It's not a difficult job to make sure that our chicken run itself is well maintained, but it's something we often just forget to do. Research has found that keeping the area is well managed – that is kept clean, free from poop and general mess – makes a difference to the levels of bacteria present in the ground.
If your chickens live in a static run for all or part of the day, it can easily become a haven for disease. Worms have an amazing life-cycle, much of it based around droppings, so regular poop-picking can help keep your flock healthy. The smaller the run, the more often you need to pull on those rubber gloves!
Add all the chicken manure you can pick up, scoop up or rake up to your compost bin or pile. High-nitrogen materials, like manure, are considered “green,” and they must be added to high-carbon “brown” materials (like coop bedding, leaves and grass clippings) to break down as efficiently as possible.
Regardless of the type of chicken coop you have or the amount of chickens, a good cleaning schedule is a quick weekly cleaning followed by a thorough cleaning once a month. Deep top to bottom cleaning and maintenance is usually done a few times a year.
For example, if the vent feathers are soiled, I wash only the butt area. Why? Because chickens spend a great deal of time arranging and conditioning their feathers with oil from their uropygial gland and a bath can strip the feathers and skin of the benefits of those efforts.
Composting and aging chicken manure help balance out the nitrogen levels and kill off harmful bacteria and pathogens. Composting and aging the 'hot' chicken manure can take place at the same time. Ideally, you want to let 'hot' chicken manure age for a minimum of 3 months, but preferably 6 months up to 1 year.
However, if the run is always muddy, you are inviting trouble as well as sickness. As chickens walk through the mud, their droppings will grow bacteria. Hens then transfer this throughout the run and also the chicken coop. Parasites that make chickens ill, like coccidia and worms, thrive and spread in muddy conditions.
Each time a coop is cleaned, the manure can be thinly spread on a tarp or other impermeable surface to dry in the sun, before adding it to the pile. The drying pile should be protected from precipitation or other water sources, or decomposition (and odors) may occur.
Mix equal parts vinegar and water to create a cleaning solution and mop up the area for an all-natural cleaning. Take a hand brush or thick-bristled broom and scrub the floors and walls to free any remaining droppings, stains, dirt, or debris. Rinse once more.
Paper, whether it's flat newspaper, shredded junk mail, or paper towels are not the ideal bedding for the chicken coop. Paper isn't especially absorbent, so it won't do you any favors with the mess and the smell. Flat paper is also not good for the chickens' feet, as they slide around too much on it.
Installing a fan is one of the easiest ways to keep your chicken coop smelling fresh. 3. Use fresh herbs and rose petals if you have them, in the nesting boxes and in the sleeping areas. Not only will the herbs and petals smell great, the hens will appreciate the yummy treat.
Put simply, it is one of the best types of organic manure based fertilisers to use. Chicken manure fertiliser has a balance of natural nutrients, including potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Manure Compost is a fabulous source of nutrients for fruit trees, vegetable gardens and even your lawn.
Benefits of Chicken Manure
Manure can be one of the greatest assets for a home gardener! Although chicken manure is too strong to be used raw on your flowers or vegetables, it can be composted and converted to “black gold.” If used without composting, it could damage roots and possibly kill your plants.
So, can you use chicken manure for lawn fertilizer? Absolutely. Other than the fact that your lawn may stink a bit (yes, even if you use pellets), chicken manure is one of the best organic fertilizers in the world.
If you don't regularly clean out your chicken coop, it could become a hotbed of bacteria and other diseases. Allowing excessive chicken litter to build up could lead to high levels of ammonia which can damage the respiratory system of your chickens.
But this is only a short-term solution as whatever you put down will soak up water quickly and your hens will end up walking around in what looks like muddy welly boots again. Not only that, but a muddy chicken run is also unhygienic and can become a breeding ground for bacteria, plus it's really not fun for your hens!
Having a chicken coop without a floor can come with many challenges, including infestations of mice and rats. Still, some chicken keepers swear by the dirt floor method, and have discovered numerous ways to deal with the inherent problems. There are many reasons you may want a coop without a floor.
Chicken manure should be mixed into the soil before planting, or it can be used as a top dressing for existing plants.
The decomposition process typically takes six months if materials are a half-inch or smaller. At this time, you are ready to use the compost as natural fertilizer for your lawn and garden! Mix thoroughly composted material into garden soil 2-3 weeks prior to planting.
Choosing the Right Litter for Your Coop
Northern chicken keepers who experience cold weather year-round may choose straw as a good coop litter. In temperate or hot regions, wood shavings or sand make a better option.