Questions about building our first coop in the NE

[waddles99]

Sand in the coop needs daily cleanup, and will get hard in freezing weather. LABOR INTENSIVE!

Thank you for the response. I was hoping someone with experience with sand as a bedding would add their experience. I saw an article on it saying how good it was but i didn't want to say for certain.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

I want to start off by saying, I have no experience with sand...

We have pine shavings (about 6" deep for winter) in the coop and deep litter (leaves, grass clippings, straw and pine needles) in the run.

In the coop there is a poop board filled with PDZ which helps keep the floor clean. I sift the poop board everyday or two (takes about 10 min.) which helps keep the floor clean. We clean out the coop twice a year. No odor or flies.

The run gets cleaned out once a year. All that wonderful compost gets put on the garden in the spring. We then start over with the deep litter. Our run is covered, so it stays dry for the most part. No odor no flies.

The poop isn't even visible in the coop or the run. Here is what our run "floor" looks like...

 

[xpchick]

Thank you! Every time I think I make up my mind on something, people offer up ideas that seem much better

 

[aart]

Thank you! Every time I think I make up my mind on something, people offer up ideas that seem much better

That's why it's good idea to spend about 6 months reading this forum as your formulate your building plans.

I would advise deep bedding or deep litter on a concrete floor:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1075545/can-i-do-deep-litter-method-with-this-coop#post_16440037

There are links to good articles on Space and Ventilation in my signature.
Take a look at My Coop page(linked under my avatar).

Which end of that lower barn will the birds be in?

 

[xpchick]

That's why it's good idea to spend about 6 months reading this forum as your formulate your building plans.

I would advise deep bedding or deep litter on a concrete floor, here's good description of each.

There are links to good articles on Space and Ventilation in my signature.
Take a look at My Coop page(linked under my avatar).

Which end of that lower barn will the birds be in?

We are building their coop at the end farther down the hill on that end of the side barn(so the end not as deep into the earth).
I'm still leaning towards sand in the coop. I'm trying to figure out what the downfalls are for that. For some reason the thread you linked will not open for me. I'm concerned with the deep litter that if it isn't composting right it will harbor diseases, smell, and just be unhealthy.

That side barn was actually set up for pigs and has a waste trough right in it that goes to a septic. I can't see any way to use that with the coop though so we'll have to cover it on the end where the chickens are.

We ordered 16 chicks yesterday for April delivery! Woohoo!! All egg layers, meat birds will be later and kept separate.

 

[xpchick]

Sand in the coop needs daily cleanup, and will get hard in freezing weather. LABOR INTENSIVE! Deep litter gives the birds stuff to scratch in, requires occasional additions of more shavings, and cleanout to the garden maybe twice each year. Poop boards are also daily cleanup, ugh! Easy is always better, IMO. Don't add another ceiling, enjoy the space you have. Some of my birds roost in the rafters, eight feet up! Think ventilation, so lots of hardware cloth and openings rather than closing things. Mary

The majority of the flooring they will be on is concrete. I've read that makes the deep litter harder to work correctly? What is your deep litter on? It sounds like deep litter can be an issue with parasites and diseases?
Sand won't freeze, only any wetness in it will?

You're right - I do want the easiest way possible, but also want to be sure it is healthy for the birds Keep the thoughts coming!

 

[aart]

Not sure what the deal is with that link trying again https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1075545/can-i-do-deep-litter-method-with-this-coop#post_16440037

 

[xpchick]

Not sure what the deal is with that link trying again https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1075545/can-i-do-deep-litter-method-with-this-coop#post_16440037

Thank you. Deep bedding may work for me. My concern there is dust (allergies, especially to pine. You can laugh, I know).

 

[aart]

Quote: I knew someone allergic to pine...wasn't funny at all.
I can see why you want sand then...or maybe go with deep litter.
I use dry pine shavings 4-6" deep and think they work great but if you're allergic, not the thing for you.

The thing I don't like about sand is that eventually it becomes saturated with pulverized poop particles, and when damp can stink pretty bad.
I use it mixed with PDZ on the roost boards and in the brooder, throwing it out to fill holes in the yard when it gets stinky after a couple batches of chicks.

 

[xpchick]

I knew someone allergic to pine...wasn't funny at all.
I can see why you want sand then...or maybe go with deep litter.
I use dry pine shavings 4-6" deep and think they work great but if you're allergic, not the thing for you.

The thing I don't like about sand is that eventually it becomes saturated with pulverized poop particles, and when damp can stink pretty bad.
I use it mixed with PDZ on the roost boards and in the brooder, throwing it out to fill holes in the yard when it gets stinky after a couple batches of chicks.

I like the deep bedding method. I may get a bag of pine shavings and see how I am currently with it. Thanks for reposting the link to your bedding and poop board! Looks great! Poop board is definitely on my list to build in.