Should I use vinyl flooring at all?

redbudchix

In the Brooder
8 Years
Mar 25, 2011
87
4
31
Nashville, TN
Ok, I know this is covered in a lot of places here. But, I haven't really found the answer to my question. So, I thought I would put it to the "powers that be"! My chicken friend, one who has done it his whole life, says not to use vinyl under the bedding in my coop. He asked me the question: what happens when an animal steps on a slick hard surface...? And I said it can cause the legs to splay...he said right. So, why do I want to put it in my coop? I told him I would cover it with many inches of bedding. Then he said, the bedding was still on a slick surface and will move when the chickens come down off the roost, especially if they jump down and not use the ramp. He told me that was one of the main causes of bumble foot...the repetitive landing on the ball of the foot. So....that's my question....to use or not, and if you see signs of bumble foot. Thanks all...can't wait for some answers! :rolleyes:
 
We nailed black plastic to the floor of our coop so the chicken-y ness wouldn't seep into the wood, and I don't notice any chickens having a hard time sliding around...we covered the black plastic in hay and haven't seen any issues. I hadn't really thought about it at all before doing it. I just had plastic and didn't want to totally ruin the building we are using as a coop.
 
I have one coop with(larger layer coop) and one without(banty/broody coop). Honestly, I feel the one with vinyl is cleaner when we are done clearing things out. You don't end up with poop stains on bare wood.
sickbyc.gif
Though I haven't seen much in the way of staining on the regular coop floor either.

But as to spraddle leg and slipping... I wouldn't worry about that. If you left a long swath bare and had some chicks in there it may become an issue but if you use a few inches of shavings or straw I wouldn't see any issues. My laying girls sound like rocks dropping when they jump down every morning and their legs are just fine!
 
I have one coop with(larger layer coop) and one without(banty/broody coop). Honestly, I feel the one with vinyl is cleaner when we are done clearing things out. You don't end up with poop stains on bare wood.
sickbyc.gif
Though I haven't seen much in the way of staining on the regular coop floor either.

But as to spraddle leg and slipping... I wouldn't worry about that. If you left a long swath bare and had some chicks in there it may become an issue but if you use a few inches of shavings or straw I wouldn't see any issues. My laying girls sound like rocks dropping when they jump down every morning and their legs are just fine!
Same thing here with the black plastic.
 
I know alot of people use vinyl with no issues.. I use those interlocking foam mats, (got them at BJ's wholesale, 8 of them for 17.00) they are great! They are nice and foamy, comfy to walk on, clean up great.
Diane
 
My coop is 100% plastic including the floor it works fine
it is a 6X4 Ketter Shed and I use shaving on it for bedding and for scratch

A layer of vinyl flooring especially the insulated Rhino cushion floor type stuff would be very sensible in a wooden shed
Fit it the same as you would in a bathroom with raised sides to prevent muck going down the edges dead easy to clean that way

Just do not permanently fix it down that way once every 6 month you can check and disinfect the wood sub floor etc.
 
I used a piece of linoleum and they don't slip at all. Now there is a layer of straw on the floor at all times, so if they want to occupy their time by scratching in the coop they can.
 
I know alot of people use vinyl with no issues.. I use those interlocking foam mats, (got them at BJ's wholesale, 8 of them for 17.00) they are great! They are nice and foamy, comfy to walk on, clean up great.
Diane

Could you post some pics of this interlocking foam, I don't have a BJ's in my area and I am building a new coop right now. If I look at the pics I might be able to find them in my local hardware stores
 

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