tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2880873399567877214.post1828216722546080493..comments2014-01-11T22:02:02.082-05:00Comments on Looks Like Chicken Scratch: Chicks on 7-26 and a coop updategalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13768549263229767417noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2880873399567877214.post-64521071793644724162011-09-01T11:51:17.952-04:002011-09-01T11:51:17.952-04:00Hi Gale.
I'm glad to hear your are getting ...Hi Gale. <br /><br />I'm glad to hear your are getting a new coop. I can't wait to see the pictures!! I wish I had a bigger one as well. Mine is elevated, so cleaning is a snap. I'm sure you probably did research on the deep litter method. I have to say...are you SURE you want to get rid of sand? It is soooooooo clean. It smells so fresh. The flies are never present with sand and it is so very sanitary for the Henny Pennys. Sand keeps the coop dry which is good for their respiratory health. Deep litter is very habitable to mites and other bugs. Sand discourages this. I use a kitty litter scoop to clean our coop. The floor is 4x4 and it literally takes me less than one minute per day. The pine shavings are so smelly when there is poop in it. Even while adding layer after layer, the chickens get poop on their feathers and it makes for a icky mess. Not to mention, you will have shavings stuck to the bottom of your shoes every time you leave the coop. Sand is so easy Gale. I think you should stick with it. <br /><br />My girls free range all day and spend very little time in their run. Before winter hits, I plan to put sand in their run as well (so it will be more sanitary for them). I also plan to put clear plastic up around the run to protect it from the snow. I'm going to make a homemade pooper scooper/sifter at the end of a pole using very stiff wire so cleaning will be a snap even in winter. I hope you will reconsider the deep litter method. It really is less sanitary not to mention more costly.<br /><br />Here are some photos of my coop. It's still a work in progress, but I really love the benefits of sand. Also, you'll see why I like the color of your coop!<br />http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/imagineitphotos/IMG_5309.jpg<br />http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/imagineitphotos/IMG_5311.jpg<br /><br />You had mentioned that you were building nest boxes accessible from outside the coop and run. That is wonderful and how mine is set up. We are still waiting for our first egg, but the nest boxes are in and waiting for the girls to lay. I use kitty litter boxes that I got super cheap at Wal-Mart for the next boxes. I figure they will be really easy to clean. You can see them in this next photo...<br />http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o106/imagineitphotos/IMG_5304.jpg<br /><br />Blessings!<br />KellyKellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12127161706338879963noreply@blogger.com