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Used to scrub coop weekly, now I do deep clean every 3 months instead
First year with my 6 hens in Spokane I was out there every Sunday with the hose and vinegar mix, scrubbing perches and changing all the bedding. My back hated me and honestly the girls seemed stressed every time I went in there. Then I read about the deep litter method from a lady at the feed store and she said "stop treating it like a bathroom, treat it like a compost pile." So I switched to adding fresh pine shavings on top every few days and only doing a full clean out every 3 months. Smell is actually better now, no flies, and the bedding breaks down into this dark stuff the garden loves. My only worry was mites but I check under the roost bars every 2 weeks with a flashlight and havent had a problem yet. Anyone else make the switch and find their hens got calmer about being handled? Curious if the coop temp changes in winter with the deeper bedding, its my first cold season with this method.
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mark_miller15d ago
Made the same switch about two years ago and will not be going back. The compost pile advice is spot on, that is exactly how it works once the bedding gets deep enough. My hens used to flap and carry on every time I came in with the rake, and now they barely look up. I really do think the calmer vibe helps them, less fuss means less stress on the whole flock. On the winter question, mine stayed warmer once the bedding hit about six inches, it kind of packs down and holds some heat. Just watch for damp spots near the waterer because wet bedding in cold weather is the real enemy. Keep up with that flashlight check under the roost bars and you should be in good shape.
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