My neighbor told me I was keeping my hens too clean and I think she was right

I used to scrub my coop top to bottom every week with vinegar and bleach water. My neighbor who has been raising birds for 30 years said I was stripping the good bacteria and making my hens more prone to illness. I cut back to a deep clean every 3 months and just spot clean bedding now. Has anyone else found that a little dirt is actually better for their flock?

2 comments

2 Comments

richard_west51mo ago

Vinegar kills most bacteria so you were probably doing more harm than good by using it that often.

keith1161mo ago

Actually, vinegar's acidity kills a lot of stuff but your skin's natural pH is around 5.5, so using it daily can wreck your protective barrier and cause way more irritation than it prevents.