Raising your own chickens can be a lot of fun. If you get started the right way it is actually quite simple as well

Occasionally you will need a clean chicken coop. This means you will have to clean it, but it will mean happy chickens, an easier time for you and better overall results.

Keeping a chicken coop clean doesn’t have to be a dirty, thankless onerous chore, full of drudgery, but it is a necessary chore, and you only need to do it about twice per year.

A well designed chicken coop will allow for easy twice a year cleanings. It really shouldn’t be a huge chore. This is especially true if your coop was built with this sort of easy access in mind.

When you do clean the coop you’ll want to do a thorough job. Clear out all the bedding material including from the nesting boxes.

Sweep up any loose material from all areas. Remove the feeders and waterier—(clean and disinfect, rinse thoroughly and dry them completely before you put them back).

Dampness is another big issue. You want the inside of your coop to be dry and to stay dry. Periodically checking the nesting materials to make sure they aren’t damp is important. This is especially true after a rain storm or if the coop has been subject to spring melt-water.

Some chicken advocates recommend no bedding material for the nesting boxes at all. That really is a personal choice. But if you do use bedding materials in the nesting boxes you want to make sure it isn’t damp.

Another important issue is to make sure there is no ammonia build up within the coop from chicken waste.

If Ammonia builds up it can cause respiratory problems for the chickens. So it’s important to keep a nose out for this (Ha Ha – I know bad joke!).

When you are cleaning out the coop – remember chicken waste is a great fertilizer for your garden, lawn or compost and you don’t have to pay for it like folks do at the garden center.

A disinfectant cleaning solution will contain toxic chemicals like bleach. Make doubly sure you have rinsed everything really well and that it is dry before you let the chickens back in!

The whole effort really shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours Max and your chickens will love their fresh clean chicken coop.I guarantee it!

Want to learn more about an easy method for building Chicken Coops ? Visit my website at www.chickencoopcenter.com for helpful tips and information on planning, building, and maintaining a great chicken coop.