A dirty chicken coop can quickly see your feathered friends getting sick and catching a whole range of nasty diseases which could threaten the health of your backyard chickens. As a result, regularly cleaning your chicken coop is recommended for anyone who is looking to raise healthy backyard chickens. Here I provide you with some tips and tricks when it comes to cleaning the chicken coop for your backyard chickens.
Change their water regularly
If one of your backyard chickens is unfortunate enough to contract an illness, this disease can quickly spread through your chickens’ shared water feed. Because of this, it is essential that you regularly change your chickens’ water supply! Not only will this stop diseases from spreading, but it will also stop the water from becoming stagnant and dangerous in itself!
Rake up feathers
Your chickens are going to molt their feathers all over the place, especially in the summer when it starts to get hot! Soon, your backyard chicken coop may have a new carpet of feathers where hay used to be. Be sure to rake these feathers up regularly. When it comes to the floor of the coop, sand floors are recommended by a lot of people, and wood chip floors can be good if it’s winter or you live in a colder climate. You don’t want your backyard chickens to be shivering!
Pressure wash your coop at least once a year
Pressure washers are great for cleaning your chicken coop, and you should pressure wash your coop at least once every 12 months. By using water jets and a decent-quality soap, you can get rid of dirt and nasty bacteria really easily! Pressure wash all the wood and be sure to keep an eye out for any mold or rotting – it’s easy to do an inspection of the coop while cleaning it.
This way, you can make a note about anything which may need replacing or repairing soon. Feel free to pressure wash both the inside and the outside when cleaning your chicken coop – you still want it to look nice and presentable!
Put down some Diatomaceous Earth
After pressure washing, put down some high-quality food-grade Diatomaceous Earth. This will help to stop bugs such as lice and mites in their tracks, allowing your backyard chickens to roam around without being bothered by pesky insects who can wreak havoc on your poor backyard chickens!