Best bedding in a damp climate?

[ChickiChica]

Hi all,
What do you think is the best bedding to use in the coop if we live in a mild, rainy, coastal climate? I'd like to try the deep litter method, even under the roosts, with pine shavings. Does that seem like a good plan?
Thanks!

 

[spike844]

You just gotta be careful that mold doesn't start to grow, sounds like perfect conditions. Maybe put linoleum as the flooring so you wouldn't have any rot. Can't think of any other bedding that would work better than pine.

-Noah

 

[ChickiChica]

Does it seem like in a coastal climate I would be better off leaving the wire floor? Would that help to reduce the mold possibility, or not?

 

[spike844]

Yeah, leaving the wire floor would probably help. Not sure how you would do it in the winter.

-Noah

 

[Beekissed]

I wouldn't have them on a wire floor, but that's just me. If you are trying to do deep litter, pine and maybe some bark to break up the fine texture of the shavings. If you are not doing deep litter, why have bedding at all? Just take a leaf rake and rake out the droppings every other day...no poo, no problem.

 

[Pharm Girl]

I'm in rainy Oregon and in all the covered areas I use sand, sometimes with hay over the top because the chickens prefer the hay.. Then I rake out the hay every couple of weeks. If just sand, scoop it with a cat liter box scooper. I use sand mixed with play ground bark chips in the exposed areas. The chips float to the top in winter and are warmer than sand to walk on, but it all absorbs and disperses the water.