Can I build a floor for duck coop?

[anonymous99]

Rain gets in my coop somehow. If it rains hard, it's a problem. If it's sprinkling, it's not really a problem. I've posted a couple of threads about rain water getting in the duck coop. I have yet to figure out how it's getting in the coop. I think it's coming in through the ground, but I'm not sure. I have tarp and plastic on the coop to keep some of the rain and wind out, but I don't know if it helps. It worked once before, but that was it. The rain blows from the west. The coop has hardware cloth on it instead of wood for the walls. It's frustrating bc I can't figure out how the rain gets in. I was thinking about building a floor for the coop, but I don't know if that would work at keeping the bedding and ground from getting wet and muddy. I can't keep changing the bedding over and over again every time it gets wet. The coop doesn't have a floor, unless you count the ground as the floor. Could building a floor help keep the bedding from getting wet and muddy? My concern is how I would keep the ducks' water from getting everywhere bc they love splashing it everywhere and I wouldn't want the floor to become damp and rotten and cave in or something. I use a big dishpan for their water. The ground gets wet and muddy from their water too. I don't know what other solutions I could use. Moving the coop isn't an option bc it's just not possible. I have my boys seperated from the girls with a divider in the middle. I'm tired of having to change wet bedding every time it rains and having to walk in a puddle of water isn't doing me any favors. Every time it rains hard, there's a puddle in front of the door and I don't know how it gets there. I suspect that it probably washes down from the back through the ground. My duckies love to make holes in the ground too. What type of wood would be appropriate for flooring? I also have some leftover hardware cloth, but I worry that the sharp part could cut my ducks.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I use Epi under my ducks water bowl. I had some left over from another job. Its indstructable but very expensive. I think I might start with a layer of gravel and then sand on top to cushion the webbies. It might allow it to drain better.

 

[ruthhope]

You might try making a floor from pallets with lots of straw on top. That would raise the ducks from any rising ground water.

I'm talking without experience, as my garden is sand and very well drained. I have a tarp over my hoop coop and it doesn't get wet

 

[DucksOhio]

If you do decide to do a wood floor, I recommend using a resin paint on it..2 layers. It’s then virtually indestructible from the duck mess. I also got large oil spill (automotive) plastic pans to keep under their large water bowls.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I would suggest a floor on part for dry sleeping and natural ground for the rest. That is what I have and it works well. I sprinkle dry hay or shavings if the natural part gets too wet. The dry part where they sleep stays mostly clean and dry.

 

[DucksOhio]

Rain gets in my coop somehow. If it rains hard, it's a problem. If it's sprinkling, it's not really a problem. I've posted a couple of threads about rain water getting in the duck coop. I have yet to figure out how it's getting in the coop. I think it's coming in through the ground, but I'm not sure. I have tarp and plastic on the coop to keep some of the rain and wind out, but I don't know if it helps. It worked once before, but that was it. The rain blows from the west. The coop has hardware cloth on it instead of wood for the walls. It's frustrating bc I can't figure out how the rain gets in. I was thinking about building a floor for the coop, but I don't know if that would work at keeping the bedding and ground from getting wet and muddy. I can't keep changing the bedding over and over again every time it gets wet. The coop doesn't have a floor, unless you count the ground as the floor. Could building a floor help keep the bedding from getting wet and muddy? My concern is how I would keep the ducks' water from getting everywhere bc they love splashing it everywhere and I wouldn't want the floor to become damp and rotten and cave in or something. I use a big dishpan for their water. The ground gets wet and muddy from their water too. I don't know what other solutions I could use. Moving the coop isn't an option bc it's just not possible. I have my boys seperated from the girls with a divider in the middle. I'm tired of having to change wet bedding every time it rains and having to walk in a puddle of water isn't doing me any favors. Every time it rains hard, there's a puddle in front of the door and I don't know how it gets there. I suspect that it probably washes down from the back through the ground. My duckies love to make holes in the ground too. What type of wood would be appropriate for flooring? I also have some leftover hardware cloth, but I worry that the sharp part could cut my ducks.

my first duck house was all hardware cloth with a small back room for sleeping. I also used tarps in the winter over the hardware cloth, but rain and snow still came in. I feel your pain. Some others here gave some good suggestions.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

The floor if my coop is 3/4 expanded steel mesh, i put stall mats doen on the floor except for the corner where the waterer is. I am extremely happy with that, i use pine shavings on top, i clean out when weather allows in winter, about weekly in summer and top up regularly in between to keep everything clean and dry. I have found fine pine shavings to be key, they absorb better than coarse and being pine is important for odor control.
Sorry, I have duplicate pictures there

 

[Crazy Maizie]

For a coop floor, we used a pallet with a piece of marine wood on top, then painted it with a good quality paint. I clean my coop out fairly often. I also get rain once in awhile depending on how its blowing. Its held up well for 4 yrs now. I should probably repaint, but that would require all of the bedding to be totally cleaned out, a super dry day, and the ducks to be locked out of the coop for an extended period.

 

[Luv Ducks]

My duck coop consists of a medium size pet gazebo. It has a nice roof on it and I covered it with tarps on all sides except the one up next to my house and the front door for good ventilation. I have sand on the bottom and use pine shavings to keep them dry and warm. It houses my seven ducks and they love it. It has been very cold in Ohio but they are fairing very well in it. They also have plenty of outside area they can roam in that is covered with deer netting to keep hawks out. I keep their food and water in a separate location.