How To Clean My Chicken Coop

How often you need to clean your coop depends on the size of the unit, and that of your flock. However, a good guideline to follow is once a week for two or three birds in an average-sized unit. With more birds you may need to do so more frequently. Any more than this and you may need a bigger unit, at which point it may then be large enough for you to only clean it out once per week. Ultimately, you know your chickens and their run better than us, so it’s down to your judgement. However, it’s really important to keep it very clean. Not only is a dirty enclosure unpleasant for your chickens, but it puts them at risk of developing a number of nasty illnesses.

Cleaning Modern Hutches

The Eglu has been specially-designed to make the weekly clean a cinch. With pull-out drawers and wipe-clean surfaces, the Eglu can be cleaned in just a few minutes.

If it’s good weather, usher your chickens out into their run and close the door behind them. Make sure they have access to food and water out in their run.
Remove the dropping trays under the slatted sections. You can dispose of the waste in your compost bin.
Clean and dry the trays
Clean the food and water dispensers
Using a disinfectant spray, wipe clean the interior of the unit
Refill the coop with bedding and reinsert the trays
Close the back door, and allow your chooks access again by opening the front door

Depending on where you keep your coop, you may also want to move it onto a fresh patch of grass. This will help avoid the build-up of dirt and germs, with the added bonus of fertilising more of your lawn.

Cleaning Traditional Hutches
The logistics of cleaning out your traditional chicken coop depend on the coop itself, but a rough cleaning guide should be as follows:

Remove your chickens from their coop and place them in a secure environment with food and water

Remove all dirty bedding. Using a dustpan and brush, remove all faecal matter, food, and used bedding from the roost area

Remove any dried-on dirt

Scrub the inside using a cleaning spray and a fresh cloth

Allow the roosting area some time to dry – do not replace the bedding material whilst the coop is still damp

Clean the food and water dispensers

Replace the bedding material

Secure the unit and allow your chickens back inside

Again, depending on your backyard you may want to move the coop and run regularly to stop dirt building up.