Rural Gardening: Considering Getting Chickens - Have Questions, 1 by meg_e

meg_e wrote:
In addition to their sand baths add some diatomaceous (sp?) earth. It helps kill the parasites as tehy roll around in it. If your state doesnt recognize it as an agricultural product (texas doesn't) look in the pool cleaning section of your local box store. You'll probably have to buy a huge box of it but its the same stuff thats sold elsewhere agriculturally and isn't very expensive.
I don't think it matters rather or not you paint the inside of your house. The wood might last longer painted is the only thing I can think of. But sanitation wise the only really important thing is to make sure the poop dries out and does not stay wet. Most people do this by keeping shavings on the bottom of their houses and nests. There are two differnt methods for the litter. You can clean it weekly (esp if you have alot of chickens) or yearly in whats called the deep litter method. Good for fewer chickens. Just add new shavings on top of the old ones. The idea is to make sure the poop dries well and is not alwys in contact with the chickens. They can get lots of diseases otherwise.
Also, if you don't want your chickens pooping in their laying boxes, provide them a perch in the coop. They like to sleep up high on perches and that keeps your eggs cleaner. (A little poop doesn't bother me too much but it seems more sanitary and they just like the perches better.)

PICTURE: americana named Doodle and a barred rock named Stella. They are 7 weeks old.
They are addictive, just like catscan said!