buried wire coop floor?

[GoodEgg]

HI all,

I wanted to ask a question, because I'm running out of time to finish the coop and run.

I can't afford wood floors for the coop. I was wondering if it can be an ok idea to put in a wire floor and then put dirt or straw over it. The wire would be to prevent digging predators, and the chickens would not have to walk on it directly.

(I don't mean buried wire around the edges but rather a fully attached wire floor. But if I can get away with just doing about a foot or two in, that would be even better, as long as it will keep them safe.)

Would hex poultry/chicken wire work for this? I have some extra I can use? If it isn't strong enough to discourage diggers, I could use hardware cloth for the floor maybe the outside 1-2 feet around the perimeter? Would I need wire in the center in that case?

I live near woods, so am concerned about dogs, cats, foxes, raccoons, possums, skunks, snakes, rats, hawks, and a few eagles. I want the girls to all be safe, but I have to do this on a VERY tight budget.

Thanks!
trish

 

[andischickenfarm]

My coop is a 10x10 and I put about 1'x10' all around the edges and stapled about 5" of it to the wood and then I put about 1 inch of cement on the floor. And after it all dried I put 3 bags of shavings down. This is just another idea you might can try. I can't remember how much it cost me. Good luck with your coop!

Andi

 

[GoodEgg]

Thanks. I wish I could do that.

The house is rented, and I know I can't pour concrete.

The coop isn't goin well either. I may just give up and make a frame of 1 x 2's and put poultry wire on it in the garage. I don't want to do this, but they MUST be out of the house soon and I want them to be as safe as possible.

trish <---- building challenged, it turns out

 

[Whirlwind]

My coop is exactly like that I have 1/2 cage wire and wood. The cage wire is attatched to the 2 x 4 frame on the bottom. I cover this with lots of pine shavings and they never walk directly on the wire. But nothing can dig under and get in. It has been working fine for us. Lucky for me my DH can do anything and he is so smart. His idea to use cage wire instead of chicken wire and to put the wire on the bottom. Again I think you would be fine with wire on the bottom just cover it with something so they don't have to walk on the wire. I have also used straw or hay but like the pine shavings best.
Here is a pick there is wire under the straw.

 

[Mulemom]

Trish,

There is a person on this form that goes by Royal Oaks Ranch. She has a website www.royaloaksranch.com. She has some really good CHEAP ideas for building and making chicken things. She says that you can get all kinds of good lumber from construction sites. They have a scrap pile and if you ask, they'll let you take anything you want.

Someone else had used pallet wood. We used pallets for a floor for our tack room the first winter untill we could get the wood floor put in. We just took some apart and added those boards to the existing pallets untill we had a solid floor. You can get places to give you pallets in some areas. I had to buy mine but only paid 2.50 each for them.

You might do the wire at first and then add floor boards as you can collet the wood. The wire dug in will keep unwanteds from living under your wood floor when you get it to putting that in too.

 

[GoodEgg]

Thanks, y'all.

I've been looking around and I think I see part of my problem. I was doing the whole thing out of 2 x 4's (the frame) and I really think it's not necessary to use such heavy wood for all of it. I do like the bottom frame being 2 x 4's though. My main problem is that the screws aren't going in well ... they want to back out of where they are already attached. Maybe this is super-hard wood or something, LOL. Was given to me, so I'm not sure what it is.

I've been eying pallets on the way to work, and I will stop in and ask.

Thanks for posting the pic, and I'm glad to know the wire can work. And I guess I can put in a wire floor and add wood later. I will probably be putting in some of the walls wire and add wood later there too, since it's hot here now.

I am checking out the suggested website too. Thanks a lot!

Still on my quest, but getting there, I hope!

trish

 

[arwmommy]

We also did a wire floor and have covered it with forage hay so deep that they NEVER walk on the wire. It makes me much more comfortable knowing that NOTHING can get them from above or underneath!!!

 

[allen wranch]

To keep predators from digging under, put the wire on the ground around the outside of the coop. Attach it to the bottom of the coop so it comes out in an "L". Stake it down and cover with dirt.

This is an example before staking and covering. The grass has grown through now and you can't see the wings at all.

 

[GoodEgg]

Thanks so much for the info and pics.

I think I will do this instead of covering the floor after all, if it will do the job. I have some leftover wire I can do this with, and save the poultry wire I was going to have to double-up on for the floor for the tops of the runs instead.

Thanks so much!

Raining past 2 days, so I haven't been able to work on the coop. And I have to work Friday and Saturday. I HOPE I can get this done soon.

trish

 

[Dom'sHEns]

Carla,
Do you find that to be an effective defence aganst racoons (and other diggers?....Because this idea will save me alot of work in my new coop design. Thanks for posting that pic!

Stay well, Dom