It’s that time of year when I do a major coop cleaning and this year, it’s an easier task than ever before due to a few simple modifications that were made in our coops. Not only is it faster to complete the semi-annual ‘deep cleanings,’ but I find that I am able to keep the coops cleaner in between deep cleanings by employing these five elements: droppings boards, removable roosts, a dedicated coop duster, sand and apple cider vinegar.
DROPPINGS BOARDS
Droppings boards are essentially shelves designed to collect chicken poop deposited overnight. Backyard chickens spend most of their waking hours outside the coop, either ranging freely outside the run or wandering around inside an enclosed run, which means that droppings inside the coop accumulate primarily overnight underneath the roosts. Utilizing droppings boards to collect those droppings is a simple and effective method for keeping the coop largely poop-free.
Each morning, I take my trusty beach pail and scrape the droppings into it with a taping knife. The droppings are then added directly to my compost pile. Droppings boards keep the litter/bedding cleaner, which means less frequent litter changes and less frequent litter changes result in time and money savings.
Beyond coop sanitation, droppings boards provide a daily opportunity to assess the health and well-being of the flock. I am able to see plainly whether a chicken has been injured in a scuffle overnight, has contracted coccidiosis, worms or diarrhea. Without droppings boards, most of that evidence would be hidden in the bedding, denying the chicken-keeper the opportunity to detect and treat certain health problems as early as possible.
REMOVABLE ROOSTS

These roosts were removed with a sledgehammer.

The 2 x 4s were inserted into brackets like these
When we purchased our first coop, it came with roosts permanently affixed to the walls. When we decided to install droppings boards, the roosts needed to be raised in order for the droppings boards to fit underneath. When reinstalling the roosts, my husband affixed brackets for the 2-by-4s to fit into, which made the roosts removable for cleaning. I find that removable roosts are much easier to scrub vigorously and thoroughly if they are on the ground outside the coop. It is also much easier to access the areas behind and underneath the roosts when they are out of the way. I tend to clean the removable roosts more frequently than I would stationary roosts because the task is so much easier.

Coop with roosts and droppings boards removed for semi-annual cleaning.
SAND – THE LITTER SUPERSTAR
I had always used pine shavings as litter/bedding inside my coops until this spring, when I was persuaded to try sand. I was dubious about sand’s ability to perform as well as pine shavings, but I had a pile of sand in the backyard for use in the run, so I figured I’d give it a shot. After eight months of testing, I can report that sand has allowed me to keep my coops the cleanest they have ever been for a fraction of the price of any other bedding material.
Like the droppings boards, sand is attended to once daily. I sift the sand using a compost/mulch fork that I have converted into the world’s biggest kitty litter scoop, with fine mesh hardware cloth and zip ties. It takes less than five minutes to sift the sand and doing so keeps the coop clean and augments my compost pile with primarily nitrogen-rich droppings, not pine shavings, straw or hay.

I used to clean out my 4-by-6-foot coop twice a month at the cost of approximately $10 per month in pine shavings. A one year supply of sand for both of my chicken coops and two runs is only $30.
For more about the benefits of using sand as chicken coop litter, please visit my blog post here.
DUSTER
The harsh reality of housekeeping in chicken coops is that they are perpetually dusty. Regardless of the litter choice, it generates dust. In fact, chickens themselves are especially dusty. If you have ever raised baby chicks inside the house in a brooder, you know this to be true.
To keep the dust to a manageable level, I keep a duster inside the chicken coop. Whenever I have a moment to spare, I give the walls, nest box curtains, window dressings and feedbag artwork a quick dusting, which makes the semi-annual cleaning a much less tedious undertaking.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
The fifth tip for keeping a cleaner coop is to use raw, apple cider vinegar (ACV) to clean the coop, not only for seasonal deep cleanings, but for spot-cleanings as needed. I would never suggest paying upwards of six dollars for 8 ounces of brand-name ACV for coop cleaning; rather, I make my own raw apple cider vinegar. I use ACV in my flock’s drinking water, which is why I began making it initially this spring and for less than the price of a cup of coffee. I now have enough ACV to clean the White House from top to bottom.

The droppings boards are cleaned with ACV and a brush.
For cleaning purposes, I pour the vinegar into a small bucket and use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub down the walls of the coop. For spot-cleaning other surfaces such as the PVC feeders, I simply pour some ACV onto a rag and wipe.
The acidity cuts through dirt, droppings and blood (yes, it happens) much more effectively than any other cleaning product I have tried. There is no rinsing required and interestingly, it does not leave the coop smelling like a salad bar. There is no need to dilute it or mask it with some other scent; the vinegar smell dissipates very quickly, leaving the coop sparkling clean … at least until the chickens return.


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434 Comments
This was the first time that I had seen your site. I liked the information about keeping the coop clean. We are rebuilding our coop since our dog tore up the run and killed all the chickens we’ve decided to rethink the entire design. I found a lot of your information very helpful in that department. Keep it coming.
Great site! Don’t always have the time to read everything, usually “copy” and “paste” articles in MS Word, then add sheets to our “Chicken Folders”. We have about 2 dz, Buff Orphingtons, and Sex Links, on a 2 acre mini farm. This CLEANING caught my eye. The chicken coop, and caring for all the ladies, and 2 controlling Roosters, belongs to my hubby. When he walks to the Coop, he is like the “Piped Piper of Chickens, LOL. They run to the end of coop, then follow him. OK, cleaning, I really cannot emphasize strongly enough that Chickens MUST be kept clean! Just have not found a way to “sneak” out to the coop, and clean it myself! I have copied, printed, and saved to files all of these great ways to cleaning the Coop, and will get my sweet Hubby to read them over. We always have good weather in OK, so lots of days that we can clean the Coop. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, FOR YOUR ARTICLES ARE AMAZING, AND SO VERY HELPFUL. God Bless all, from a great Nana, (don’t mean I am “great”, hum?, but that I am in early 70’s, maybe that makes me great, LOL.)
I enjoyed reading your board. I have 4 backyard chickens in San Diego and they are more like pets for the grandkids
Thanks for the tips they really help
do you mix anything with the sand to keep the odor away
Great tips! My son left oil near the chicken coupe and a few of them got oil on them 🙁 Do you happen to have any oil spill cleanup tips for me?
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THIS was incredibly helpful! I believe you have just made my life so much easier. I spent the weekend cleaning our chicken coop…and am here to tell you it was quite a chore! I am going to add dropping boards TODAY…and will be making our roosts removable ASAP. I have never thought of, nor heard of, using sand for litter, but as soon as I can get sand delivered, am going to also use this method. Love, love, love your ingenious “kitty litter” scoop. Thanks for the great, and very helpful, tips! ~Norma Jeane~
Sand in the run is also great. I spray it with the hose and it rinses everything clean and drains immediately. It heats up, which kills bacteria but also can be hard on their feet, so I wet it down daily in summer. They enjoy the spray and like to dust bathe in the sand, too!
are cavities genetic
Such great advice! I’m glad to have you as a resource 🙂 Question about how often you clean/sanitize the dropping board. You mention that it’s a quick scrap off in the morning. Do you do the full scrub clean with ACV when you do your big clean out or more often?
We have a small coop area (you cant walk into it) that the hens go into at night. They roost above the floor. Years ago we went to the local Lowes and I saw boot trays made out of plastic and thought.. you know if I put those under the roosting bars it sure would be easy to pull them out, dump the poop in the wheelbarrow and voila… that is what works for us….
Can you tell me if you use sand in the nesting boxes?? Cant imagine the hens would like that, but maybe they do…. We use shavings in the boxes currently.
I found the perfect place for my needs. Contains wonderful and useful messages. I have read most of them and has a lot of them.
I always enjoy coming to this site for all the helpful information. Yes, your coop is cleaner than my house too 🙂
Love your site! We are new to chicken raising – just started this week with Wyandottes – so cute! We would love to win the pink or teal cartons! Appreciate your tips! We were in Lowes just tonight and saw Hobby Farms magazine!
Cool, Buffy! Which Hobby Farms mag?
I would love to win the pink cartons. Thanks!
Thank you for so much information.keep it coming
Wow, What a neat site, I’m excited for all my recent connections and I’ll have to drop by again and again. I would love to win the Blue Cartons. My fav. color!
Such great information. Fingers crossed I hope I win the cartons, if I do I’d like teal please.
We really like the pink egg cartons, already love you on Facebook!
Would love to win the egg cartons. Brown please.
I would love to win the teal egg cartons 🙂
Angela Okrasinski
OM goodness, finally a comment box for me to use! Love your blog and posts – I live in Oakland Ca now and really miss not being able to pick up egg cartons in person from the warehouse! Would love to win the Teal ones – I used to pick up seconds when I was back in New England. Don’t have so many birds now, but love the fresh eggs and so do my California neighbors who enjoy really fresh eggs they can pick up without making a carbon footprint! Have a wonderful winter weekend, spring is on the way! From Cheska and the Happy Hillgirt Hens.
Wow. Great article. Great contest. Would love to win the brown egg cartons. Our girls have been so good and productive. We can’t get enough cartons from friends for our eggs!
I “liked” the Egg Carton Store 🙂
I already “like” the Chicken Chick!
And I really like all the colors…it’s so hard…but I would select the brown ones.
Thanks,
Sandy
ssteed@ec.rr.com
Pink for me please!
I love the blue tint egg cartons! 🙂
Pink for this gal please!
Pink for breast cancer love the egg carton, love the chicken chick wtg on trademark
This is a great post! My favorite color to win (for my little girl) would be the pink tint. She likes pink 🙂
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This comment has been removed by the author.
I would love to win the pink tinted egg cartons
Blue, teal and pink would be my picks. So much cuter than the plain ones from the grocery store.
If I were to win the egg cartons, I’d choose the Teal color ones. They match the color of our eggs! 🙂
WOULD LOVE THE PINK TINT EGG CARTONS. I HOPE I DID THIS RIGHT.
THANK YOU BEVERLY KUEMIN
BEVSBALLOONS@SBCGLOBAL.NET
I have shared this blog post with my hubby. We are new to BY chicks.
I want to win the Teal egg cartons.. (jennie Sosebee Atnip
I love the brown tinted cartons!…after reading…I think I’ll try sand as bedding. sounds like the perfect fit! Erin Ellerbruch.
Me and my chickens LOVE the Chicken Chick! Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful tips and advice. Here’s hoping I get lucky and win some much needed eggs cartons. My favorite color is Brown Tint 🙂
Brown tinted cartons would be nice… I don’t know why, I just like those best.
And I’m working on convincing the hubby he needs to build dropping boards and invest in sand. Wish me luck!
would love to win some of those lovely blue egg cartons! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Oh I really like the brown cartons! They would look great with my new label idea. 🙂
How much fun! I love your giveaways and your great tips!! I like the pink egg cartons, would make my blue eggs pop. 🙂
I would love to win the pink ones!! Thanks so much for the opportunity! ~ Blake
Cindy Taylor..Hi Id like to have blue egg cartons if I win
I like the teal ones! Also, are you familiar with Rafflecopter? It is a randomizer that would help you with your giveaways, I think you could benefit from it. http://www.rafflecopter.com
I’m thinking of switching to sand pretty soon. I’ve been using the deep litter method for a while and it is a great method, but I think adding sand would make clean up a lot easier. The girls already have an outside sandbox, but adding sand inside too seems to be a the way to go!
As far as the contest, I’d like the pink cartons! I was going to order some from MyPetChicken when they were on sale a while back, but the shipping was going to be more than my entire order of stuff. :[
I love the teal tinted egg cartons!
~Sarah Lynn Scott
Blue
I’m thinking of switching to sand pretty soon. I’ve been using the deep litter method for a while and it is a great method, but I think adding sand would make clean up a lot easier. The girls already have an outside sandbox, but adding sand inside too seems to be a the way to go!
As far as the contest, I’d like the pink cartons! I was going to order some from MyPetChicken when they were on sale a while back, but the shipping was going to be more than my entire order of stuff. :[
I would love to win the PINK egg cartons. I don’t think I’ve ever seen pink ones!!
I love the PINK egg cartons! Hope I win them! Debbie Bruening
lillian serenson palumbo on facebook I like the pink egg cartons for my girls! Thanks for the chance!
Jewel pinkham love your tips can’t wait to try some of them! would love to win free blue egg cartons!
All the colors of cartons are so pretty, but I think I’d choose teal just because 🙂
If I win the egg carton contest I would love the blue cartons for my girls eggs.
Would love to win some PINK egg cartons for my eggs, sure bet my friends and family would love to recieve our eggs in such nice cartons!
Entering the 50 free egg cartons- would love them in blue! Enjoy reading your blog. I am constantly posting about my flock on facebook. Elizabeth Markowski (Happy Hen Farm)happyhenfarm@live.com
Good article, Kathy. Thank you. I visited the egg carton store through the link you posted and tried to join their newsgroup, but got a “bad link” message. Nonetheless, new cartons in pale yellow would look great holding my girls’ eggs. Let me know if I win, please. Fluffily yours, Judy Jacobs.
George Brooks visited the Egg Carton Store I like the Brown boxes, I like Earth Tones.
I am new to your site but love it. Thanks for all of the helpful info. I would love to win the pretty pink egg cartons! Thanks! Lisa Reid
Great info. Thanks! Would love to win.
Hi, I’m so happy to find you! I’ve just started my flock and have been begging cartons from neighbors. I would like to enter the egg carton giveway, pink carton please! My name is MaryEllen Schoeman, my email is maryellenks (at) gmail (dot) com.
Hi! We like blue! Also, like your blog! Lots of good info and I especially like the info about apple cider vinegar for my poultry! Thanks!
I would love to win the teal tint!
Oh my the teal color cartons are very pretty. That would really show off the color ranges of my pretty eggs!
I would love to win the these cartons. The blue ones would be wonderful.
Since green is the color trend this year for jewelry and I make jewelry, then I must choose the teal egg cartons. Green is my favorite color anyway so it was an easy pick!
Hi, Carol Hoffman here. I love the blue@!
I would LOVE to win the Pink egg cartons from the Egg Carton Store! In honor of our local Relay for Life chapter I would donate $.50 of every dozen sold in a pink carton for breast cancer awareness! And since many of my customers return their cartons for “refills” it would be a gift that kept on giving!
Laurie Kallinen here, and I’d have to say I’d love the pink egg cartons! And in honor of breast cancer awareness and our local Relay for Life I would donate $.50 of every pink carton of eggs sold to that cause. And since my customers often return their empty cartons it would be a gift that keeps on giving!
Laurie Kallinen here, and I’d have to say I’d love the pink egg cartons! And in honor of breast cancer awareness and our local Relay for Life I would donate $.50 of every pink carton of eggs sold to that cause. And since my customers often return their empty cartons it would be a gift that keeps on giving!
love the blue ones
I like the Blue egg cartons and would love to win the free 50 cartons!!
Barb Fraelich here and I liked The Egg Carton store, cant decide between the pink or teal cartons, they are all great!
Would love to win the Teal Egg Cartons. Love your posts, thanks for all the helpful information!
Linda Roseborough
Great I well try the sand also!! Thanks…The color pink for my girls!
Kim Clark, I would love pick cartons if I win! Thank you
we love the Chicken Chick and the Daily Rachel! We would like to enter to win the Teal Egg Cartons from The Egg Carton Store!
I would like to win Pink Tint egg cartons 🙂 Anita MacDermid Dent
LOL…so many posts on here today! I am entering the contest and would love any of them really but my color of choice would be the blue ones…just another day in the chicken hood here in Kentucky…Jessica Spurr entering another one of your great contests!
I really like the blue tint egg trays. I am so thankful that I found your site. Thank you so much for being so willing to share all vast knowledge of chickens. I am new to raising chickens & am soaking in all your tips. You are such a blessing, thank you, Jennifer Ponder
Would love to win the cartons for my mom, I like all the colors so mixed would be fine or your choice 🙂 Lounies@comcast.net
I liked the teal! Chris Johnson
I can always use egg cartons. The Teal ones are the color I’d pick. You always have such great information for chicken owners.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I’m considering switching to sand, thanks for the tip! I’d love to win some of the teal egg cartons if I’m the lucky one!
All the cartons are pretty but I like the teal best Maria Reaser
Hi Kathy,
I would love to win the teal egg cartons. My girls are laying like crazy!
Brenda Cannon
brenda_cannon@att.net
I want the pink tinted egg cartons for my Fat Bottom Girls’ eggs!
Thank you so much!
AmberWilliamsLPN@gmail.com
I would love the blue tinted ones, but truly any would be amazing!
Tina Roeseler must definitely have PINK! :o)
PINK!! I would love to win the pink cartons. Love reading your blog!
I’d like to win the Blue tinted egg cartons. Shellie Werich smw4211966@sbcglobal.net
Your page is liked, I liked the Egg Carton Page and I like the Blue Tint Egg Cartons – Dawn kdsnms@gmail.com
Your page is liked, I liked the Egg Carton Page and I like the Blue Tint Egg Cartons – Dawn kdsnms@gmail.com
I want the PINK cartons!
Tori Pafford
Jaytori220@aol.com
I want the PINK cartons!
Tori Pafford
Jaytori220@aol.com
I would love to win the yellow cartons to show off my girls pretty brown eggs. Thanks!
I really like the blue cartons 😀
Thank you. In honor of spring and Easter, I think a nice pastel blue would be a great carton color to compliment my Easter Egger’s green and other birds’ brown eggs.
I love your page, and look forward the tips you provide. I am entering the egg carton give-away contest. I hope I win… but will surely order some cartons even if I don’t. Any of the colors would be fine with me…but I especially love the pink ones!
Sabina Smith
sjsmith@pennswoods.net
Would love some of those Pink Tint egg cartons ! I have several other colors, but no pink !! Thanks for the contest 🙂
Kim Royal
ladykbug4321@yahoo.com
Love the teal tint egg cartons…would love to win them!
Already liked The Egg Carton Store & The Chicken Chick on Facebook. great giveaway, we like the Teal Tint cartons. Thank you. Little Brushwood Alpaca Farm
I’d love to win the blue cartons!!
Angela Glen
angelaglen77@yahoo.com
Pink for the egg carton as it the close to red, same as the truck
Teal!
Great tips. I’m going to have to put up some dropping boards.
I would love to win the blue egg cartons. Thank you for the chance.
Brown Tint 12-Egg View Style Carton. Love the view style.
Teal!
I love your info Kathy!!
Hi Kathy, your info is the best!! If I win I would love the Teal.
THANKS!!
I would love to win the teal egg cartons!!
I would love to have the teal egg cartons!!
Thank you for the opportunity to win. If I win, I would love the Pink Tint Egg Cartons. One of my favorite colors. =]
Wow!! I just started with my chicken adventure and my babies giving me almost 9 a day !! Loving life do not buy anymore at all! Kids are eating like crazy!! and their friends! I would love these cartons in any color but pink,blue and green are sweet!! Thanks Cheryl Murphy @camurphy11@aol.com
Love to win some egg cartons!! I would love any color but if I won I think I would pick the TEAL cartons!
Thanks so much!
Stacey Crane
I hope this is the right place to post about the carton contest. I love the pink ones!
Love the blue tinted cartons, if only I could get eggs that blue! 🙂 Thanks for the contest. Good lucke everyone!
I’d love to win some of those pretty pink egg cartons 🙂 Lots of great tips Cathy. I send all newbies to your FB page and Blog. I usually end up learning something new myself!
Forgot to leave my name: Allison Shenk
panchobrinks@gmail.com ~:>
I love the pink and teal egg cartons… What great colors!
Love the pink egg cartons!
Love your info and site. Would love to try the pink cartons, so pretty!
I’d like pink!
Bobbie W
I would love to win!! It would be so nice to stand out when selling my eggs! I like the blue cartons!
Love those blue cartons! Hope to get lots of eggs to fill them this summer!
I would LOVE to win the teal egg cartons! Very pretty 🙂
Love those blue cartons! Hope to get lots of eggs to fill them this summer!
I like the teal blue Benny Pulley
Teal tint. Thanks for the opportunity!
Randy
Entering to win. I sold 16 dozen eggs this weekend and i’m starting to run low. most people bring me back the empty cartons but there are some that dont.. would love to win.. thanks
I would like the teal tint thanks !
Forgot to mention that I like teal!
I have been using sand in my coop since last spring…Love it! So easy to keep the coop clean.
Already like The Egg Carton Store and The Chicken Chick on FB!!!
would love to win teal
Blue! Thank you again for the Ideas
Nancy Jones
I love this page.Thanks for all the tips.I would love Teal ones.They match my daughters eyes!
Kim Andeweg
I would like pink ones!
Can’t wait tip warmer weather to deep clean the coop!
My name is Cathey Greer and I’d like to win the pink egg cartons! We need a place to put our eggs!(; thanks
I am. So glad that I found this site! Wonderful tips and ideas! Thanks so much for posting them. Also, love the teal colored egg cartons! Please enter me? Kelly C Bartels.
I so cannot wait to try the sand this spring! Rain here the next 3 days nothing like trudging thru mud soup.My girls feet are filthy 🙁 as for the color of the egg cartons if I win well surprise me : ) thanks Have a great day Andrea Page Dye Akay_Dye@hotmail.com
🙂 If I won, I would love pink because it represents “love” and I love my girls!
I really love the teal color of egg cartoon! That’s not something you see every day 🙂
I’m going to have to try to make my own ACV, it sounds like a fantastic way to save money!
PINK…would love 50 pink egg cartons..
the droppings board idea is something i am planning to add to the new layer coop this spring,thanks for the brilliant ideas,you keep blogging and i keep adding new ideas to the new coop,my husband isnt as happy as i am,he does the building and i keep adding to it…LOL
Hillary jenkins akhusky@me.com
Love the pink cartons!!
Love the pink cartons!!
All the colors are wonderful but I think I like the teal the best! Thanks!
I will be doing the dropping boards this spring to upgrade my coop. My chickens love to poop and this would be so nice.
Would love to win the egg cartons from The Egg Carton Store. I have ordered from them before and I love their cartons. I have a few left of the Local Hens Premium No Grade/No Size Egg Carton from a previous order. But I would absolutely love the Local Hens Premium Split-6 Egg No Grade/No Size Carton. I have to use the one for a full dozen sometimes when friends don’t want a whole dozen and it always feels like such a waste. I wish I had saw the split carton when I ordered last time.
Monica Ammerman
Monica at AmmermanEnt dot com
If I win, I’d love the Teal ones!! Good luck to everyone that enters! I love your blog. I have learned more from you than from reading the different books out there. Thank you!!
Love your pages! The ideas for keeping the coops clean are wonderful. Sadly due to the size of our coops none of the ideas would be feasible. The next coop we build will be able to handle all the tips. I really like the blue tinted cartons for the contest.
I would LOVE some PINK egg cartons! Thanks, Ann Massarella Maxted
Carri Wieser I really like the Teal egg cartons my little bantum eggs would look great
I would love to have the brown tinted egg cartons because, well…I’m just a natural-look sorta girl!
This is Sarah Rammage at “Collier Clocks Farm”. I would love to win some BLUE egg cartons! Also thanks for all the great info on your blog, you help me with so many things before I even have to ask anyone.
I would love to win the beautiful blue tint egg cartons!
Thank you for all your wonderful hints and opportunities to win items for our sweet chickens and their loving parents. 🙂 You are the best!
Kristi
luvmysweetchickens@gmail.com
I would love to win the blue tint egg cartons. Thank you for all the wonderful information and opportunities to win items for our sweet chickens. -Kris Kirkland-
Sand is going in my coop this spring. Thanks for the info. Of COURSE I’d love to win the blue egg cartons. All “likes” taken care of 🙂
Sandy
Sandy@manyfeet.com
Many Feet Farm
Thanks for the tips….I wish I could use sand in my coop…but with the big cold in winter, I don’t think it would work…but for summer, I’ll may give it a try…
Beth McIntosh Burnham on Facebook
I would love to win some egg cartons and if I do I would like the brown ones.
Thanks…..
Love your blog! I have learned So many different things on raising a healthy flock. I love the color tan in egg cartons.
Thanks for the cleaning info. We also used you poop box idea, we have PBZ in the box and I clean it out daily kinda like kitty litter.
For the egg cartons, pink!!
I would love to win the teal tint egg cartons..EXCITED
I can’ t wait til the eggs start coming, these would be great to be prepared.
lakeeissa@yahoo.com
I’d like to win the Brown tinted egg cartons. Thanks!
Melissa
mommanech@gmail.com
Not sure if I’m commenting in the right spot for the egg carton giveaway, but if I am I’d have to say I love the teal cartons. It’s my favorite color! Thanks Chicken Chick!
Hi! There was a warning on my last bag of sand about not breathing the dust, something about silica respiratory problems. It said it settles in lungs and can’t be coughed out. Is there a certain kind of sand to use where this wouldn’t be a problem? Oh, and I would love pink cartons if I win! S:>O=
I like the yellow egg cartons!
I’m not sure if I’m posting in the correct spot, but I would like to win the blue egg cartons in the 50 egg carton giveaway contest- my name is Arianna – please notify via email-acgaess@aol.com
Oh yeah, My granddaughter likes the pink cartons! I forgot to add that before. LOL
We JUST started getting eggs after 8 months of my ladies holding out. I already have customers lined up too. All I’m missing is some awesome pink egg cartons! =)
Another great contest!! Oh, and we are definitely doing poop trays and sand in Super Coop when we build. Yes we are! Thanks, again!
The blue cartons would house my Easter Eggers’ eggies so beautifully! 🙂 Oooo, I hope I win! Smiles, Jennifer Ferriday
I would love the pink cartons! And as always love your page, always learn something new! Crystal Nolen megainventory@ yahoo.com
I would love any color since I have only about 3 egg cartons in rotation between my extended family who I give our eggs too but I happen to like the Pink tint best:)
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I would love to win the teal egg cartons for my little girls egg business.
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I have been following you for the past month and I now consider you the Chicken Guru. Love all your tips/ideas. I am a New ‘Chick Mom’ to 6 baby chicks. 2- Buff Orpingtons (Penny and Bernie), 2-SL Wyandottes (Katniss and Lacey),
1- Blk. Austrolorp (Amy-Farrah-Fowler), and 1- Ameracauna (Marsala). (Eggs will be coming this July-ish).
I’d love those colored egg cartons too…Blue or pink or even brown….ahhhh, I’ll let you decide if I win. Thanks! Peg Graham
Love the pink!
Wow, the tinted cartons are so pretty! Will have to get your labels to go on them!! : ) I love the teal!
We have just started an egg business! We have about 30 birds right now and 50 hatchlings on the way. So far we have had a great response to our egg business. All of our eggs are big and delicious! I would love some of your beautiful blue cartons!!!
We have just started an egg business! We have about 30 birds right now and 50 hatchlings on the way. So far we have had a great response to our egg business. All of our eggs are big and delicious! I would love some of your beautiful blue cartons!!!
I “liked” the Egg Carton Store 🙂
I already “like” the Chicken Chick!
and I really like the brown tint cartons if I were lucky enough to win!
Pam
violetacres@frontiernet.net
We have just started an egg business! We have about 30 birds right now and 50 hatchlings on the way. So far we have had a great response to our egg business. All of our eggs are big and delicious! I would love some of your beautiful blue cartons!!!
I love the Teal color egg cartons!!
I would like the 12 egg brown tint carton
I would love to win the blue cartons. Karen Parsons
Great site!! I want the Pink Cartons!
I need to get more books on everything ..i hope im doing this right ..how do you make youe apple cider vinager
You KNOW Fire’s Funky Chickens HAVE to have pink egg cartons….
Suzi Fire
hated to log in as “anonymous” but I don’t have any of the other accounts…
I’d love the teal egg cartons! Any color egg would be beautiful in there. 🙂 Thanks! ~Karin Vilanova
Hi! I love the PINK cartons! Hope you pick me! Thanks for everything you do for us.
I have tried to add a picture of the blue tinted egg carton on here. My handicapped brother said he liked the blue one, so I wanted to try to win them for him. He enjoys getting the “Easter Eggs” out of the “big box” as he calls it. My name is Lacey and I am entering this contest for my brother, Cody. Thank you for considering him.
Hi. I am signing up for the egg carton giveaway 🙂
I absolutely love the pink cartons <3
By th eay, Im brand new to chickens and have my first three that are still only 15 days old.They are soooooo cute and WOW they grow & feather fast!
Thank you for allthe tips above. They will definitely be used – Yahoo, to start off knowing how to keep the coop clean
THANK YOU <3
Camdace (Sally, Clara & Maude)
I want to win the pink egg cartons because pink ones are às rare as hens’ teeth!
love your site and the chicken cartons. pink for breast cancer
Would love to win the free egg cartons. The color I’d like to have is brown.
Want to win the Teal egg cartons 😀
(stephsatterlee at gmail.com)
Wow – Colored Egg Cartons – who’da thunk? If I happen to be the winner, the brown egg cartons would be my choice. I can just imagine what my blue eggs will look like in them – not to mention how the dark brown will contrast. Love your blog, by the way – very informative. Thanks for putting all that hard work into it. It is MUCH appreciated.
I would love to win the blue it’s very pretty I’ve bought egg cartons from them in the past I know how nice they are
I completed the steps above and would love to win some teal egg cartons!
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All the colors are very pretty, but I love the brown tint the best!
I like all the colors of the egg cartons. I think I will try for yellow, in hopes of Spring weather!!
Thanks for all the great giveaways,
Heather
I would love to maybe win the Teal Tinted Cartons!! Good Luck everyone!!
I love the teal egg cartons!
Carolle Cox likes brown egg boxes. We’re moving next week, and I plan to build a whole LOT of your ideas into the new Chicken Palace. My girls thank you a bunch!
Thank you for the opportunity to win some cartons. My girls produce lots of eggs, but I have been unsuccessful in convincing them to make some cartons to go along with them.
I like the Blue, but you can surprise me. 🙂
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If I won I would love the teal egg cartons. I love your adivce Leah Wilson dancingrabbitarts@yahoo.com 🙂
I seem to have a problem with my chickens pooping on top of their nesting boxes,why? Thanks for the tip on using sand.
LOVE the pitchfork idea… i tried making a screen out of 2x4s with the wire sandwiched in between.
i had to rake everything into a pile, and though it worked well, it was a hassle! the pitchfork ideas is so simple and you can just scoop and dump into the pail!
My family is just starting out in the backyard chicken venture and I am SUPER excited to have your helpful tips in hand before building our first coop! THANK YOU!!!
CleanTech Patent News
I have a question. How long do chickens normally lay? What age do they begin to lay? Any tips for keeping them off my back porch?
On average, chickens will begin laying around 5-6 months old. Some sooner, others much later. After the second year in production, the rate of laying declines but it is very much dependent upon breed how long they will continue laying.
If you want them to stay off your porch, you will either have to confine them or fence it in.
I wish I could use sand in my coop, but we have had a hard fight with fleas. Fleas like sand so I’m afraid it would encourage more fleas.
We are doing research and am looking for clarification on a question that you answered above: what in heavens name do you DO with the daily sand that you scoop and the twice a year cleaning?
I plan to use your ideas with sand, removable perches and acv when I build my next coop. Thanks for the info.
Thank You!
Love your blog posts they are so helpful and informative. Enjoy all the reads.
Love all your pics, ideas, and info you provide for us. I always look foward to learn something new from you 🙂
Thank you Valerie. 🙂
want to win the feed for my chickens. thanks
Love the Chicken Chick!
Thanks Patricia. ♥
Love you ideas and the info you provide. I’m still fairly new at raising chickens and I take all the help I can get. Especially ways to make cleaning the coop easier!
I have 23 babies now. I could really use the feed. They are growing like weeds. They are amazing. I am able to take care of them with confidence thanks to reading all your care and preventative topics.
Thank you
Cathy S
This is an awesome post. My hubs and I are just fixing our first place for our first flock. Thanks for the tips. Also, awesome giveaway!
Enjoy your new pets!
I don’t even have chickens yet, it’d be nice to have food waiting for them on their first day. Other than that, nice site and fb page 🙂
Can’t comment using fb profile!?
I use sand in my coop and runs and I love it. Also I have poop boards. Again, love the idea. Very nice.
Wow! I have serious coop envy! But I only have four hens (as of now) so my clean-up is minimal, especially since my hens all free range during the day.
Hi!
I love chickens and they would love some new food 🙂
My house isn’t this clean lol! How do you find time to blog?? Seriously, I enjoyed the article. 🙂
I modified my droppings board 2 days ago to make it a bit larger and boy, what a difference. So much less poop falling to the floor of the coop! Thanks for another great article!
I love reading all the hints but many of the ideas are way beyond me financially or what I have time for. No curtains certainly and how do you have time to dust a coop. Is it really necessary? I don’t dust where I live let alone chickens. We have cats and wood heat and fields and such so it’s useless. We use old scraps and such and would like to find somewhere where I can find really cheap ideas for my chickens I’m getting in spring. Can’t afford sand and couldn’t imagine scooping litter from the pen like I do my cats’ litterboxes. That’s enough scooping for me. HaHa Anyone who does the deep litter method using free vegetaion for bedding I hope will contact me. Hope to win the feed as I won’t buy much for my chickens as I can’t afford much. They will have to live pretty much like chickens did 100+ years ago. Thanks for the info and giveaway. Deb Berning
I pay approximately $3.00 per year to put sand in my coop, but it is FREE many places. Can’t get much more affordable than free, Deb. 😉
I love using sand in my coop…so much easier to keep clean.
I really enjoy your tips and ideas. Next weekend we are making more egg ornaments for the Christmas tree. 🙂
I look forward making apple cider vinegar myself this spring and adding some more sand after reading here again…
Also, I now have one Brinsea Ecoglow and I’m ordering another today. I tried the first after your recommendation, and I found them to be SO much better than a heat lamp.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy to know that you like the EcoGlog, Shayna! SOOO much safer than a heat lamp!
I came here trying to find out how to win a free bag of feed, and ended up finding information that may save my farm. For the past few years, I’ve been using wood shavings from a local sawmill for bedding. $20 a truck load seemed like a good deal, if a lot of work. A couple years ago, they milled “composites” for most of the summer, which meant the sawdust was full of plastic. I couldn’t use it and had to buy shavings from the farm store at $5 a bag–something like a 700% increase in bedding costs. I took a loss that year. This year, the shavings from the mill were fine…until it went out of business. I’ve been wondering how I’m going to manage bedding next year. Looks like I’ll be trying sand. I’d like to expand on your “kitty litter scoop” idea by attaching hardware cloth to a four-foot landscape rake. My hen runs will look like a zen garden! 🙂
Wow, that’s so nice to know, Wayne. I’m relieved for you.
I actually feature a rake with hardware cloth attached to it as a ginormous litter scooper in that blog post. 😉
Best wishes with you farm.
Thank you, you’ve saved me money & time on more than a few occasions with your tips!
Love your page!
Love your site and love Nutrena feeds. Please enter me in the giveaway.
I need to add drip boards to my coop
Hey Kathy!
I’m bookmarking this article to read again this spring, when I plan on adding/redoing the inside of my coop…I’ve been planning on adding dropping boards & nest box curtains….I’m going to read more about sand, not sure what I think of that yet 🙂
Please enter my name in the Naturewise giveaway! My girls have done so much better on it than the local store brand – & best news sometimes it’s even cheaper than the store brand!!! Yippie!!! Lost less messy too & the pellets hold together better & don’t “dust” apart like the store brand!
Audrey Siebert
I love all of the creative and useful subjects posted!!
Like you, years ago I installed the metal brackets for the roosts. That alone is a big time saver.
The other thing I do that I rarely see mentioned is to raise my waterers and feeders so they are about two feet above the ground, with perches located alongside them for the hens to sit on. Making the hens jump up dramatically reduces the amount of debris that gets into the food and water, which keeps everything healthier and makes the vessels much easier to wash.
(Please enter me in the food contest. My hens have done better on the Naturewise than any other brand, and the coop seems to have far les odor than with the other big brand out there, so I’d love a bonus bag.)
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Kathy, can you post the recipe for making your own acv? Your contest, blogs and FaceBook posting are the best!! Thanks for sharing!! Ilean hardyhens14@yahoo.com
Kathy, thank you for the idea. I redid my roosts and installed the boards about a month ago. It has really made keeping my coop easy to clean. I really would love to try the laying pellets with my girls.
Bill Bubba Jewett
Kathy, thank you for the idea. I redid my roosts and installed the boards about a month ago. It has really made keeping my coop easy to clean. I really would love to try the laying pellets with my girls.
Bill Bubba Jewett
I have thought of using sand before in my coop, but was always afraid of sand fleas. Do you have that problem? I recently made my coop all cement floor & put hay down on top of it for the winter. The girls seem to love this too! I simply gather up the hay every 3 or 4 days, then replace it with fresh hay. It is much easier for my to take care of my coop now!
I plan on trying the droppings board. Good idea!
wow! Never thought of using ACV to clean the coop, great idea!!! (one of those`why didn’t I think of that, dah)
As for the Nutrena, I would love to win a bag~I never feed my girls anything else!
evwoyak@newnorth.net
I enjoy reading what you share on your site. I have used Nutrena feeds for years and know it to be good. Please enter me in the giveaway.
Thanks!
Thanks Mike!
There will be a droppings board in the new coop!
There will be a droppings board in the new coop!
Congratulations Randy, you have won the chicken feed giveaway, courtesy of Nutrena Feeds! Please email me with your address: Kathy@The-Chicken-Chick.com
Please enter me in the chicken feed contest. 🙂 Love reading your blog! Thanks!
thanks for all the great info!!!
Thank you so much for the great information for keeping our chickie’s palaces clean! I’m a huge fan of ACV, so next I have to check out how to make my own…thank you again!
I want to build a new coop with all the best was to keep my chickens healthy.
Thanks for the info! And the giveaway!
I wish I could just totally start over with my coop. I don’t think I have room to do too much but soon I will be changing over to sand. I love seeing other’s set ups and ideas.
thanks for all the wonderful tips and information
Really enjoy your insight and the funny photos
I’ve heard of dropping boards, but having a visual is much more helpful. I also love your giant kitty litter scoop! Thanks for the great info. Hope I’m the winner in the give-away. 🙂
Ill give it a try ! And i want to be entered!
I use short, wide plastic bins under my roosts to collect the droppings. These are all great ideas though. Thanks!
I’m seriously going to have to figure out how to add dropping boards to our coop!
Possibly moving to another farm. These are great ideas as the new barn needs to be gutted and we can start from scratch (excuse the pun) with the chicken coop. 🙂 Merry Christmas and Thank You!
I think that I will try sand as bedding starting in the spring…thanks for the great ideas and the information!
Please enter me in the contest. I love your site and learn something new everyday!
Question on the sand…what do you do about sand fleas? also please enter me for the feed drawing thanks
We are building new coops soon. What a great idea!
Love the sand info
wow sand does sound like a good idea me and hubby had talked about it before but i wondered how to get the poop up well now i seen the big pitch fork scoop i may be getting sand…. i allways love you post such good info!!
Love your site. You have such a clean coop! Great ideas too.
Oh, and yes, please enter me in the giveaway for the feed! I am sure my babies would like it!
Great tips on the coops and I would love to be entered in the give-a-way! THANK YOU!
so glad i found this site. HENrietta, my rescued chicken and i are learning a lot from each other. LOL
Yes please enter me! I really like this site.
You’re entered!
I am grateful to you for this great content.I am reading your article and its very nice, useful & helpful for those guys who wanna know about the same. Thanks for sharing information about carpet cleaning northern beaches
Oh my goodness! Your coop is cleaner than my house!! 🙂 Great info here! Thanks!
Dusting is by far my least favorite chore. I never thought I’d have to dust even more with chickens. Ya learn fast I guess. Also, my hubby and I would love to incubate some eggs this Spring. That is by far my favorite thing about Spring… the fluffy little chickens and ducks. 🙂
Oh i pray that i win, i would be the happiest chicken lover ever! LOL I love your articles and everything that you teach my daughter and i about the care and so many other things. Thankyou.
I’d love to win this for a friend. Love your informative articles, thanks!
Kathy your blog is awesome, thanks so much! We’d love to be considered!
count me in for the giveaway! 🙂
I so need to win the Egoglow 20…need need need!!! LOL….
The suspense is killing me. I have my fingers crossed.
Love your blog and FB pages. Sure would use some of your awesome giveaway items!
Thanks for the inspiration.
You inspire me to better my coop, thanks!
I love all these ideas for making life better for our birds and easier for us!
I am going to make some adjustments to my coop after reading this!
I love Brinsea products! 😀
Would love to win one and try it out! New to chickens…you inspired me. Henrietta and Omelet bring me joy every day and so does your blog! Thanks for all the great information
YAY! I ordered sand today. I can’t wait to try it in my coop. Thanks for another great article on clean coops. And I really really really want a Brisea EcoGlow!
love it !! 🙂 poohlover2000@yahoo.com
GREAT tips Kathy !!! I know the benefits of adding ACV to my hen’s drinking water, but have never heard of anyone brewing up their own concoction…is the recipe on your blog ? I also like the idea of removable roosts. I’m planning on adding a droppings board and my husband and I have been pondering making some other changes too, perhaps removable roosts !!! Thanks again for your great blog !!!
Love sharing ideas because we all love our chickens! 🙂
Hi from switzerland. Your tips for a cleaner coop couldn’t have come at a better time for me and my family. I was scheduled to have a heavy operation on my leg that would leave me on crutches for 3 months. I put down the sand and the droppings board to try it out for a week. I then showed my hubby and kids how to do it. Well three weeks post op and things are good for my chickies and family. They’ve been able to keep up some what and the coop is not a disaster. Thank you!
Your coops are so clean, and so pretty….LOVE IT! Thanks for the great giveaways too.
Love all your helpful posts 😀 and the great give aways of course
Thanks for all the info!
You always share such great info on your posts! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and for such great giveaways!!
I am so excited to add to my flock this coming spring. The Ecoglow would be so nice to have.
Love all your posts!
I just ordered 2 dozen hatching eggs, and winning that brinsea brooder would make my life so much easier. Plus, it’s my birthday tomorrow. I’d love to tell everyone that the Chicken Chick, Brinsea, and Community Chickens gave me a wonderful gift! Thank you.
Love reading your great info!
When the county came in to trim our pine trees away from the power lines we asked that they dump the chips on our property. Now we have tons of coop filler and mulch for the year.
Oh how a brooder would advance my efforts. My homemade deal is fortunate just to keep them alive, a miracle if you will. :/
I really enjoy reading all of your stuff! I’ve learned so much. Thank-you.
Julie Liberti
angelflyerjdl@yahoo.com
Great product! Safe for my chicks! I love my chickens! Jessica Humphrey
I have been using sand in my coop for over a year now. So much easier to keep the coop clean and pest free.
After experiencing the dangers of the heat lamp first hand tonight thanks to an overactive two year old who somehow knocked it loose, when it then fell and caught the shavings on fire, this EcoGlow, and the brooder being moved to an inaccessible location (I think), sound like a necessary addition to my house.
p.s. all chickies and rambunctious child are safe…thank goodness.
I put ACV in my flock’s drinking water but would never have thought to use it to clean their coop. Great idea!!
I want to be like you when I grow up!! LOL And I would love to put my heat lamp to rest by winning an EcoGlow!! Thanks for everything you do to help others who love chickens, too!! Jackie Humphrey
I love this concept! Keep them coming, plz.
Miss Kat
I am just dying to win the Ecoglow.
“world’s biggest kitty litter scoop” ….BRILLIANT.
In my mind I have designed one chicken coop after another for ease of cleaning. I don’t have to do that anymore, lol. Thanks! Shelley
Currently renovating my chicken barn and plan on incorporating dropping boards. Actually never heard of them until I started following you on FB. 🙂 I really like the idea of removable roosts too!
Will have to try that vinegar, sounds great! Excellent article, as always.
I have a small coop that I cannot enter. Our first attempt. Now I have so many new ideas and plans hashed out for the perfect replacement when the time comes (and it will) for a new coop. Years ago we used to have a walk in coop and now miss it so much. It was soooo much easier to care for. thank you so much and keep posting, Please!!
LOVE the idea of the droppings boards. My coop is always so messy in the mornings. Now, if someone can convince my ducks not to sleep under the roosting bars. -_-
Thank you so much for this information. I learn so much from you!
I am so going to add a poop board… That would keep everything so much cleaner!
I would absolutely love to win the Brinsea Ecoglow 20. I have been following your blog for sometime two different ways. Thanks so much for the opportunity to win this prize. I will be ordering chicks soon and this would so come in handy. Sorry if this shows up twice but for some reason my other comment disappeared :/
This is great information and tips. I think we will try the sand sifter and duster for sure. If its one thing we learned chickens DO create alot of dust. Also like the cider for cleaning. Natural is the way to go! Thanks! 🙂
I save all your newsletters because of their valuable information. They are all educational to me! Thanks for the opportunity to enter the contest! Shelley
So..I was curious what you do with the sand after the years up? do you sweep it out..and then what?
I do, but not everyone does. It isn’t necessary, but I am a clean freak. Lol! It doesn’t go to waste as I use it around my coops and runs.
Lots of helpful info. Thanks again
Wow , you definitely have some HAPPY HENS! I am always on the look-our for new cleaning ideas for my chicken family and you certainly have filled the bill, pun definitely intended!,
I learned SO MUCH from your post and now I feel a whole lot more confident about getting my very own flock of chooks! AND I saved the link to your blog so I can read all your tips for chicken-y success. Whoohoo!
papabooo@hotmail.com I am going to go back up and read a second time. I was wondering what kind of board did you use for the poop board. And can I use regular store boughten apple cider vinegar to clean the coop with. I am just building my coop. I love your blog. thank you so much for sharing your experiences.
Im stunned with all of these.
@Melissa: My pleasure! It’s not a big project but it does make a big difference in the amount of time spent cleaning the coop.
Great ideas! I really like the poop board! Now, I have to figure out a way to talk my husband into making that change for me….
Thanks for the tips,
Melissa
You are my Chicken QUEEN.
Thank you for sharing your passion. It’s a gift of Providence in my life.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
We also use sand in our coop and I love it. So much easier to keep clean. We also mix in food grade diatomaceous earth to help with pest control. Can’t wait to make my own ACV. Having parrots and their sensitivity to cleaning products taught me the vinegar magic too. I am going to have to try dropping boards! Clever!
I love hearing what you’re doing with your chicks — I learn something new from you all the time. Instead of using ‘fabric’ as nesting box curtains — my 4-month-old chicks have decided that a couple of the nesting boxes are way better than the perches and 4 of the 6 routinely cram into one of the boxes — the fabric store was selling rectangular felt pieces at ten cents per. . . and I needed twelve. I used my trusty staple gun to put them up; they’re just the right size. And while we’re in NC and don’t usually have snowy winters, I do have some heavy plastic that I’ll cut to size & fit over the two windows in their coop. I have fabric left over from a chair seat I recovered — a pretty rooster pattern — that I thought I’d use over the plastic. Hope the little girls won’t be too upset. . . .
Glad I found your site! Buying sand tomorrow! Pine shaving are a mess and I’ll bet they love sand baths!
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE that soap dish:)
Thank you for all the useful and informative information. & it is so useful and informative, plus you make it fun!
You are truly inspirational! I am going to the feed store for sand today and changing from straw to sand, also will start dusting more often, as well as install dropping boards!
Really good ideas! Thank you
Both pages are great,the blogs are very helpful,and this soap dish would make my kitchen look great!! Thanks for all you do. Cvillbubba@yahoo.com
Love your site!! I am a chicken lover and have been since I was a little girl. They were my first pets and I used to dress them up in my doll clothes! Such good memories! Chickens are very intelligent despite what other people believe. My kitchen is decorated in many things chicken related too. It just makes me happy to be surrounded by them!
Thanks for the great tips! Always helpful
Love your blog. You always have such great tips. Will be cleaning my coop this weekend, if it doesn’t snow, for the winter. Put sand in their pen areas this week. Now to make the tool to clean it. Thanks for all of your great info and tips.
To cute!! Count me in for the giveaway, please!!
I’m moving back to a neighborhood and can’t keep my chickens anymore. Most are gone. A few left… Hopefully in a few years w can get back to it. I’ll keep watching and following your stories. My three years with chickens were so awesome. Thanks for all your super informative posts. Love the blog and facebook.
Love all the useful information I always learn something new. Thanks for all you do!
I also enjoy your site, and hope to someday soon be able to have chicks in my yard! Thanks for the soap dish giveaway, it rocks! Going off now to ‘like’ everything!
Great Blogs for people like myself, who Love Chickens!
Nice dish. Love these sites.
I love your blog & facebook page! So much helpful information. Thank-you.
~~Julie Liberti
angelflyerjdl@yahoo.com
Just Plane Good…
I really wanna have chickens some day. But I want this soap dish right now!
Great post, fixing to get my first coop, trying to learn as much as possible.
Lots of great info & tips here. Thanks & I also <3 the soapdish
That is a cute soapdish and Thank You for the read!
@Sue Leighton: I order my sand from Galasso on North Main Street in East Granby. Washed, construction grade sand. It’s a whopping $30 for the year to cover two coops, two large runs and dust baths for the quails. And we always have a pile leftover.
Thanks for the helpful information about taking care of chicken coops.
I don’t even live near a farm and I read you blog about the chicken coop. It was so interesting.
How cool! And wonderful to find you here and on FB.
Thank you Mary!
Love it here and heading to facebook. ~crow <3
Like the coop design=so clean!
lOVE IT ALL!
I am officially tempted to try the sand for litter in my coop.
Wow! Thanks for all of your tips! I look forward to your posts! 🙂
Hmmm … good food for thought here. I have a plentiful and free supply of straw but I like the idea of using sand so I may give this a try, specially coming up to winter when the chickens are in their coop more frequently. Thank you for the nudge!
The Chicken Chick has the best ideas! I Love the soapdish!!! 🙂
always good info from the chicken chick!
Love that soapdish!! Of course I like your page, and I went to like the other!!
Thanks for the tips!
I love chickens! And the iron faucet!!
I love this blog! I wish I could put a droppings board and removable roost in my coop but I converted dog houses into coops. One I built on my own but based on that design and I wish I had changed some things! (Outside nest boxes for one!) Thanks for the great blog posts, I’m always learning something new!
Lenore Day on Facebook
I would love to start using sand in my coop and runs, how much does it usually cost to get a load of sand in?
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for posting! Where do you get the sand around here and how much do you order?
I will have to try the ACV- thanks for posting such great tips!
Sue
Sue, we buy it at Galasso’s in East Windsor and we get 2 yards annually.
Never thought about using sand. Was always worried it might attract fleas. But Thanks for the tip! I spend a LOT on shavings right now and that would give me extra money to spend on other things!
I’m definitely going to use these tips for my Fall clean up of the coop. Especially before we bring a new girl into the coop this month 🙂
I so enjoy your blogs and appreciate the giveaways. I am particularly eggcited about the faucet soap dish… thanks for all you do. I get so many good tips and ideas for our 28 birds. Thank you!
Barb
(Barb Hladick on FB)
The apple cider vinegar looked good enough to drink. Lol. Love your blog and page.
These are great tips. I’m going to switch to sand and pine shavings from straw right away. Thanks so much. (Would LOVE to have that soap dish).
Great cleaning tips! And super cute soap dish 🙂
Crystal Jebeles Taylor on Facebook btw
Thank you for the tips! I always follow your blogs as well as your post on Facebook! I’m always friends with The Craft House, and I must say … I love her crafty work!! Thank you both so much for all you do!!
Love your articles they are so helpful.
Great article! I am using ACV. But I believe I will install the dropping boards(probably tomorrow as it is nothing but raining buckets). We use sand in the run and I had not thought about using it up in the coop. About how deep do you go with the sand?
Kathy: I’m using white vinegar in my coop now; with using the ACV do you have a problem with flies? (I use ACV in my fly traps in the house.)
I used alfalfa in my coops all summer in nest boxes as well as the floor and did not have any flies or bugs not the pellets the straw plus the eggs were healthier..hope this helps..I also take old kitty litter jugs cut out the front and use as waters keeps out trash and poo and do not have to clean out as often as those red round ones..when they get dirty and old I can toss them..I put 3 in old freezer wire basket or cu a round pole to put through the handle so they will not spill it..love the ideas here..thank you
Wish I could talk hubs into using sand! But the shavings I get are free…from his saw mill and planer so I won’t complain! Love the soap dish. Would look great at my sink!!
I have doves, do you think the nesting boards would work in their house.? I use my shed as their house… only put a screen up 1/2 way across the who;le shed so that I still can go in and visit. I love them.
I love the soap dish and faucet set, my son is a plumber too. I’ve foound salt and pepper shakers that were faucets, this would be another cool item…. Donna
The blog post was great! The removable roosts would be a great help – I’ll have to look into it!
The soapdish is adorable and would look great next to my sink!
Esther Widgren
How cute would our Hog Wash Soaps be in this soap dish?! Thank goodness we have you to direct RURAL REVOLUTION LLC in our new chicken adventures!
Just found you via facebook, when I got married we asked for money from guests and not presents as we wanted a chicken coop. Just waiting for some free time and away we go
really enjoying what I’m learning here, looking to create My own chicken coop
I always learn so much from your blog! We are constructing our coop now and will definitely be using sand! Such a great idea!!! Thanks for all of the wonderful tips! 🙂
(Leah Dee on FB)
leah@bellasconcessions.com
That is one cute soap dish…………
love reading ur blog, truly a blessing
I just saw your middle name is Shea. That is my son’s name(Shae though). We use vinegar to clean everything. I don’t keep chemicals in the house and use vinegar for almost all cleaning. It cleans and disinfects. Floors, glass, counters, you can even use it on carpets. It only smells like vinegar for a very short while.
Thank you for all the tips! I think we are going to try the sand for the Banty coop <3
Great blog post as always Kathy! Really hope I win, I LOVE this soap dish. Perfect for my goat milk soap from LCC!
Love reading your posts! Great tips!
Love your tips! I use a sort of litter box for my chickens instead of the droppings board. The droppings board has a 2″ lip around it. I fill the board with a mixture of sand and stall dry and scoop the poop up every other day with a litter scoop. Keeps things neat and tidy! 🙂
always a great read!
I always learn so much reading your blog. Those boxes under the roosts to collect the poop is a great idea. Then the ACV, but how much do you put in their water?? Anyway love this cute faucet soap dish giveaway and thank you and Country Craft House for the offering….
Thanks for all the great tips!!
Thanks for posting this info.
I am re-working my coop this Fall with sand and droppings board. Thank you for the great pics & I really appreciate the one which shows how you installed the roosts. 😀
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Love all your cleaning ideas, almost makes me want to get going on my coop right now! 🙂
It’s great to see different ideas for coops. We did our first by the seat of our pants. The next one should be much better! Thanks!!!
Love the ideas-poop board and removable roost will be in my new coop, underconstruction now
@Adriana: the droppings board makes all the difference in the world. You’ll be amazed!
Sand is great! I really need to use a dropping board though.
@Annette: straw isn’t absorbent, so it isn’t the best choice for bedding as I’m sure you’re finding out. I used to employ pine shavings, which are absorbent, but they’re messy and require frequent changing (not as frequent as straw though).
Hi Kathleen! Let me know what you think about the droppings board! Happy I could help. 🙂
Im new to raising chickens and we have been using straw (over pine shavings) but sand is a great idea! We have gaps in the floor of our coops and have recently gotten linoleum scraps to cover the bottom of the coop. Im thinking we might convert to sand and see how that goes! thanks for the tips!
Wow, if I only could be one of your chickens, lucky chicks. I am so thankful for all your tips. I went and purchase the supplies to make the dropping board. And I am going to go get some sand next. I too need to get the coop ready for winter. Thank you so much.