You cannot smell a clean chicken coop. As soon as you smell ammonia when opening the door, the bedding is too wet or has been left too long. This page is about the layer on the floor and the cleaning routine that keeps your coop dry, fresh and unattractive to parasites.
What bedding has to do
Floor covering absorbs droppings and moisture, insulates against a cold floor and gives the chickens something to scratch in. Good bedding absorbs a lot of moisture, is low in dust and free of mould. Common choices are dust-free wood fibre or wood shavings, chopped straw, and hemp or flax bedding. Long, unchopped straw mats together and can start to heat, and fine sawdust is dusty, which burdens the airways.
A workable cleaning routine
- Daily or every few days: remove the droppings under the perch. That is where most of it ends up, and with a droppings board or tray it is quick.
- Weekly: replace wet patches around the drinker and check nest boxes for dirty bedding.
- Periodically: empty the coop, brush it clean dry, wash it out and let it dry thoroughly before putting in new bedding. During that clean, pay attention to seams and the ends of perches: that is where red mite hides.
Dryness starts with the coop
Bedding only stays dry if the coop is well ventilated and the drinker does not leak. A drinker on legs or on a tile stops chickens kicking bedding into it. A coop with smooth walls and few cracks, such as you can choose in compact chicken coops and walk-in coops, makes the periodic clean easier. For cleaning and disinfecting products, see disinfecting and cleaning the stable, and if you suspect parasites, red mite control.
This subcategory is still being stocked with types of bedding. Back to chicken coop and run or on to the floor of the run.
Frequently asked questions
Which bedding is suitable for a chicken coop?
Low-dust wood fibre, chopped straw, and hemp and flax bedding absorb moisture well. Avoid dusty sawdust and long straw that can go mouldy.
How often should I clean the chicken coop out completely?
That depends on the number of chickens and the size of the coop. Remove the droppings under the perch often; do a big clean as soon as the bedding becomes damp or starts to smell.
Can chicken manure go on the compost heap?
Yes, mixed with bedding it is a nitrogen-rich addition to compost. Do not use it fresh on vegetables; let it compost thoroughly first.