It’s been a very unusual winter right here in our zone, with fluctuating temperatures that touched new data, a few of the wildest wind storms I’ve ever personally skilled, and a blended flock of geese and chickens that didn’t fairly know what to make of all of it. These wind storms had been purpose sufficient for the flock to spend a number of days inside their coop the place they may escape the blistering chilly and particularly the howling gales that knocked out energy, downed bushes, and created waist-high snow drifts across the pen.
For sure, the flock and I are excited on the prospect of spring, and with it’s going to come a deep clear in each the birds’ run and their coop. It’s a chore that I embrace for a number of causes, all of which I’ll reveal on this article. It’s essential to keep in mind that that is truly, at a minimal, a twice-a-year affair. Let’s dive proper into the why of it.
Why Does The Coop Want A Spring Cleansing?
As talked about, we’ve had a whole lot of up-and-down temperatures that went from freezing chilly one week to t-shirt climate the subsequent. We use one thing known as the deep bedding technique, which sees no large-scale removing of soiled bedding till the spring thaw arrives. As a substitute, new bedding is positioned on high of the outdated stuff, and as a result of physique warmth of the birds, the outdated bedding slowly begins the method of decomposition. By spring, the bedding is able to hit one of many many raised beds or pallet bins that we develop our pumpkins and squash from.
With fluctuating temperatures comes the opportunity of pests discovering themselves a pleasant heat residence throughout the coop itself, and generally on the birds within the type of mites. You don’t need this, and your chickens definitely don’t need this, belief me. In our space, it’s merely not doable for our birds to actively mud tub all yr, so mites and lice can probably be an issue, and regardless of how safe your coop could also be, rodents can all the time discover a method in. Giving a coop an in depth cleansing can eradicate the entire above from occurring, together with a complete lot extra.
Tips on how to Clear a Hen Coop
Proper, so spring has arrived, your birds are out foraging and blissful, and it’s the right day to wash out the coop. The very first thing you’re going to wish to do, particularly in case you use the deep bedding technique, is to take away all of the outdated bedding. You’ll desire a wheelbarrow useful as a result of chances are high there shall be a complete lot to maneuver. Once more, I put each final little bit of this the place I develop my squash, which feed on the nutrient-dense manure, whereas the moisture-retaining skills of the bedding permit the squash to wish far much less watering from me.
All this bedding may also be burned in case you have the means and see match to take action. Whereas I take advantage of mine, I additionally run the chance of any microscopic pests which have made a house within the outdated bedding getting a foothold once more. The chickens like to root across the compost bins and will probably are available contact if I’ve not been vigilant with giving them every thing they should keep their hygiene. It is a private determination that you just’ll should make for your self, and I encourage you to weigh the professionals and cons.
Spring cleansing doesn’t finish with changing bedding. As soon as the bedding is eliminated, permit as a lot air circulation to move by way of the coop as doable for a number of hours earlier than including new bedding in. Ideally, the removing of the outdated stuff happens very first thing within the morning so the coop can dry out all day lengthy, particularly if there’s a pleasant breeze. Whereas that is taking place, I take out all my nesting bins, that are made out of outdated milk crates, and produce them inside to wash them with heat soapy water sprayed from a twig bottle. In the event you’re nesting bins can’t be introduced in, give them a fast spray contained in the coop and dry them with a terry fabric. With the coop airing out, it received’t take them very lengthy to dry.
Creepy Crawlies
This subsequent half is one thing I contemplate to be important. On the slim probability that mites and lice have overwintered within the coop, now’s the time to present the little buggers a run for his or her cash and a purpose to get out of dodge, which is able to contain spraying the complete inside your coop.
Fortunately there are various nice sprays accessible, a few of that are utterly natural, and a few of which you may make at residence. I’ll warning you with the home made stuff as a result of I’ve discovered it to have restricted effectiveness, whereas store-bought sprays constantly get the job finished for us.
Regardless, you’re going to wish to utterly spray the whole thing of the coop on the within and provides it time to air out. I like to recommend doing this at the side of the remainder of the continued chores talked about earlier. Getting this finished in a single go is a time-consuming mission, however getting it out of the way in which now reasonably than when your birds begin to present indicators of stress from being preyed on by microscopic vampires is essential for the well being of your flock.
Repairs and Renovations
One last item I encourage you to do is that whereas the coop is empty, take lengthy go searching for any locations which may want a little bit love and care. Even one of the best constructed coops will want some repairs after a number of seasons—roofs may begin to leak, drafts begin the place there have been none prior, and mice can chew their method in alongside the flooring and foundations. Giving the complete construction a once-over rigorously will usually make hidden locations in want of repairs all of the extra seen, and nipping them within the butt whilst you’re already doing coop upkeep is, so far as I’m involved, one of the best time to each discover them and repair them.
With all that being stated, and as nasty as a few of the jobs may sound, they’re not. Because the years go on, this can be a job that I sit up for as a result of it signifies that whether or not I prefer it or not, spring is right here, and there are issues to do.
