Best Flooring/ Bedding

[Andasibe]

Anyone have a good recommendation for a good flooring/ bedding for my month old chicks?

They live in their mobile coop that is currently on my garage. I know that once they are outside it will be better, but I am cleaning their coop out daily, putting new pine bedding in (4 heaping handfuls for a 36x24 in surface and they still smell not so pleasant.

 

[LillianMae]

I used old hay, and when they used that up I bought a bale of straw and that's working great, plus it's really cheap!

 

[Keltara]

Ready to have your life transformed? Go Here to learn about the cleanest, least labor intensive, odor free, and cheapest flooring/bedding EVER. I spend one minute per day completely cleaning my coop. That's all it takes!! You can throw away your pine shavings, put your money back in your pocket and enter coop management heaven! I'm heading into my 3rd year doing it and It's great for the run as well!!! Ughhh...forget hay. It's retains moisture and is such a mess to clean up!

Kelly

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Our Country Chronicles

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[LillianMae]

The hay I used wasn't bad, but the straw does work better. The OP might not have only three chickens, supposing they had six, then that sand would be all clumps and they'd have to buy a lot more a lot more often

 

[Keltara]

The hay I used wasn't bad, but the straw does work better. The OP might not have only three chickens, supposing they had six, then that sand would be all clumps and they'd have to buy a lot more a lot more often

Actually, it doesn't matter if you have few or many hens. I have 6 hens now. Sand is by far the cleanest and cheapest. It never clumps up (although I do keep my hens in extremely clean conditions. I'm particular that way). The poop drops into the sand and dries up. Sand does not clump in those conditions. Parasites don't live in the sand, it's inhabitable to fleas and ticks. I do add to my sand (once in a while), but at $2.50 for a 50 lb. bag I spend "maybe" $15.00 a year replenishing? Probably less. And that's for my coop AND run combined. Don't take just my word for it. Check out Kathy from the Chicken Chick. I convinced her to try sand and she absolutely LOVE's it!! I'm tellin' ya LillianMae. You should try it. It is THE BEST. It will make your life much easier, and the health of your chickens so much better.

Imagine your coop NEVER EVER smelling like poop! That's what I have. Also my chickens never have poopy feet either. The more chickens you have, the better sand would be because it is so easy, cheap and offers minimal labor to "keep" clean! Give it try...you'll never look back again.

 

[LillianMae]

I don't think I could even afford it, and I don't think I'd have the time to clean it every week, even if it takes a little time. My chicks coop they're going to be in soon is a large barn, and the sand would be on concrete, I just don't know if I'll do that

 

[Keltara]

I don't think I could even afford it, and I don't think I'd have the time to clean it every week, even if it takes a little time. My chicks coop they're going to be in soon is a large barn, and the sand would be on concrete, I just don't know if I'll do that

Well, don't totally rule it out. You can buy sand by the yard from landscape companies for around $30. Don't forget that your time is worth something too. Imagine what a job it would be to clean all the hay out each month. And having to haul it "somewhere". And the stinky coop in between cleanings. Your shoes stay perfectly clean in sand as do the chickens feet. Check around. It really is so easy and the conditions of the chicken coop are so incredibly pleasant that the little time spent cleaning is not big deal. It'll give you a chance to visit with your henny's each day as well! Every time I go out to clean the coop, the chickens all come in from free ranging to talk to me and see if I brought them treats. And in the floor of a barn, using a stall rake like the one I made would make very short work of the cleaning. Mostly just a few quick scoops to sift out the poop under the roosting poles. It's ultimately up to you though.

I really can't say anything at all negative about sand. It rocks! ✿◠‿◠​

 

[earlybird10842]

I think wood shavings are easier to clean up.

 

[LillianMae]

Well, don't totally rule it out. You can buy sand by the yard from landscape companies for around $30. Don't forget that your time is worth something too. Imagine what a job it would be to clean all the hay out each month. And having to haul it "somewhere". And the stinky coop in between cleanings. Your shoes stay perfectly clean in sand as do the chickens feet. Check around. It really is so easy and the conditions of the chicken coop are so incredibly pleasant that the little time spent cleaning is not big deal. It'll give you a chance to visit with your henny's each day as well! Every time I go out to clean the coop, the chickens all come in from free ranging to talk to me and see if I brought them treats. And in the floor of a barn, using a stall rake like the one I made would make very short work of the cleaning. Mostly just a few quick scoops to sift out the poop under the roosting poles. It's ultimately up to you though.

I really can't say anything at all negative about sand. It rocks! ✿◠‿◠​

Well I'll have to think about it. How deep does it have to be? I'm on a semi-tight budget right now because my cat had to go to the vet and it ended up costing me two-hundred and some odd dollars! I will look into it and see if it's something I can do, is the construction sand cheaper then play sand? Lol sorry I didn't mean to hijack this thread

 

[Keltara]

Well I'll have to think about it. How deep does it have to be? I'm on a semi-tight budget right now because my cat had to go to the vet and it ended up costing me two-hundred and some odd dollars! I will look into it and see if it's something I can do, is the construction sand cheaper then play sand? Lol sorry I didn't mean to hijack this thread

The reason you want construction sand, is that it's more jagged and irregular than play sand. You can also get all purpose sand. Play sand does not share the same "parasite, mite and tick deterrent" as the other sand. Also the construction/all purpose sand exfoliates the chickens feet and keeps them very healthy as well. River sand is also good to use. You know what though? Sand will always be available to you. You can put it on the back burner until the kitty bill is taken care of and the financial strain is gone. Just keep this idea in the back of your mind and when the money is there, then give a go! As far as how deep to make it, mine is no more than 2 inches inside my coop. If I had a cement slab to cover, I would imagine the depth would be just about the same. If and when you do try this method, please PM me and let me know what you think!!

Kelly