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.
Benefits of Chicken Manure
Don't despair! 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.
How often you should be cleaning a chicken coop? You should provide fresh food and fresh water every day, and you should clean the bedding out once a week or once a month(the deeper the bedding layer the less often you have to clean it out). It's best practice to do a total clean-out at least twice a year.
Using the deep litter method on a dirt floor
For this method, you need to use a thick layer of organic bedding in your coop, such as wood shavings or straw. However, wood shavings are very likely TOXIC to your chickens, and I don't recommend using them in any scenario. If you must use them, aspen is your safest choice.
If you choose not to wash your eggs, gently brush debris and feces from the eggs using a cloth. Then safely store them in a cool place in your house. The eggs should stay fresh and safe for up to several weeks. Before using or eating, wash with warm water to remove any dirt.
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.
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.
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.
Fill the bucket with water – ideally this should be around 24 litres to every 2.5 kilograms of manure, but this isn't an exact science, so don't be afraid to fill the bucket right up if you have the extra space. Leave the mixture to steep for 2 to 3 days. Stir the mixture approximately twice a day.
Proper use of manure in the garden can supply your plants with nutrients and help improve soil structure. Adding too much manure can lead to nitrate leaching, nutrient runoff, excessive vegetative growth and, for some manures, salt damage.
Salmonella germs are shed in their droppings and can easily contaminate their bodies and anything in areas where birds live and roam. DO: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam.
Do Chickens Like Getting In Water? No, chickens with access to bodies of water are not known for getting into it. They avoid it, and also avoid rain, seeking shelter under bushes, in pens, or other sheltered areas. The reason chickens avoid rain is that their feathers are not waterproof.
Vaseline has proven to prevent frostbite in chickens by providing a moisture-free barrier between the skin and cold air.
Chickens prefer to lay eggs in a clean nesting box, so ensuring this area is clean can increase their egg production. After clearing these areas, you will probably end up with a pile of muck. All the soiled bedding you have collected can be composted and used as fertilizer for your garden.
High humidity in the coop can cause condensation and a wet environment causing these potential problems: Wet feathers that lose their ability to insulate; especially in fancy breeds (Silkies, Frizzles, etc) Icing on perches, windows, electrical outlets. Frostbite on wet combs and wattles.
A general rule, unwashed eggs will last around two weeks unrefrigerated and about three months or more in your refrigerator. If you're experiencing an egg boom, it's smart to refrigerate any unwashed fresh eggs you aren't planning to eat immediately. This will help them last longer.
Don't wash the eggs until you use them, unless they're soiled. Fresh unwashed eggs do not need to be refrigerated for several weeks. Always refrigerate washed eggs. Eggs will maintain a higher quality when stored in the refrigerator – washed or not.
As we've addressed, yes rats can be an issue around hens, but the simplest way to deter them is to employ proper food storage and clean up regularly. Making sure your coop is properly reinforced will keep rats out of the hen house even if they do end up in your garden.
But real straw bedding is the cleanest bedding I've found. And if you can keep the dust down, you've just won half the battle. Putting down some inexpensive vinyl flooring over the plywood or cement floor of your coop will also go a long way to helping with cleaning.
Many chickens love being given affection and one key way you can give it to them is by petting them. However, they usually only allow this type of contact once they get used to you and if you interact with them calmly and gently.
Dirty chicken feet can soil freshly laid eggs. If perchance your chooks just can't seem to scrape or peck off the muck that may accumulate on the bottoms of their busy little feet, a quick soak in a tub of warm sudsy water will have them in flap and go shape!