When it comes to the chicken coop, properly maintaining it can be tricky enough. When you try to ensure a perfect coop for your flock, it’s a good sign. But sometimes, it’s difficult to know what chicken coop maintenance tools are required to maintain it.
Well, don’t pressurize yourself too much by thinking about all this. We will discuss all the details in this article. Essential coop maintenance tools are roosting bars, run, feeder, Waterer, toys, nesting box, and bedding.
The other tools are a small flashlight, plastic squeeze bottle, paint scraper, small pocket knife, etc. And, the essential chicken coop cleaning tools are a cleaning brush, litter scoop, small plastic bin, and short-handled and long-handled scrub brushes.
Let’s start by discussing the details of the most important coop maintenance tools in the first place.
10 Most Important Chicken Coop Maintenance Tools
You require several pieces of equipment to maintain your chicken coop properly. All this equipment can be classified into different categories according to their importance. So first off, we will discuss the most important tools. Those are:
1. Roosting Bars
Roosting bar is one of the important pieces of equipment in your coop because many chickens like to sleep on the high. They do so because sleeping high protects them from the attack of predators. Moreover, sleeping in roosting bars decreases the disease possibility within your chicken.
Get a roosting bar or perch for your chicken to ensure enough comfort. Ensure that every chicken in your flock has enough perching spots. Bringing a roosting bar in your chicken coop for the flock means providing sleeping spots for them. So, undoubtedly, it’s a crucial chicken coop maintenance tool.
2. Run
Technically having a run isn’t crucial for your coop. And many coop owners think it’s not an important chicken coop maintenance tool. But “run” is essential when your birds don’t have the free-ranging opportunity. Your chicken gets a place to scratch, move around and play on the run.
If you add a run to your chicken coop, ensure they are large enough and predator-proof. Make the fence strong to keep out the large predators and dogs.
3. Feeder
Feeders are important equipment for your coop. Keeping feed in the feeder ensures contamination-free food for your chicken. So placing an open feeder or any other type in your coop is a good idea.
4. Waterer
Water is vital for all living things, like humans, chickens, and other animals. So another vital piece of equipment to keep in your coop is Waterer. Place a durable and secure Waterer in your chicken coop.
5. Nesting Box
Your chicken requires a secluded and safe place to lay eggs within their coop. A nesting box is an important piece of equipment that you should have in your coop. Accommodate your chicken with sufficient nest boxes, as it is important.
The nesting box within the coop means your chicken will lay egg in the designated place. The nesting box makes your chicken’s egg-laying and egg-collection processes easier.
6. Bedding
One of the most important pieces of equipment for your coop, which we shouldn’t skip discussing is bedding. Bedding is crucial in your chicken coop, enabling your chickens to stay clean and healthy and prevent disease.
You must include bedding in your chicken coop material lists. However, the common bedding options are wood shavings and straws. The dry and clean bedding helps soak up odors and moisture. And ultimately, it makes your coop cleaning process easier.
7. Toys
Usually, birds love to play with toys. Many coop owners think that toys aren’t the most crucial equipment for the coop. But throughout the day, the toys can greatly entertain your birds, so it’s also another important coop equipment.
The chicken swings satisfy the playful nature of birds, so it’s a popular option. Another popular toy type is giving them plastic balls. Your birds can peck up towards these toys and enjoy a joyful time.
Essential Chicken Coop Equipment
When chicken coop owners decide to start raising chickens, they should research first. They are quite unsure of what necessary chicken coop maintenance equipment they need. So they often search for it on the Internet.
To make your job easier, here we come with a complete guide about the ordinary chicken coop maintenance equipment. Let’s dive into the next discussion:
8. Small Flashlight
You may wonder how a flashlight is an essential maintenance tool for your coop, right? Well, for your better understanding, we are making it clear:
Usually, the nest box is dark. So anything can happen when you put your hand in the dark nest box to collect the egg. For example, you can touch other things like a field mouse instead of an egg. Or even a snake can be in the nest box; it’s not uncommon.
So to prevent all these unpredictable problems, we recommend you have a flashlight. Before reaching each box or putting your hands within it, shine the flashlight in each nest box. Shining the light will prevent you from touching unwanted things like pullet poop, baby snakes, or field mice.
Moreover, the flashlight is the most important thing to do with a quick headcount. Now the question is why you must count your chicken’s head. Consider an example: suddenly a predator attacks your flock at night, and you hear a commotion.
With panic, you run toward your coop, but it is dark, and you can’t see any chicken. So, in this case, how will you ensure all your flocks are ok? In this situation, if you have a flashlight, you can easily count your bird’s head. Also, the flashlight is important to candle eggs under a broody hen.
Furthermore, use the flashlight occasionally at night to inspect your chicken’s vent for lice or mites.
9. Plastic Squeeze Bottle
To dispense DE, the best way is to use a plastic squeeze bottle. After filling the bottle as an insect repellent, apply the DE in the coop’s nooks and crannies, around feeders, and in the nesting boxes.
10. Paint Scraper
Your flock will frequently make the coop dirty. So how will you clean it and scrap the things? The easiest answer is you need a paint scraper as it’s another essential material for your coop. Using the plastic paint scraper, you can scrape the dropping board, roosts, and nesting boxes.
After cleaning your coop perfectly, you can scrape the floor’s existing scrape. The paint scraper is one of the best poop scrapers. The plastic one is inexpensive. So using it, you can also scrape the feed tubs or dishes wet feed.
11. Small Size Folding Pocket Knife
Do you find it silly that you also require a pocket knife for coop maintenance? Again you may think, what’s the use of a knife? Believe us, to do many things around your chicken coop, you require a small folding knife. Some examples are:
- Using a knife, cut the strings into straw bales
- Chop vegetables for your hens and ducks
- Cut the supplement bags or open the feed
These are only a few examples. We bet the small folding knife is indispensable for maintaining your chicken coop.
Supplies For Cleaning Chicken Coop
If you have a chicken coop, the most important job for you is to keep it clean. You require certain chicken coop cleaning tools to maintain it properly. And those are:
1. Cleaning Brush
First, you need a cleaning brush to remove the dirt from your chicken coop.
2. Litter Scoop
You must use the metal kitty litter scoop to clean your coop’s litter daily. You can keep your coop clean and nice using it within a minute. Also, you can scoop up the droppings in a day a couple of times.
3. Small Plastic Bin
Using the compost bin to collect the debris from your coop is better. The chicken coop owners should have a small plastic bin to keep the debris after collecting them.
4. Short Handled Scrub Brush
Occasionally, you need a short-handled scrub brush to clean the Waterer of your coop. While cleaning the Waterer, avoid using bleach as the plastic absorbs the bleach odor.
4. Long Handled Scrub Brush
For scrubbing your coop properly, you should have a long-handled scrub brush. It’s another important cleaning tool. The long-handled brush reaches easily within your coop, and it’s nice and sturdy.
Tools For Coop Maintenance
You must have some handy tools in hand to ensure proper maintenance of your coop. These tools are vital to ensure your flock’s perfect care:
- For scooping, droppings, have a cat litter box scoop or small shovel
- To easily scrape the sticky and stubborn droppings residue, use a paint scraper
- For regular bedding removal, the shovel or rake is helpful
- Depending on your coop and flock’s size, have a wheelbarrow or large bucket nearby to carry the soiled bedding.
- Have one standby broom near your coop because you don’t know when you may need it to clean your coop.
What is the essential chicken-raising equipment? Well, you will get a clearer answer by going through this video:
Frequently Asked Questions
What Tools Do You Need to Clean A Chicken Coop?
You require rakes, shovels, a cleaning brush, a litter scoop, gloves, and a mask to clean your chicken coop. The other necessary tools are a small plastic bin and short-handled and long-handled scrub brushes.
What is the best way to maintain a chicken coop?
To maintain your chicken coop, clean the old bedding, scrape the surfaces, roost old droppings, and scrub the coop.
What equipment do you need to build a chicken coop?
You require the roosting bars, nesting boxes, Waterer, feeder, vent for perfect air circulation etc. to build a chicken coop.
Final Thoughts
Knowing about your chicken coop maintenance tools can help ensure a healthy flock. But you must know how to use all this equipment, when to buy it and where to place it. Also, having all the equipment mentioned above is worth considering because you don’t know when you will require which one.
We have already discussed every aspect of today’s topic. If you want to know more, comment in the comment section.
