Cement floor for coop?

[Tigertrea]

I have been reading threads and in one it was mentioned that a cement floor in the coop is difficult to keep clean. I am planning on using straw or wood shavings for at least the first year (due to cost) and, maybe switching to sand in the future. I will also have poop boards under my roosts. My coop will be a ground level, walk in 4X8 coop.

Does anyone have experience with cement floors and some advice? I know cement is porous and may have to seal it in the future also. (I'll be looking at Habitat for Humanity for things like this).

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Pour your cement floor, then use a thick layer of pine shavings for bedding.
You'll have the best of both worlds.

 

[AlienChick]

If you do not have the cement poured, then go with dirt or wood floor.

The cement will be more trouble than it's worth to keep clean and fresh smelling.
Cement will hold in moisture that will cause your coop to STIINK.
Cement will be colder in the winter.
And, as you mentioned, keeping it clean will be a huge burden.

I had a cement floor in one of my "temporary" coops (it was an old shed).
My chickens were only in there for three months, but the stench was so bad that I worked double-time to get their permanent coop built!
When the chickens moved out, I scrubbed that floor with every chemical known to man to get the stains and stench out.

I now have several coops. They have wood floors or dirt floors.
I use shavings or hay on the floors.
And since I use the dry deep litter method on my floors, I don't have to worry about odors (unless it accidentally gets wet).

I say, GO WITH EASY, and spend your extra time enjoying your chickens!

 

[chick-n-pigs]

I have a cement slab floor with pine shavings on top. I also insulated the slab before the pour and put a loop of PEX for use as hydronic heat source later if I want. It cost $25 for the PEX and you can't put it in after the fact.

If you insulate the slab, it will retain heat much better than if you don't. No matter what, concrete floor is not any colder than the dirt on the ground, so I don't buy into the "cement will always be cold" comment.

Here are some photos.

 

[Tigertrea]

Thanks, I forgot to mention, the reason we were using cement is 1) we can get it for free since my hubby drives a cement truck. 2) mouse-proof floor.

I had thought of the smell issue. I know in my dog kennels I like cement because it is easy to clean and hose out. But, the dogs would chew through wood anyway lol.

How about putting vinyl flooring right on the cement? I had originally planned on vinyl flooring for the wood floored coop until my hubby got paranoid about mice getting in. He really wants a ground level coop.

 

[speedy2020]

Thanks, I forgot to mention, the reason we were using cement is 1) we can get it for free since my hubby drives a cement truck. 2) mouse-proof floor.

I had thought of the smell issue. I know in my dog kennels I like cement because it is easy to clean and hose out. But, the dogs would chew through wood anyway lol.

How about putting vinyl flooring right on the cement? I had originally planned on vinyl flooring for the wood floored coop until my hubby got paranoid about mice getting in. He really wants a ground level coop.

I don't why you couldn't use the cement around the perimeter of the coop to keep the digging animal out. I have wood floor now, but will remove and replace with hardware cloth so don't have to deal with clean the coop one a month. Since it is a raise coop, I could add dirt underneath or remove waste as need.

 

[Nslangton]

Get the cement!!! If my husband drove a cement truck and I could get free cement I would have every single building we own with a cement floor. I am a neat freak and have cement in my whole barn. Started with dirt floors and I thought I would loose my mind trying to keep the rodents out and the floor level in my stalls. I could never get the isle clean either. I clean the stalls every day though and have thick stall mats on top of the cement. There is no smell in my barn. Even the goat stall has no smell and they generally stink. As for the coop, we have a tile floor. There will be nothing getting inside predator wise. I whelped six litters of puppies on this floor and it looks as good as it did on day one. I have a very flexible, lightweight garage mat on top of the tiles which doesn't allow anything to seep through the grout. I can roll up the mat and hose it off to clean and the tiles stay spotless. I use shavings on top of the mat and change them each week, so I am not sure what would happen if I used the deep litter method; although I don't think it would matter. No mites, fly eggs, rodents, or smell.

 

[Tigertrea]

Thanks all!

I passed the info along to my hubby. We will be doing the cement.....since it is free anyway. He is going to work on a drainage system for it now though. If all else fails, we put a wood floor later!

 

[bridget-rdh]

Just wondering how you like the cement floor now that you've had it for a while, and if you use the deep litter method with it? Planning to set our coop on a cement floor, as we live in the country and predators are thick.

 

[bridget-rdh]

Thanks! We are actually using tops of storm shelters/septic tanks as we can get them for free/trade. Will set 2 side by side for the coop floor. The house is old but good except for the floor and we are dis-assembling then re-assembling it from my in-laws.