Take part in study on PFAS 'forever chemicals' in eggs

[KateC]

As I am quite a newbie to this chicken keeping lark I have another question! I currently clean out the cube every week, ie empty it and wash all the removable parts and clean out the inside. My first question is does everyone do this or am I being too clean? I empty the poop trays every day.

 

Secondly, when I clean the cube I obviously have to shut the front door because I don't want the girls being able to climb out and escape the run whilst I am tooing and frowing with the bits and pieces. However, a couple of times one of the chickens clearly wants to lay but is unable to get to the nest box. It does take some time to dry everything out and the poor girl is getting frantic. I try to wait until I think all have laid but this isn't always practical. Is it just that she is impatient and is she ok to wait a while? I feel really upset for her as she gets agitated trying to get in through the door. Thank you for your advice, yet again.

[jennym]

Can't comment on the nest-box problem as I've only got 3 and they all lay early, so it's not a problem for me. As for the frequency of cleaning - I empty the poop tray most days, and most weekends I take the eglu apart and wash everything. There have been times when I have missed a week (e.g. away over the weekend and no time during the week) and, to be honest, as long as the poop tray is emptied regularly then it isn't a problem - in terms of smell, anyway. If I leave the poop tray a couple of days I start to notice the whiff.

 

I think some people empty the poop tray once or twice a week and take it apart for a good wash once a month. I do it more often because I have the time and I like spending time out in the garden anyway, and I like the look and smell of the freshly-cleaned eglu Also I think it's a particularly bad year for red mite and I'd rather keep it away than deal with an infestation.

 

I'd say you should do what makes you & your girls feel comfortable and reasonably smell-free, and of course keep your eyes peeled for creepy crawlies and vermin.

[fluffy chick]

I sometimes get a telling off too when one wants to come in. I tend to do the nest box first so they can come in while I do the rest. But then I don't worry about the 'escaping' as you say because mine fR a lot anyway. That said they tend to stand around and 'help' me anyway

Some people have a second nest box (think cat carrier or box of some sort) you could consider. I'm not sure mine would use it but you never know.

[fluffy chick]

Oh and as for cleaning I do similar to you. I use newspaper in the poo trays during the warm months so I can easily change it everyday. Then take out bars, trays etc and wash them with water and washing up liquid at weekends.

 

In the eglu newspaper doesn't seem to work as well. I deep fill with shavings and empty and wash it out once a week (depending how many chickens are in there and how warm it is )

[chuckmum6]

Mine always want to be in the nest box when ever I choose to clean it out! I just work quickly, put a towel over the nestbox while it's occupied and get on with it. Although they do like to come and watch the proceedings and basically get in the way a lot, so it isn't always to do with needing to lay!

I clean mine out once a week, wash the bars and tray and disinfect the rest which I then wipe down. It's never to bad. I might give it a big jet wash at some point, but I'll need to dismantle it.

[KateC]

Thanks everyone! Seems I'm not alone in getting an agitated hen. As for the cleaning, I will continue to try to clean it every week but not get hung up too much if it goes a few days over. I am sure in the winter months it will be harder to find a good dry day to do it. Mind you, we have had quite a bit of rain here in the last couple of days. Four little soaked chickens in the run yesterday. Tarpaulin is ordered and on it's way.

[fluffy chick]

It seems a bit unfair on us lot but you'll find your cube will need more cleaning in the winter I'm afraid the chickens will be spending far more time in there and that means more poop. I know so unfair. Not to mention having to dig our way to the chickens through the snow in the first place! Giving hot porridge, warm water and swapping over the snuggle pads. No? Just me?

[jackian]

I do the same. Clean properly Saturday or sunday morning and chear the poo each morning when they come out of the coup..I have to do this as they sleep in the nesting box and usually they lay mid morning ,really don't want poopy eggs Mainly as I live in a terrrace house with a fairly small garden so don't want the neighbours to complain. I also scoop all poo from the patio each evening after they have been F/R

[Sam]

Ermmm I don't poo pick at all and just empty the tray and clean everything on saturday morning

Seems to work fine

[lindafw]

Winter leaves my free rangers hiding beneath the cyprus hedging...its at least 20 ft tall!!! and sheilds me from the A303. I cut the bottoms back to head height and my girls think its 7th heaven to free range under it in wind and rain and not be touched so no extra winter cleaning for me

 

Winter and Summer I empty trays twice a week or more as I feel the need..or I may poo pick..depends on the weather...a clean out every Saturday...or not if its raining! Lazy??? moi???

 

Winter mornings give my chooks bread soaked in warm water with poultry spice and garlic an mint granuals...spoilt hens....NEVER!!

[Mercedes55]

I should really clean mine out more often and did start out with the best of intentions. To be honest I find the Eglu much easier to clean out. When we first had ours with just the run attached to it well it was a doddle to clean as I would just take it apart and give it a good clean on the patio. Now both the Eglu and the Cube are in the WIR which makes it hard to really give them a thorough clean without getting all the rapport on the floor of the run wet. All I do each day is take out the trays in the Cube which I always line with 4 sheets of newspaper in each one. I find that is enough to keep the trays clean and dry. I also put a couple of sheets under the roosting bars in the Eglu and that keeps that clean and dry too. The hardest bit for me is the actual roosting bars. Still need to go and get something to soak them in. Our girls do lay very randomly during the day and they don't like the door of the Cube being shut and our Cream Legbar will lay in the actual run if the door is shut. I do poo pick in the actual run every day. However we now have sooooo much rapport on the floor that we need to rake it all out, bag it up, clean down the slabs and start with fresh. I will leave that to OH to do

[Luvachicken]

I clean all of my cube every 2 days. My girls also lay eggs at any time of day but I do try and do it when they have finished. I must have timed it wrong the other day though because I found an egg hiding in the soil underneath.

 

The best thing I bought was a spare set of rungs so I can quickly put it all back together if I need to.

 

Happy cleaning

[Sammiboo]

 

Bunty getting impatient when i am cleaning.

 

I thoroughly clean it once a week, take everything out and wash it thoroughly.

 

[Luvachicken]

Wow, Sammiboo, that looks spotless

Fancy cleaning my house ?

[fluffy chick]

Lovely and clean!

 

My cube has a resident spider which always evades me. Even when I've just cleaned it the chooks chuck shavings out the nest box so it all dangles from the roof in the cobwebs I'm always sweeping it away. It's a bit like bunting for chickens!

[Happy Mrs Chicken]

I empty the poo tray and wipe the roosting bars of my everyday(if its not chucking it down with rain) and give it a good clean every 2 weeks.My hens lay early usually before 8 so they don't need to lay while im cleaning.

[KateC]

Well I have just finished the weekly clean. Cube is sparkling and looking good!!!! Had two eggs and no chicken needing to lay (I have 4 girls altogether). They all got drenched yesterday so two of them were obviously put off laying today. I think I will get a spare set of roosting bars when finances allow. Then I can always have a clean set ready. Now for a big mug of strong tea! X

[Mercedes55]

Shamiboo, gosh you put my Cube to shame. I have shown your pic to OH and challenged him to get ours as clean as that. Do you use a jet wash cleaner on that? I can't remember the last time we cleaned the roof of our Cube

 

I have ordered a spare set of roosting bars today, plus some of those pretty pink gloves Omlet sell, a matching pink scrubbing brush and pink apron too. So that's OH sorted out, now to find something for me to wear

[fluffy chick]

So that's OH sorted out, now to find something for me to wear

You need to get the matching pink bucket cover so he can wear it as a shower cap when it rains!

[KateC]

I am thinking we might need photos of this! x

[Chortle Chook]

You're wicked

Can't stop giggling at the thought of my OH in the pink shower cap / bucket cover.

(The pink gloves are excellent by the way. Really hard wearing)

[Sammiboo]

i give it a good scrub every week. I am admit i dont empty the poo tray in the week. Sunday is clean cube and moving day.

 

I keep all my cleaning stuff in that pink trug. tesco did a cleaning kit for a fiver. dustpan and brush, various scubbers and a mitt. I also have pinched my OHs bucket he uses for cleaning the car Antibac fairy liquid (swear by it) and give it a ruddy good scrub!

I also climb inside to clean the ladder too

 

 

All ready for the girls to mess up

 

once clean it gets moved

 

The grass is taking a full beating at the minute though

 

Mercedes55 - no jetwash. I used that once on the bars. I am going to get another set of roosting bars though. I cant believe your OH cleans it!!! i need picture evidence to show my OH this is what he should be doing

[Mercedes55]

I have a 'deal' with my OH that I clean them out during the week and he does the weekends. He is also in charge of letting them out in the morning and closing them up at night and bringing their food in too. He really doesn't mind. Mind you when he cleans out the Cube, which isn't as often as I do it, he puts enough Diatom in there to make it look like there's been a snowstorm

[Lavenders_Blue]

Wow you lot do a lot of cleaning!

I do a daily poo pick, weekends I change bedding and newspaper and do a quick sweep out with a dustpan and brush or handheld vacuum, then a thorough clean and disinfect quarterly (or thereabouts, it's not an exact science).

My ex batts are heading towards 2 years freedom, so I don't think it can be doing them any harm!

[KateC]

Never thought of a hand held vac! I love this forum, always so much good support, advice and different ways of doing things. Thanks everyone. Kate x