Bare dirt vs straw in dirt floor coop?

[DorothyBlancheandRose]

Its that time of year for a complete coop/roost/run clean out and I’m wondering what folks with dirt floor coops do in terms of keeping the dirt floor bare or adding deep litter? I have always used a good layer of straw, amd will add to it. The chickens move the straw around, and the poop definitely seems to shuffle down below the top layer of straw. It works well, but it’s a lot of material to clear out when I clean it (in between the major clean outs, too). Since I’m about to do the major clean out, I’m wondering is a bare floor easier to clean? What are the pros and cons of a bare dirt floor for the coop?

FYI the coop floor stays completely dry all year (and I live in Oregon where it rains half the year, trust me it’s been tried and tested) so I’m not concerned about mud if I were to take the straw out. Also the hardware cloth screening of the coop enclosure is buried 6 inches with a buried cinder block perimeter, so predators (or the chickens) digging a hole under the coop is highly unlikely.

Just wondering what people who keep their dirt coop floors bare do and why the prefer tue bare floors. (Pic is from being halfway cleaned out- dusty floor, hard packed, but loose dusty top layer)

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm a great fan of deep litter and use a mix of wood chips, pine straw, straw, yard debris, etc.

I can't imagine leaving the dirt just as dirt with no litter at all. It would quickly become nothing but poop unless I were to be constantly cleaning. I prefer the "clean" when I want compost method.

 

[Acre4Me]

My coop is elevated, so it is not dirt. But, the run is dirt with wood chips (from a tree guy) added a few years ago….only the largest bits remain, so the run is much closer to dirt. The chickens, as always, dig. But when there is a substrate to dig into (like straw) they tend to dig through it rather than dig pits and ruts. Plus, where poop is on dirt, it is slimy and the poop stays. On a substrate, it is picked up, turned over, allowed to dry on the substrate.

My vote is to continue to add substrate to the coop floor.

 

[DorothyBlancheandRose]

That’s what I was leaning towards. Slightly more work for me, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it I guess!

FYI I discovered pine needle straw (long leaf pine needle bales) works better than anything else I have tried for the outdoor run to keep the mud in check. It doesn’t break down or compact like wheat straw does, and doesn’t seem to soak up water either, like straw does. And stays in tact much longer than the pine pellets I’ve heard some people use (tried them and my chickens refused to walk anywhere that I had spread-and watered- the pine pellets! Had to shovel them all out the day after I laid them ). Just one pine needle bale this winter spread over the run (or at least the main walking paths) and the pine needles are still doing their job now- no mud!

 

[Percheron chick]

Never bare dirt or you'll be digging it out and having to replace it. A bag of leaves, pelleted bedding, shavings, dried grass clippings... anything that can absorb the moisture in the poop. Straw is not my favorite as it's chunky and not absorbent. I do like straw in the winter as a ground insulator or as nest box material.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am thinking that the dirt, will keep the manure wet and heavy, it will be heavy to scoop out of there.

 

[3KillerBs]

FYI I discovered pine needle straw (long leaf pine needle bales) works better than anything else I have tried for the outdoor run to keep the mud in check.

I love pine straw!

It doesn't pack and mat and it dries out quickly on top after even the heaviest rain.

I like to mix it with other materials though because I find that a mix of wood chips, pine strawl, straw, etc. does better than any one material alone.