Run Floor

[Justabeginer]

This is the coop I am considering buying. My question is, It it acceptable to use a concrete floor for the run? It seems like it would be easy to clean and maintain. If so, do I need to add anything like shavings on top of the concrete or can I leave it bare?
TIA

 

[pfields]

My first coop is on concrete so I put down lots of shavings and it worked out just fine. My new coop has a wooden floor covered with a cheap vinyl and I put lots of shaving in that coop, too.

 

[pfields]

Just curious, how many chickens will it hold? It looks small and they grow up quick.

 

[cstronks]

Concrete is a poor flooring option. It does not allow the chickens to scratch or peck in the dirt. Unless these are free range chickens, I would highly advise against this. It is best that chickens have access to soil in the run. Sand is an alternative here. Seeing that the run is covered, the sand will stay clean and be easy to maintain. Also, prefab coops are not the easiest to clean, and are often pricey. You might want to explore other options, or possibly build your own.

 

[pfields]

Agree, except on the sand, my chickens free range all day so the concrete and wood flooring isn't a problem.

 

[Justabeginer]

THANKS again folks!
Yes, the coop is small and is advertised as holding 2-3 chickens. However, I live in a subdivision and need to be mindful of the limitations. Our deed restrictions allow for birds but generally describe 2-3. That should be adequate for my "eggs only" objective. The yard is large so I can let them out to stretch daily.
My problem is that the area where I want to put the coop is on top of an existing crushed granite patio that will STINK in no time if I put the coop directly on top of it. I would have to dig 1/2 ton of the granite out to get down to dirt. I was thinking of laying precast concrete slabs on top of the crushed granite and sealing the joints. If I fill the run with sand on top of concrete is that a better solution?

 

[luvmychix2014]

My advice is not to waste your money, it didn't even take 9 months before mine was falling apart!!

 

[Chickalish]

I wonder if you could pack thick dirt in it on top of the granite? Wouldn't that make it drain well? You might use 2X4 as a boarder and fill it packed with one of those rented depot dirt packers of a manual one so they won't just dig to rocks if it's only 2" deep.

 

[SilkieNation]

My coop is the room attached to my garage. It's got a concrete floor and recently a chicken breeder told me to watch for bumble foot - I guess they can scrape their feet on the concrete. I've had chickens in there for 9 years and never had a problem, but now I'm a bit concerned. They have shavings and hay but not very deep because I clean out the poop daily. ( I only have a very small flock) Should I be giving them lots more bedding? Just because I never had a problem doesn't mean I won't some day. Are there other problems with concrete?

 

[pfields]

Our first coop was built behind our garage on concrete. I put plenty of shavings on the floor and never had a problem with bumble foot. They were in that coop over a year before we got our second coop.
We were given a 9 x 16 storage shed so we turned it into our newest coop (it has a wood floor covered in vinyl with wood shavings) and ordered more chickens. In the first coop I have a poop board with PDZ under their roost and that's all I cleaned every day. Seldom did I find poop on the wood shavings on their floor. Once their pop door opened they were outside free ranging and didn't come back inside except for hard rain and to lay eggs. Twice after very hard rain I cleaned out one corner of their coop with a shovel and added all new shavings. I also put wood pellets under the shavings in that corner and they worked great. The concrete slab in that corner was slightly lower and allowed rain to seep in if it rained really hard. The chickens never ate the pellets and they smell so good but shavings do, too.

Will your chickens free range? If not that might change what you do.