chicken poo

[reddyreddy]

Do you have to clean out chicken poo every day? I am considering them and am happy to do so myself but when I'm on hols my neighbour would probably prefer every 2nd or 3rd day, is that out of order? Forgive my ignorance. I'm thinking of a big fox proof run too.

[xlynettex]

i clean mine out every day, mainly because we live a new housing estate ( some r abit snobbish ) and so not to upset anyone with any odours etc. we did ask neighbours first if it was ok if we had them and all thought it was fine.  we have had them for 6wks and so far so good neighbours have not heard any noise and think their cute and some have bought some eggs 

[OllieC]

Once or twice a week here... but they run about outside a lot at the mo...

[Old bird]

I didn't clean my house out for about a month!  I don't think that it is necessary or will harm them at all. When I had my chooks a few years back the thing then was deep litter of peat on the floor and they weren't cleaned out for a year at a go - obviously the nest boxes were more up to date - but I don't think that is is necessary - unless you have a very small house or something!

Good luck - go for it!

Old Bird

 

[shadowdragon]

Ive just recently got hens, and one guy on the allotment said that he doesnt clean his out over the winter as it helps insulate the coop!! Im not 100% that this is hygenic or not, Ive also been told only to clean out once a month at most. Ive had them two weeks now and theres not a lot of poo around (mainly due to they are outside from dawn til dusk) and just replaced the nest box straw once a week so far!!!

[reddyreddy]

I was thinking of this

http://www.omlet.co.uk/products_services/products_services.php?view=Eglu%20Cube

It is the new cube from Eglu/Omlet and I'm considering it, despite the astronomical cost, because you can easily transport it if you go on holiday and want the chickens to stay elsewhere (ie with a friend or family unless there are kennels/cattery's for chooks!).

[OllieC]

We have the normal Eglu (mark 2) and with hindsight, I don't think I'd get one again. It's okay, and takes less than a minute to empty the poo, but the run is far too small for 3 of the birds they suggest so you have to build a bigger run, making the original "fox proof" (disputed by some) run redundant. Not sure about the other designs though - this one does look pretty cool.

[Barnowl]

This probably is not an option for an urban garden but I remember my grandfather's hen house was off the ground and had a slatted floor so most of the poo dropped though. To clean you brushed around and hosed so the rest fell through. Straw was restricted to the outside and the laying boxes - mind you they seemed to prefer to lay their eggs in the nettle patches outside.

[Sprouting out]

Hi, I have 15 Hens in the house and clean it once or twice a month, but clean and/or top up the laying boxes when needed. We include shredded paper with the woodchip as this keeps costs down and keeps the eggs clean, then it is all cleaned out and tops up the compost.

[grannyjanny]

I have guinea pigs & I didn't clean them out over the winter with it being so cold. I was amazed how much heat built up.
Janet

[ktlawson]

Mine are cleaned out once a month.  A little less often over winter,  a little more often if there has been rain for days as the birds trail lots of mess inside

[Peasticks]

The cube is good and very easy to clean. I have an Eglu and clean that out once a week - the plastic trays in the Eglu and Cube make it all so easy  OllieC is right about the runs being a little tight on space - the capacity stated is for the house not the run so don't go overboard on the chooks and you should be ok - many people including me do keep hens sucessfully in them. You can buy the Eglu or cube wihout a run and build your own run if you are at all worried

[dingerbell]

My chooks make me laugh. Whenever I top up their nest boxes with fresh straw, they immediately charge in and scrape out all the fresh clean stuff until the old comfortable straw is revealed....chooks are nutters!

[worldor]

Yes. Smallish garden on an estate. Definitely every day. Keeps away smells, flies etc and is so easy if you make it your morning routine. Clean, top up bedding, feed and ensure clean water. We have an eglu mark one and at present only one grower in there but have used it extensively since we bought it and it is easy to clean. Most of our flock are in a summer house/shed adapted with perches etc. We have two allotment plots and the poo buckets are taken there every day and put with our kitchen waste into the dalek composters. At the end of the season we have beautiful compost. Good luck with your eglu. Have fun.

[reddyreddy]

Ok, so every day as routine but if away on hols for 2 weeks I could get away with neighbours just checking on them and feeding them  then I'll deal with monster poo load when I return.

[Philbasford]

Yes. Smallish garden on an estate. Definitely every day. Keeps away smells, flies etc and is so easy if you make it your morning routine. Clean, top up bedding, feed and ensure clean water. We have an eglu mark one and at present only one grower in there but have used it extensively since we bought it and it is easy to clean. Most of our flock are in a summer house/shed adapted with perches etc. We have two allotment plots and the poo buckets are taken there every day and put with our kitchen waste into the dalek composters. At the end of the season we have beautiful compost. Good luck with your eglu. Have fun.

I do the same, let out, clean poo, fresh straw, same every day, unless busy or forget. Easiest way

[fred73]

we pick the poo out every night and do a full clean once a month and they seem quite happy some say once a month in the winter and every two in the summer

[grannyjanny]

Wiggly wigglers do a bokashi (as in composter) layers mash & that prevents the poo from smelling. I am worried about the run getting smelly as it is a fixed run 12' x 7'. The coop is less of a worry to me as it can be cleaned out & disinfected.

[DolphinGarden]

Yeah,

I/we clean every day. In fact, today was the first time I'd got a whiff of chicken sh1t since before Christmas. It reminded me how pungent it was when we got them in August last year. A little often does the trick.
And yes, leave your neighbours off that particular task and sort it out when you return from hols...

DG.

[grannyjanny]

Neighbours might clean out the chickens for you. I chicken sat for 5 weeks over christmas & loved it so much I am now getting my own. They were very easy to clean out but it was an eglu. As it was so cold I made them porridge which increased the egg production. You never know they might enjoy it like I did.