How to Spring Clean Chicken Coop: A Step-by-Step Guide

Just like with our homes, a good spring cleaning isn’t only nice for your chickens and their coop, but it’s also essential. Cleaning and disinfecting your chicken coop ensures a healthy and happy flock. In this guide, we’re going to share step-by-step details on how to spring clean and keep a clean chicken coop.

Why is a clean chicken coop important?

Cleaning out a chicken coop regularly reduces the possibility of germs spreading. If germs are around too long, it can lead to the growth of bacteria and other diseases. Inevitably, this can cause your chickens to get sick and can even be deadly. The good news is a regular cleaning can prevent these issues!

You might also be interested in: Common Chicken Illnesses: Everything You Need to Know

How often should you clean a chicken coop?

You want to do a light cleaning when droppings build up – every 2-4 weeks. When it comes to a deep spring cleaning, we recommend doing this once or twice a year. A good rule of thumb is that if there is dirt, dust, and droppings that are beginning to build up, it’s time for a clean-up.

How to Spring Clean Chicken Coop

To entirely clean and sanitize a chicken coop, there are 6 specific steps to follow. You want to move your chickens out of the coop and that you follow each step thoroughly for an effective clean.

Note: If you live cold, you’ll want to wait until winter is over and snow is all melted before getting the coop ready for spring.

Step 1: Clear everything out of the coop.

After you’ve taken your chicken out of the coop, you’ll remove all other removable items – feeders, waterers, toys, etc. You’ll also want to sweep out nesting material, droppings, feathers, and dirt. This step will probably take the longest, but it’s necessary for the most effective and straightforward process.

Once everything is removed, scrape or scrub any excess material. We recommend gloves for this!

Step 2: Rinse out the chicken coop.

Once the chicken coop is empty, you’ll want to use a hose to rinse everything. Again, make sure all excess dirt, droppings, and debris are removed before moving to step 3 of how to clean chicken coop.

Step 3: Disinfect the chicken coop.

Now, it’s time to disinfect the coop, including nesting boxes, feeders, and waterers. It’s best to use a natural cleaner to ensure it’s not toxic to your chickens. You can use something like this natural multi-surface cleaner or make your own homemade chicken coop cleaner with equal parts vinegar and water with a few drops of lemon juice.

Step 4: Rinse the chicken coop again (optional).

Once your chicken coop has been disinfected, you may want to rinse it again. If you’ve used a natural disinfectant with no harmful chemicals or additives, you don’t need to rinse it again. If you choose to do this step, allow the disinfectant to sit for a while to ensure any germs and bacteria have been eliminated.

Step 5: Allow the clean chicken coop to dry.

Allow all wet items like the nesting boxes and feeders to completely dry. This avoids the chance of mold growing on wet items. Placing things from the coop in the sun can also help with the disinfection process.

Tip: Sprinkle an odor absorbent like this one on your clean coop floor and bedding to maintain a fresh smell longer. This can also keep the coop dry to avoid a musky scent, keep flies away, and reduce the risk for frostbite.

Step 6: Put your chicken coop back together.

Once everything is dry, it’s time for the fun part – getting your chicken’s coop back in order. You’ll also want to supply fresh bedding, food, and water. 

When the coop is fresh and clean, you can move your chickens back to let them enjoy it!

How to Keep a Clean Chicken Coop

Now that you’ve got the coop fresh and clean for spring, you’ll probably want to maintain it so that a deep clean isn’t needed for a while. Again a deep clean should only be necessary once or twice a year.

Here are a few easy clean chicken coop methods:

• Deep litter method: a thick layer of bedding that allows the litter to build up and compost.
• Tarp method: tarp covers the chicken coop floor for easy clean-up.
• Hay or straw: bedding with odor absorbent that’s replaced when needed.
• Dropping boards: plastic or wooden trays that sit under roost for simple cleaning.

Learn all about each of these methods here!

Keeping your chicken coop clean is essential for maintaining your flock happy and healthy. We hope this step-by-step guide was helpful for you. If you have any other questions, feel free to let us know in the comments below.