hardware cloth coop floor

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

I did, it works great, my hens are just fine, the poop does pile in areas so make your pull out drawer deep and clean often. I also used a 1/2"x1/2" hardware cloth to cover my ramp up to the coop, they travel with ease and I didn't need to make a fancy ladder. The coop did get heavy, I would highly suggest a light material for the pull out drawer or just putting a drawer under their perch.
My coop has only two small Windows under roofline and are covered by mesh soffit covers, it is very cool and ventilated despite the drawer because it's spaced with about two inches lower than the floor.
If the drawer had been lighter, I would say it has worked out very well.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

I think if I had it to do over, I would make a poop ramp under the floor at a 55+degree angle and have the ramp end in a trough which hinged on one end into a bucket. Anything which stuck could easily be scraped down into the trough with a shovel.

 

[markthesharkk]

This is very helpful, i am new to raising chickens and ive been working on my coop for the last couple days. i used 1/2" cloth at the beginning but as my chicks are getting bigger i realized it wasnt going to work and i found your post while searching the internet. The idea of scrapping my progress to go with a normal floor was pretty disheartening and i ciuldnt find anyone else discussing the idea. I thought the 1" by 1" cloth would work, its great to find someone who's already done it.

Ive attached a picture of my progress so far. The current cloth is 1/2" but im switching it out tomorrow.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

That looks like it will stand the test of time. Try sand or newspaper to keep the poop from sticking to or rusting your drawers.

 

[mobius]

As mentioned above, wire floors do not really solve the poop problem and can lead to foot problems. Chickens are heavy and when jumping down from roosts, they need a soft place to land, preferably at least six inches of litter (leaves, pine shavings, pine straw etc). I have watched them land off roosts and they hit fairly hard...plop....I am so glad I have soft litter for them in their coop and run for a soft landing....the answer for me is a poop board with sweet pdz in it, or a deep litter base. My coop smells clean and fresh always...

 

[Digby57]

I was considering a floor made of 1/2" hardware cloth, painted in black jack #57 and 3" of pine shavings over it. The coop floor will be raised 18" on stilts (4 X 4 corner posts) with nothing under the hardware cloth except the bare ground. I live in Florida, so I am trying to strike a balance of a dry (or fast drying) floor with the need to keep the coop cool. The heat index is over 100* now and has been as high as 111* within the last few weeks.

I also plan to have hardware cloth (1/2") for the ceiling and then drop my joists for steel roof panels like a slanted roof over the hardware cloth. I have big predator concerns. You name the critter, I've got it on the property.

Bad idea?

 

[Digby57]

Either this or I was just going to go with 3/4" plywood as a floor and coat it thoroughly in black jack #57.

 

[Almost Acre]

I use 1"x1" hardware cloth for the floor of my mobile coop. Works great, poop falls thru no problem. Chickens walk on it just fine, they mainly walk on the roosts. My design is a variation on Justin Rhodes chickshaw, so I'm not reinventing the wheel, many people use it on their floors no problem.

 

[Digby57]

Cool, great video - thank you!

 

[mobius]

Have to say anything metal in roof or walls will enhance heat and condensation...wood your best bet, if it were me I would go for plywood floor and blackjack or vinyl sheeting. Issue is birds need something soft to land on like pine shavings...not so much about them walking on HW cloth, more like them landing on it and you do not want to deal with bumblefoot. Pine shavings on floor six inches actually absorb moistue.

I use a boot tray under roosts with zeolite....like a catbox, scoop poop and into compost pile, all good and much less wetness...ventilation facing prevailing breeze will help....I feel ya, grew up in FL...

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