Wignatia :womenkitchen: on Nostr: >rake out the whole bed and chuck it in a bin and spread a fresh carpet of pine? I ...

>rake out the whole bed and chuck it in a bin and spread a fresh carpet of pine?
I only rake out the top layer that's crusted, and only a few times a year. I leave several inches at all times. All kinds of bugs grow in there and the chiggs love to dig and turn it over. Free protein! Flies are gross, but their larvae is more free chiggen feed. When it gets really smelly in there is when I do it. Probably go through 6 bales of pine shavings a year. I am not all fussy about keeping my coop clean though. The main thing is ventilation and not overcrowding. There is NO keeping anything clean around chiggens.