Contrary to common belief, chicken coops dont have to stink. In fact, a stinky chicken coop should be the exception, not the rule. It’s not likely that your chicken coop will smell bad if you clean it often, unless it has been raining.
No one loves to do it, but cleaning out the chicken coop is an essential task if you want to keep healthy, happy hens.
Keeping your chicken coop clean is important if you want to get lots of fresh eggs. A dirty coop can spread diseases and parasites to your flock.
Keeping chickens can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Fresh eggs every morning, adorable fluffy chicks and quirky chicken antics make having a backyard flock worthwhile. However there are certain responsibilities that come with chicken ownership. One of the most important is keeping their coop clean. But how often should you be cleaning it out?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cleaning your chicken coop, from daily tidying to seasonal deep cleans. Follow this schedule, and your feathery friends will stay happy and healthy in a sanitary home.
Why Regular Chicken Coop Cleaning is Essential
Let’s talk about why coop hygiene is important before we get into the cleaning schedule. Here are some key reasons to keep things clean:
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Animals that live in dirty coops can get bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that make them sick. Salmonella, coccidiosis, respiratory illnesses, and other germs can grow in dirty places.
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Deters pests: Manure and debris attract insects, rodents and predators. A clean coop helps keep these harmful visitors away.
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Reduces odors: Chicken poop has an undeniable smell. Regular cleaning contains the stench so your yard doesn’t reek.
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Improves egg quality: Clean nesting boxes mean cleaner eggs. Removing manure and changing litter frequently leads to higher quality eggs.
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Prevents coop damage Excess moisture from urine and manure can decay wooden coops over time Routine cleaning protects your investment,
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Makes care easier: Scooping poop daily takes less effort than scrubbing layer upon layer of caked-on mess. Staying on top of it prevents big cleanups.
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Keeps chickens happy: Just like us, chickens feel more comfortable in a tidy home. Less illness and stress equals happier hens.
Now that you know why it matters, let’s get into the cleaning regimen your coop needs.
Daily Chicken Coop Cleaning Tasks
Aim to spend 5-10 minutes each day on these quick cleaning jobs:
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Remove old food: To discourage rodents, take out any leftover feed from hoppers at night when the chickens go to roost. Replace it with fresh food in the morning.
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Collect eggs: Gather eggs from nest boxes daily. Built-up eggs can break, creating a mess. Storing them promptly preserves freshness too.
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Scoop poop: Use a small shovel to remove droppings from under perches and in corners. Dropping boards or trays make this easier.
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Check litter condition: Fluff and stir litter (like pine shavings) to distribute it evenly. Remove any extremely soiled or wet patches.
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Refill water: Dump out old water and refresh it with clean, fresh water. Chickens drink a surprising amount, so daily refills are a must.
These quick daily chores keep your coop hygienic between deeper cleanings. They only require a few minutes out of your day.
Weekly Chicken Coop Cleaning Routine
Each week, set aside about 30 minutes to tackle these cleaning jobs:
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Change litter: Scoop out soiled litter and replace it with fresh pine shavings or other absorbent litter. Spot clean versus changing all litter.
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Clean feeders/waterers: Use a mild soap and water to scrub food and water containers. Rinse and dry them thoroughly afterwards.
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Wipe surfaces: Quickly wipe down roosts, hardware cloth, nest boxes and any other surfaces to remove droppings and debris.
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Check for pests/damage: Do a scan for any signs of rodents, leaks, broken parts or holes that need patching. Catch issues early.
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Tidy outdoor run: If your coop has a run, rake up manure piles, feathers and spilled food from the ground.
These weekly tasks prevent messes from building up over time. They involve a bit more elbow grease but are still quick and simple.
Monthly Deep Cleaning for Chicken Coops
Every 4-6 weeks, block off 1-2 hours for an intensive coop clean:
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Remove everything: Take out all litter, nesting material, feeders, waterers, perches, etc. so the coop is empty.
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Sweep away debris: Sweep up cobwebs, loose feathers, dirt and any debris with a broom. Get into corners.
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Wash surfaces: Mix a natural cleaner like vinegar, borax or tea tree oil with water. Use this and a scrub brush to wash all surfaces.
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Rinse thoroughly: Rinse the coop with clean water from a hose, removing any soap residue that could harm chickens.
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Disinfect: Opt for an additional disinfecting step with a poultry-safe product to kill lingering bacteria.
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Let dry: Allow the coop to completely dry before adding anything back. Ventilate well.
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Add fresh litter: Once dry, lay down 4-6 inches of fresh pine shavings or your preferred absorbent litter.
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Return accessories: Replace feeders, waterers, perches, nest boxes and anything else clean. Add fresh nesting material.
This intense clean really refreshes the coop. Aim for every 4-6 weeks, adjusting based on how dirty the coop gets.
Seasonal Chicken Coop Cleanouts
Do an extra thorough scrub at the start of each new season:
Spring:
- Check for any damage from winter weather. Make repairs.
- Clear out ALL old litter, dust and debris.
- Disinfect with an avian-safe product, let dry.
- Add fresh litter, nesting material and accessories.
Fall:
- Remove all contents again.
- Thoroughly scrub entire coop.
- Disinfect to prep for colder months.
- Install clean litter and nesting material.
These seasonal deep cleans give your coop a fresh restart and protect chicken health.
Extra Tips for Easy Chicken Coop Cleaning
Here are some bonus pointers to make your cleaning more efficient and effective:
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Wear gloves and a mask to protect yourself from bacteria.
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Clean when chickens are out free-ranging so they don’t get underfoot.
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Use a dustpan and hand broom for quick spot cleaning.
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Opt for litter like pine shavings that are easy to scoop out.
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Install a droppings board under roosts to collect manure.
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Ventilate the coop well to reduce moisture buildup.
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Compost the soiled litter you remove to fertilize your garden!
Adjusting Your Chicken Coop Cleaning Schedule
While this outline covers the basics, you may need to tweak for your specific situation:
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Larger flocks need more frequent deep cleans.
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Extreme climates call for seasonal adjustments.
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Brooders require diligent sanitizing for baby chicks.
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Free-range chickens make less mess indoors.
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Well-ventilated coops stay cleaner longer.
Learn your flock’s patterns and adjust as needed.Err on the side of over-cleaning for healthiest chickens!
Keeping an Organized Coop Cleaning Routine
Cleaning your coop thoroughly yet efficiently takes some organization. Here are some tips:
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Make a schedule: Mark your daily, weekly, and monthly tasks on a calendar to stay on track.
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Set reminders: Use phone alerts to remind you when bigger cleans are due.
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Stock supplies: Keep cleaning tools like brooms and buckets in the coop for easy access.
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Suit up: Have designated boots, clothes, gloves, and mask ready to go.
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Prep cleaning mixtures: Mix up all-natural solutions like vinegar water in advance.
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Knock out tasks: Tackle chores first thing in the morning when you have energy.
Staying organized makes keeping up with chicken coop cleaning much smoother. Over time, your routine will become habit. Before you know it, you’ll be a pro at coop cleaning!
Maintaining cleanliness in your chicken coop is one of the most important duties of chicken ownership. Follow this guide for how often you should clean the coop, including:
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Quick daily tidy up
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Weekly surface scrubbing
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Monthly deep cleaning
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Biannual seasonal cleanouts
This regimen prevents messes and diseases while keeping your flock happy in a hygienic home. With proper organization, the cleaning tasks become simple and take little time out of your day. The small effort is well worth it for both healthy chickens and higher quality eggs! Stay diligent, and your feathered friends will thank you.
Choose a Suitable Floor Litter
Some chicken coop litter materials are better than others. The more absorbent the floor litter is, the less often it will need cleaning. For this reason, smaller particle litters are better – wood shavings, sand etc.
It’s helpful to have floor litter that lets you easily scoop out wet areas and piles of poop while leaving the clean litter behind. This makes it easier to clean up spots. Sand is great for this!.
Straw is notoriously bad for chicken coop floor litter because it doesn’t soak up much and doesn’t mix well with droppings, so they pile up and give off ammonia. If you are using straw, choose chopped straw as it is much more absorbent.
How Often Do Chicken Coops Need Cleaning?
How often your chicken coop needs cleaning will depend on many factors, including:
- How many chickens you have
- How big the coop is and how long your birds stay in it
- What kind of litter you use for the floor and whether it gets wet, g. from rain, Drinkers etc.
- Whether you use a droppings board or do spot cleans
If you do spot cleans, just removing visible droppings or wet litter, every few days, you will probably only need to clean the coop every few weeks. You may not have to clean the coop as often if you clean the droppings board every day or so.
If you dont remove any droppings between cleans and dont have a droppings board, you will probably need to clean the chicken coop once a week, even if you only have a very small flock. The main exception to this is if you have a deep litter system.
As a simple rule of thumb, if the floor litter is wet, you can smell ammonia, or there are visible droppings, you need to clean the coop.
Chicken coops should also be cleaned if you have had any signs of illness within your flock. Remove and isolate sick birds, then clean and disinfect the coop. This is the best way to prevent any illness from spreading.
How Often Should You Clean a Chicken Coop?
FAQ
How often should you clean your chicken coop?
Cleaning your chicken coop doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore. It doesn’t have to take hours to keep your flock in great shape. All you need is a simple daily, weekly, and seasonal routine. A fresh coop means healthier hens, cleaner eggs, and a happier backyard.
How do you clean a chicken coop?
For the basics of cleaning out bedding, all you need is a rake, broom, or dust pan depending on what size and style your coop is. For deep cleaning your coop and scrubbing it down, white vinegar and dawn dish soap will do the job, but there’s plenty of recipes for herbal cleaners that smell amazing and do a great job at cleaning!.
How do I keep my chicken coop fresh?
Read: Chicken Coop Direction: The Compass Guide to Happy Hens! Want to keep your coop clean with less work? Here are some tips: If you want to avoid cleaning your bedding every week, add new layers on top of the old ones. This allows natural composting and reduces smell.
Why should you keep your chicken coop clean?
Keeping your chicken coop clean isn’t just about appearances—it’s about protecting the health and well-being of your flock. When waste accumulates, ammonia levels rise, creating poor air quality that can lead to respiratory issues in chickens. Damp, dirty bedding also encourages the growth of bacteria and mold, increasing the risk of infections.
What happens if you don’t clean your chicken coop regularly?
If you don’t clean your chicken coop regularly, bacteria and other diseases can grow in the coop. The chickens could get sick, and you or your family could get sick from taking care of the chickens. So, this is why it’s important to clean your chicken coop regularly.
Can you use vinegar in chicken coop cleaning?
Vinegar is much better to use in coop cleaning as bleach and chicken poop never ends well, especially if there’s ammonia involved. When mixed, it can create toxic fumes, which are very harmful to chickens, so stick with the white vinegar to be on the safe side. Ingredients and Supplies: Instructions:
How often do I need to clean a chicken coop?
How often should you change bedding in a chicken coop?
Will chickens stop laying if the coop is dirty?
Yes, a dirty chicken coop can negatively impact egg production.
How often should chicken nesting boxes be cleaned?
Yes, clean them annually. Remove the old nesting material and give it a scrape out so there’s no grossness left in the bottom. Wear gloves to do this though, there’s often mites! This is also why you do it.