When you have farm animals, such as chickens, it is necessary to regularly maintain their living environment, not only for the well-being and health of the animals and to ensure a healthy living environment, but also to eliminate parasites and avoid the risk of disease. Having a chicken coop does not require a lot of effort but it does require regular cleaning.
Why is maintenance necessary?
A chicken coop must be maintained regularly to avoid the proliferation of bacteria, parasites and therefore diseases that could contaminate your chickens. A careful and regular cleaning also helps to fight against pests. So cleaning your chicken coop is not only necessary to ensure the comfort and hygiene of your chickens but also to protect them from any risk of disease and ensure optimal health.
How to clean your chicken coop?
To ensure a complete cleaning of the coop, you will have to wash and disinfect the feeders, the drinkers, the perches, the laying area, the dust pan and the various places where the chickens excrete. The first thing to do is to completely empty the chicken coop. You can start with the feeders, drinkers and perches, and end with the litter box where your chickens’ droppings accumulate.
Empty and dispose of the dirty litter and thoroughly wash and disinfect the waste drawer. Once this is done, you will take care to put back a clean litter, preferably natural and therefore more absorbent. The litter should be spread over 3 to 5 cm. The litter not only serves to absorb the droppings and urine of your animals, but it is also an excellent means of insulation against the cold, as well as being a very comfortable floor for the hens.
Feeders, drinkers and perches should also be thoroughly washed and disinfected before you give your chickens water and feed. Do not hand over each of the various elements until they are completely dry.
The laying area should also be thoroughly cleaned. It is best to get your chickens used to a specific laying area in the chicken coop so that you don’t have to go hunting for eggs every day.
How often should it be cleaned?
The cleaning of your chicken coop should be done every week. It is necessary to ensure the hygiene and comfort of your hens. If you have the time and depending on the number of chickens you have, it may be useful to do a partial cleaning of the chicken coop during the week. For example, removing droppings from your chickens every day will make it easier and faster to clean your chicken coop completely. To remove droppings from the litter box, get a scoop that will allow you to easily remove all the droppings.
You can also clean the feeders and drinkers more regularly, which will also allow you to check that your chickens have enough water and food.
Each year, before the winter period, it is advisable to clean your coop more thoroughly by washing and disinfecting all the walls, ceilings, doors and floors in order to get rid of pests and any resistant parasites. Scrubbing can be done with a powerful jet of water and a brush that will allow you to remove all the encrusted dirt and clean every corner of the coop.
Having chickens requires taking care of their home in order to give them a pleasant and healthy place to live.
