuzzy butts, I need to keep it as fresh as possible.

 

[marymac]

Quote:
How much lime do you use, and what does it do? Will the chickens not eat it?