Suggestions for my Coop

Charlie902

Hatching
Apr 12, 2016
4
0
7
So I'm pretty new to Chickens. My father and I inherited a flock from a gentleman in our area who passed away. They origianlly all went to my fathers, but I've since taken 3 hens and a Rooster to my place. I have a smallish coop, 4 feet by 8 feet with the run.

My question is on the coop and run floor material. Right now I've gone with straw. But I've gotten some sand as well. Should the sand just go in the coop, just in the run, or both? Keep the straw for the nesting boxes I'd assume?

Im ok with the straw, but willing to give sand a try after reading a lot of pro's

my coop pre paint



 
Are you going to move your coop around the yard for pasture? If so build a tray in the corner about 2x2 and fill it with sand. If you are never going to move it all types of material works in the run. I do not put anything down in my run, but I have rock ground with lots of clay so it is hard packed and clean. In the spring when it gets muddy I do use old free hay. It insulates the ground and brings all the worms up. Year round I have a couple square feet of sand (a bag of play sand). Inside the coop I use pine shaving just because I bailed to much straw as a kid. I like my coop to smell like fresh pine vs straw dust.
 
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don't plan to move it if I don't have to.

I guess my thinking with the straw is, what do I do with all the old stuff? Yes I could compost it. But I'm not really a composter so to speak. I guess I could start.

After reading around the forum, it seems like you could ask 100 people this question and get 100 different answers lol.
 
Yes it really comes down to what you can get and get rid of easy. I have a second coop about the size of yours on wheels. My 1 acre yard is bordered by field on 2 sides. It is always a rough part of yard to maintain so I move the chickens around it. Saves on the feed bill, yard work, pen cleaning...I am going to build more of them.
 
OH yeah a lot of people would love to have your used bedding. Let some greenthumber know you have it. Old feed bags work good to make the transfer. Or if the neighbor is close a shared wheel barrow is handy (good way to get your wheel barrow back from the neighbor too).
 
now Im thinking I may want to try my hand at some gardening, maybe grow some veggies this summer. perhaps I will give the compost bin a try.
 
Small raised bed or big pots is an easy way to start, then you don't have to break ground. I plant zucchini just for the chickens
 
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