I've been over-cleaning my coop for years and it backfired

My hens started getting mites last spring, and my vet in Tacoma said my constant deep cleaning was stripping their natural protective oils. I only scrub with vinegar water once a month now. Has anyone else had a problem from cleaning too much?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_thomas16d ago

That point about stripping their natural oils is so true. I messed up my own flock's feet by over-cleaning the roosts. They need that built-up grime for grip, and without it, they started slipping and getting bumblefoot. Now I just scrape off the worst of it and leave the rest. Sometimes trying too hard to keep things spotless does more harm than good.

hill.hugo16d ago

Same thing happened with my dog's ears, kept cleaning them and gave him an infection. Vet said I was wiping out all the good bacteria.