Spring Cleaning

Most people associate spring cleaning with an annual ritual of house cleaning. I suppose one might clean windows, kitchen cupboards, perhaps even the closets. How would I know? I never do it. Spring cleaning at Red Bucket Farm means a complete cleaning of the chicken house. It's important to clean thoroughly twice a year to prevent mites and other visitors from settling into cracks and crevices.

We were lucky to have unseasonably warm weather over the weekend, so we seized the opportunity. My work crew removed all the exterior plexiglass and plastic sheeting which was installed mid-November for winter protection. I hauled out every shred of bedding (wood shavings and hay) which was littered with poop. It all went into the compost bins which were relocated slightly. I scrubbed the entire casa gallina with a mild solution of bleach water and added clean bedding.

The girls seem happy with their clean housing with one exception: they really hate it when I mess with the nesting boxes. I removed one wooden box that hadn't been used in months, and I had the audacity to move the favorite nest a few inches. Yikes! The complaints and squawking have been considerable. I guess you can't keep everybody happy all the time.