bottomless coop?

[nicolasfrog]

Hi I'm new please be gentle!

I need to build a coop to raise meat birds in that will only be used during the summer. I am thinking of building a coop with no bottom, so directly on the grass to cut down on bedding costs and labour, I would put a skirt of welded mesh around it to prevent predators digging in and move it every/every other day. It would be in a large, grassed well fenced paddock. Would this be ok, would there be any reason not to? I just don't see anyone here (uk) doing it so I'm not sure if it works?

 

[chicmom]

That will be just fine. The grass will die of course, so maybe throw some sand in there to make cleaning a bit easier. A sand flooring inside would be very nice and convenient.

 

[jpcode]

This is fine. Unless you know that there is a predator that will dig under, having a movable coop is ideal. I move mine twice a day and hose the droppings into the grass after them.

You could fence the whole area that you want to move your coop around in as well.

 

[andycowboy]

Both of my coops (one still being built) have the ground as their floors. I have pine chips in the actual coop, but the run is nature's floor. chicmom's correct - no vegetation at all in the run any more...but my birds are free-range anyway. But I agree with her - put something down for cleaning ease. Other than that, the chickens don't mind that there isn't an actual floor - at least mine said they don't!