Coop Floor help

[Kolbeslayadayinn]

I have plywood, id like to cover, prior to laying bedding.

We initially were going to use Blackjack 57, but it's very hard to find in the sticks Mn & it isn't cheap.

I've look through the forum and I see the majority of people use vinyl.

I've always been under the assumption vinyl isn't good in a coop as when it mixes with urine, it can release fumes and also can cause mold and so forth.

True/false?

Also, what I'm really curious about is for those people that have used floor paint how has that held up?

Thank you
Al

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am going on 10 years with painted floor. It has held up very well.
I did a second coating roughly 6 years ago when the coop was empty.

I use porch and floor paint from home Depot.

I tried linoleum and bugs liked it to much for me.

 

[aart]

I have poop boards too.
Both the boards and the floor are covered with heavy duty foam backed vinyl sheet flooring. It wasn't cheap, but I bartered for parts of the cost, and it's held up well for 10 years now.

 

[DobieLover]

I use porch and floor paint from home Depot.

x2. I used a can of 'Oops!' paint that I got for $5. I applied 2 coats over Kilz max primer and it's been holding up well for 5 years.
I will caveat this claim with the fact that I use poop boards to catch the vast majority of the load deposited in the coop and feed and water out in the predator proof run with a solid roof.

 

[mowin]

I used roll vinyl in my coops. Worked fine for me. Very easy to sweep out, and it was cheap.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Should we raise the nesting box a tad off the ground?

People care about this much more than the chickens. Some people have the nests on the ground like your photo. Some people raise the nests high enough so they don't have to bend over to collect the eggs and clean the nests. That may be important if you have a bad back. The chickens can usually adapt.

With those nests on the ground it would be possible for Mommy Mouse to raise a family under the one on the floor if there is much of a gap. I try to avoid creating places that can harbor mice. If the nests are raised enough for the chickens to get under them that will not happen. Chickens eat mice, including babies.

If the nests are raised enough that the chickens can get under them they do not take up available floor space. If they are just high enough younger chicks or chickens being bullied will often hide under there to get away from the others.

There is no right or wrong answer to your question, just different things that different people d that work. When looking at this consider the height of bedding on the coop floor.

 

[aart]

Is there any downside to having more than 4?

Not really, just it's taking up some potential floor space....and if you raise the whole thing they may sleep in it.

 

[aart]

It's 6x10 and I'm not entirely sure yet on final number.
I'm guessing between 10-14

You only need 4 nests.

 

[aart]

I've always understood it was 2 hens per box.
I'll be having a mixed flock of Orpingtons, Cream Legbars, Silverrudds, Marans and Welsummers

The usual I've heard was 1 nest per 3-5 birds.
I have 4 and have had up to 20 birds, I have 13 now.
There' is occasionally a traffic jam or some squabbling, but it's worked out fine..

 

[aart]

Thank you for the information, I'll cut back a couple boxes to open up the floor space

I'd just cut the bottom off that nest bank and use to lumber to make a perch for the 4 top nests, mount it all on the wall.