Spring has sprung, therefore it’s time to indulge in the good ol’ spring clean. But don’t limit this to your house- it’s the perfect time to give your coop the good once over as well!
Short on supplies? Have a peck at our Spring Clean Bundle which has all you need to get that chook coop so fresh and so clean.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make your coop squeaky clean, and keep your flock healthy and happy.
Step 1: Mucking out the bedding
Using a trusty pair of gloves and a face mask (especially if you have allergies!) take every removable thing out of the coop. This includes feeders, drinkers, perches and nesting box trays. Then, grab all the used bedding and put it outside.
“Hot Tip: Use the chicken bedding to make an amazing compost for your garden!”
After you’ve gotten rid of all the bedding, scrape any dried bits and pieces off the coop with a paint scraper. It's a great tool to have on hand for any chicken keeper. Have a peck at our full list of essential tools for chook care here.
Step 2: Scraping off all the debris
Grab a brush and scrape off any dried bits of chicken poo, cobwebs, dust or any other materials out of the coop. Sweep the bottom of the coop.
After most of the debris has been cleared, mix some coop cleaner together and give the coop a scrub in places where any debris just doesn’t want to budge.
“Hot Tip: There are lots of all-natural ingredients you can mix together to make a sweet smelling apple cider vinegar coop cleaner. "
Using boiling water in the cleaning mixture is a good way to kill any mites that might have clung on for dear life up until this point!
Step 3: Rinse and repeat
Give the perches of the coop a good scrubbing, and then do the same with the nesting box trays. Get rid of any mould and litter, scrub the coop with your trusty apple cider vinegar cleaner, and pour some boiling water over the top to kill any remaining parasites.
Grab a hose and give the whole chicken coop a good sprinkling of water all over.
It’s time to let the chicken coop dry off, so now is a great time to give the feeders and drinkers a spring clean. Use your apple cider vinegar coop cleaner again to clean the chicken feeders and drinkers, then put them in the sun to dry completely.
Step 4: Fresh bedding
Once the coop has dried, pop some fresh hemp bedding into the nesting boxes. There's plenty of things you can add to your chicken coop bedding to keep it fresh and your chooks healthy and happy. Have a peck at our guide here!
“Hot Tip: Mix some regular grade diatomaceous earth into your fresh coop hemp bedding to prevent parasites and keep your girls dry and comfy.”
Step 5: Home Sweet Home!
It’s time to move back in. Pop some fresh hemp bedding on to the floor of the coop, and then put the dried feeders and drinkers back in. Then you can let the girls back in to their darling hen house.
Don’t forget to wash your hands!
All of our coops are very easy to keep clean - especially with the detachable cleaning trays! Our Taj Mahal, Penthouse and Mansion will give your chickens the hygienic house of their dreams.
From spring cleaning to winter warmers, each season has its tasks and challenges for chicken keepers. Come rain or shine, hot or cold, something we’ll never be able to control is the weather! This can be a worry and concern when thinking about the safety and comfort of your backyard friends.
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