Two handy tools

[Robbie]

The chickens are hanging out in front of their coop, I have a couple of shelters for them that are spread with hay, and when the weather is warm the chickens run around on the snow but they are sticking much closer to the barn than in the summertime. The chickens are making the area uncivilized, but with these 2 tools I can quickly clean up after them. By picking up the I'm hoping to reduce the coccidia/worm load in the soil for next spring, plus it's so much nicer! The shelters will be moved next spring and I want the grass to come back under the hay. I'll pick all the hay up in spring and compost it.
I got the mini rake at either Home Hardware or Canadian tire. The snow shovel was a cheapie one from Wal Mart. The rake Is much smaller and stiffer than a regular grass rake and with some practised wrist shots you can easily propel the 'poops that are in the snow into the snow shovel.
I have hay spread in the shelters, to clean it up I shake it out and fork that into a big pile, then rake the ground, and then re-spread the hay. It's easiest to do this when the "poop is frozen.