“Yeah, but isn’t cleaning out the chicken coop disgusting?”

The Flying D Ranch
Apr 18, 2021
2 min read

Cleaning out the chicken coop has to be one of the biggest deterrents I hear to raising chickens. I am here today to debunk this idea! Cleaning your coop is easy and shouldn’t result in making you feel sick to your stomach. I'm not saying it's the most enjoyable thing in the world but it's no worse than doing the dishes in my book. In fact, I'd choose cleaning the coop over doing the dishes!

3 Keys to making your coop sparkle!

Remove EVERYTHING. Open all the doors. Remove all the bedding completely. Use a rake, hoe, or shovel to get every corner of your coop stripped. Leave all doors, vents, and windows open so that things can dry completely. Side note: It is ALWAYS a good idea to use a mask to avoid inhalation of dust and ammonia. Pro tip: Give your chickens some treats to keep them busy and out of your way. Our chickens love these Purina Farm to Flock treats. (Link below)

When the coop is dry sprinkle some sweet PDZ on the base. Sweet PDZ is a mineral that naturally occurs after volcanic activity called zeolites. It is non-toxic and safe to use with your chickens. We use this product to reduce the amount of ammonia that builds up from chicken poop. I'll include a link to the sweet PDZ too.

Finally, sprinkle pine shavings (or your bedding of choice). Put all over coop paying close attention to under the roosts. That is where most of the poop will land and having more shavings will help absorb moisture. For good measure, I always add a little more PDZ on top.

Throughout the summer you will do this every month or so, depending on the number of chickens and the size of your coop. Of course, like everything in life, being consistent makes the job much easier.

Bear is a full-time wife, mom, lover of all things ranching, and real estate agent. She spends free time documenting her family life through photography and writing using various social media platforms. Her Instagram account has 14,000+ followers from all over the world in which

she connects with people who have a desire to learn about Montana and ranching.