on the coop floor?

[istanbul05x5]

hi, i am a first time keeper and recently bought 4 rescue hens. i keep them in a purpose built coop in the back yard on paving stones. what can i lay on top of the paving stones for the chickens to scratch through. any replys from your experience would be very grateful. thanks

 

[Judy]

A lot of plant materials are used. Here, many people buy bags of pine shavings designed for the purpose, or spread straw or hay around. Dried leaves, grass clippings, and even sand are also fine. Sand offers the convenience of being relatively easy to scoop poop out of.

 

[chickencoop789]

I would say that sand would be the best to put down. It doesnt matter if it gets wet. Pine shavings get soggy if they get wet and its just a pain to clean up. For some reason chickens take "dust baths" in the sand. Im not really sure why. You can throw some hay and grass clippings on top of the sand to give them something to scratch through. If they cant find any bugs in the grass then they will just eat it.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I would say that sand would be the best to put down. It doesnt matter if it gets wet. Pine shavings get soggy if they get wet and its just a pain to clean up. For some reason chickens take "dust baths" in the sand. Im not really sure why. You can throw some hay and grass clippings on top of the sand to give them something to scratch through. If they cant find any bugs in the grass then they will just eat it.

Dust baths are the chickens' version of the baths we take with water. The dust mixes with the oils in their feathers and helps keep them clean. It also helps to keep mites and lice away.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I recommend pine shavings to go in the coop. Pine smells nice and is easier to clean than straw or hay in my opinion. I only use sand in the runs and in the box under the roosts to catch poop. For the coop I prefer more of a bedding and have decided on pine shavings. I like the finer shavings. They help to coat the poop and are easier to clean.

 

[istanbul05x5]

To be honest they seem more bothered about eating the sand than bathing in it

 

[Going Quackers]

What about dirt? my run is mainly that.. the chickens love it, they scratch, fluff, peck away at it... my coop i bed with shavings.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

What about dirt? my run is mainly that.. the chickens love it, they scratch, fluff, peck away at it... my coop i bed with shavings.

As long as you don't let the ground get overstocked from too much poop, dirt is fine. You need to make sure you keep the pens cleaned out more often if you just have dirt, though. One of my run floors was overstocked for a couple years. Not even the hardiest weed would grow in it and all the wrong kind of bacteria thrive in overstocked runs. I use bedding at all times except in the summer now.

 

[dee88]

A lot of plant materials are used. Here, many people buy bags of pine shavings designed for the purpose, or spread straw or hay around. Dried leaves, grass clippings, and even sand are also fine. Sand offers the convenience of being relatively easy to scoop poop out of.

Does anyone else have experience with a sand floor in the coop? I have a sand box my son had that we are turning into a coop/nesting area and was wondering if the sand would work?