Hen House Maintenance
The biggest maintenance job you will have with your coop is cleaning it out.
You should aim to do this at least once a year.
If at all possible you should do this on a hot summers day, this will mean the hen house will dry out really quickly.
Here is the best way it should be done.
Wear a dust mask.
Now you may think this is paranoid, but really it is for your own safety.
The dust particles from your hen house may carry nasty things like campylobacter and salmonella, so before you go and remove the litter put on your dust mask.
Once all the old litter has been removed, wash out the inside.
If you have a water blaster then use it, first spray the walls and surfaces with household detergent to remove any grease spots.
If you do not have a water blaster then a hose with a high pressure fitting will be fine.
Allow the coop to dry.
Next sanitise the interior - make sure all surfaces are clean first - You will be able to buy a farm sanitiser from your local farm store or your vet.
Allow to dry.
Now its time to spray the whole hen house with an insecticide.
You will need to spray everything.
Take the perches out and spray in the holes.
Do the door, frames, windows and vents.
In fact do anywhere that mites might live.
Now leave the hen house for as long as possible.
No less than 3 days.
The longer you leave it the more chance you have of breaking any cycle of disease.
So it would be best if you had two hen houses.
Your next job is to treat the birds for lice and parasites.
Ask your farm vet for the best options available.
Now you are ready to re-stock your coop with new litter.
Wood shavings (un-treated) are the best for bedding.
If you restock with a new layer each week you will keep the smell down.
The other maintenance you will have to attend to is the cleaning of the feeders and water bowls.
These should be cleaned on a regular basis, at least twice a week.
Don't let the water bowls get mould around the edges, this causes bacteria and will make your birds really sick.
Make sure the feed is always dry, wet feed goes mouldy and if the birds eat this food they will get sick and most likely die.
Throw old wet food out and clean and dry the feeder before you put new feed into it.
You should aim to do this at least once a year.
If at all possible you should do this on a hot summers day, this will mean the hen house will dry out really quickly.
Here is the best way it should be done.
Wear a dust mask.
Now you may think this is paranoid, but really it is for your own safety.
The dust particles from your hen house may carry nasty things like campylobacter and salmonella, so before you go and remove the litter put on your dust mask.
Once all the old litter has been removed, wash out the inside.
If you have a water blaster then use it, first spray the walls and surfaces with household detergent to remove any grease spots.
If you do not have a water blaster then a hose with a high pressure fitting will be fine.
Allow the coop to dry.
Next sanitise the interior - make sure all surfaces are clean first - You will be able to buy a farm sanitiser from your local farm store or your vet.
Allow to dry.
Now its time to spray the whole hen house with an insecticide.
You will need to spray everything.
Take the perches out and spray in the holes.
Do the door, frames, windows and vents.
In fact do anywhere that mites might live.
Now leave the hen house for as long as possible.
No less than 3 days.
The longer you leave it the more chance you have of breaking any cycle of disease.
So it would be best if you had two hen houses.
Your next job is to treat the birds for lice and parasites.
Ask your farm vet for the best options available.
Now you are ready to re-stock your coop with new litter.
Wood shavings (un-treated) are the best for bedding.
If you restock with a new layer each week you will keep the smell down.
The other maintenance you will have to attend to is the cleaning of the feeders and water bowls.
These should be cleaned on a regular basis, at least twice a week.
Don't let the water bowls get mould around the edges, this causes bacteria and will make your birds really sick.
Make sure the feed is always dry, wet feed goes mouldy and if the birds eat this food they will get sick and most likely die.
Throw old wet food out and clean and dry the feeder before you put new feed into it.