By Domenica Protheroe
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Keeping a clean coop starts well before "the girls" even reach the backyard. Clean coop = Space, Bedding, DRY, Ventilation, Weather Proof and then some. The design of the chicken coop leads either to coop that is easy to keep clean or to a headache that never goes away. The rise of Urban Chicken movement makes it easy to do the research necessary to understand the pros and cons of each decision. Google can help you find the right fit from your family. If you prefer, our library and local feed and farm stores have books available on the subject.
Official BYC Poll - How Many Square Feet Per Chicken? This link leads to the Back Yard Chicken forum, and specifically to a poll on how much SPACE is needed for a small flock. Be sure to "View Results (312 results)". After reading just a few comments, it will be clear that there are many answers to the question "how much room per chicken". Space requirements for the Run and the coop differ. Typically a run has more space than a coop. In this article - Starting a Small Flock of Chickens, the author states that if
chickens are allowed five square
feet per bird in the coop, the chickens will continually turn in all manure laid down. At
four square feet, there will be some "capping" of manure
(accumulation of an impervious layer the birds cannot incorporate), especially
under the roosts. At three square feet, there can be capping over all or most
of the litter. If you find that the manure is building up in this way, simply
use a spading fork to turn over the capped areas in clumps. The chickens will
then be able to break up the clumps and work them into the litter.
Not surprisingly, there are many opinions on which type of BEDDING works best. It is necessary to maintain DRY bedding that is safe and will compost easily. To keep hens healthy and odors at bay the coop must be kept clean, stay dry and free of mold. Here are some bedding choices.
- Weed Free Oat Straw: Some people like straw and some do not. Most say it is slippery and that it molds. Straw takes time to compost. Still, I know many people who love Oat straw for hens.
- Hay: Again some like it, some do not. If composting, hay has weed seeds.
- Sawdust: I've read that some like it, but I worry that the dust would cause respiratory problems.
- Wood shavings: NO treated wood! Actually, no treated anything. There are retail solutions, and it may be possible to find a lower cost source locally. Good for composting.
- Pine/or aspen shavings: A favorite. Composts nicely.
- Pellets: Retail solutions. Composts quickly.
- Cedar: Avoid. The oil can build up in the liver of chickens.
- Dry leaves: Used with the deep litter method. If you use dry leaves, make sure they stay dry.
- Rice hulls: Nice if you can find them. I plan to research rice hulls, as I really like the idea.
Bedding for chicks adds additional criteria. To prevent leg problems, do not start chicks off on anything slippery, such as glossy newspapers and straw. Don't consider anything that can poke the young chicks, such as hay or straw. Chopped straw may be an option.
VENTILATION is critical, and when designing ventilation, be sure to plan a solution that keeps out extreme cold and rain. It is very important to keep rain run off out of the coop and nest boxes! Have I said how important it is to keep the coop DRY? Coops should have natural light, you may be able to tackle both ventilation and light at the same time. A south facing window will bring in warmth in the winter months, and provide light throughout the year. Make sure the air can circulate. Think cross breeze and know this helps to prevent respiratory issues. Where you have ventilation, make sure to have a plan to keep the extreme cold out of the coop in winter. Lastly, make sure ventilation sources do not allow predators a door way into the hen house.
Ticks of the trade:
- One of the best tools to maintain a clean coop is a droppings tray under the roost. One that can be accessed easily and cleaned often, and by cleaned I mean composted. After all, chicken poop is the gold standard for garden fertilizer! But that is a story for another day.
- Hang both their feeder and waterer 4-6" above the ground. The girls like to scratch, keeping the food and water source off the ground, helps to keep the dirt and poop on the ground where it belongs. When it comes to water, a good rule to remember, if you wouldn't want to drink the water, neither would "the girls". Make it a rule to change it daily.
- Keep all chicken food in a metal trash can with a lid. Metal trash cans come in many sizes and are available at feed, farm and hardware store. They offer the best way to avoid attracting rodents.
- On a monthly basis change out the bedding, and every week add an additional layers of bedding, stirring it up with a rake. And if I have not said it enough, keep the bedding DRY! If the bedding is not dry, move it out to the compost.
- One trick with bedding is to rotate it starting at the nest box, to the floor to the droppings tray (under the roost) and then to the compost as discussed in this sweet blog post.
- You will need to do a top to bottom cleaning every quarter. Never miss the fall cleaning, as winter makes this job difficult. Here is a simple, yet complete article titled How to Clean a Chicken Coop
- Here is a great article on Winter care of the coop. It is for a colder climate, but has many good tips: Winter Chicken Coop Care, Part 1: Clean your coop.
- There is a school of thought on The Deep Litter Method. I liked this blog post from Farm Girly
I hope this has provided some food for thought. Best of luck finding a solution that works for you! Be sure to share your ideas and findings on the MI Chicken Revolution Facebook page.
