Chicken coop floor covering.....

[pozarnsk]

Question on flooring in the coop.

I have a 26 X 18 barn I am converting to house chickens. I have 55 chics right now and have them on pine chips. Love it, it keeps the smells to a minimum, and is virtually maintenance free.

This however would be alot of pine chips for the floor of the coop. Do you all leave your floors bare conrete, or is this a bad idea?

 

[LynneP]

We were lucky to have used planks available out of a horse stall reno. So we planked over concrete and added the pine shavings. We use bales of hay and a milking bench to give the birds places to jump around from roosts/platforms. This combination means we don't need deep litter and the bedding stays dry and aromatic. The footing is good and the planking prevents condensation. Otherwise we'd be using a LOT of bedding, too!

 

[wishin4chicken]

Boy, really looking forward to seeing pictures of that coop.

 

[wynedot55]

i would not cover that whole floor in shavings.because itll cost you a fortune.an it would be alot to remove an haul out when you clean it out.id put down very little shavings.because your hens will be out in their run most of the day.

 

[pozarnsk]

Yeah I'm starting to think that below the roosts and nesting boxes would be good enough. Add as need for the smell.

 

[patandchickens]

You'll need shavings in the winter, at least -- in North Dakota they are not going to be spending all day every day outdoors in January, to say the least

Not only is the concrete really hard on their feet and leg joints, but it is also COLD. (Having exposed concrete in the coop can act as a thermal buffer and help keep the building from getting colder than necessary, but it will still be COLD for them to stand on and thus give you cold chickens.)

Shavings are not as expensive if you buy them in bulk (store somewhere high and dry under a VERY GOOD WELL TIED DOWN tarp).

Another option, that would give you a warmer although not much softer floor, might be to put down plywood over the whole floor. Not up on 2x4's - just flat on the floor. Screw battens across the joints so crud doesn't get between and beneath. If you do not paint it, it will eventually rot away, and if you don't keep the litter pretty dry it will also be a moisture reservoir; and it would not be my own choice; but it would be better than bare concrete in wintertime at least.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[pozarnsk]

ok, wood chips everywhere it is. Good point on the winter. Just moved here from TX, and forgot where I was living for a minute there.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I put plywood over the concrete and use a combo of pine shavings and straw/hay. In our other coop we straw/hay only and it works ok, but I prefer a mix because the shavings are absorbent.

 

[funonahonda]

I got the FREE mulch from our township and use it as our floor covering.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I would have to agree on plywood over the cement and painting with an exterior primer and then exterior paint. I LOVE my floor after adding high gloss exterior paint...SO easy to clean!