Coop and run flooring

[jmc0319]

Hi,
I am n the final stages of getting the coop and run ready for new chickens. I would love to hear what you all use for the floor of the hen house and the run. Right now the run is grass. I was thinking of wood shavings for the house and thought to leave the run grass until it is no longer grass. Once the grass is gone what should I put down? Also how deep should I lay the material?

Thanks!!!

 

[debid]

I'm using chopped straw in the coop, leaves in the run. In summer, I toss lawnmower cuttings and pulled weeds in the run. The chickens are composting machines and I'm going through the leaves like crazy.

 

[ellie32526]

I am in the same boat, but I am leaning toward sand in the house (coop) and grass, as long as it lasts, then hay in the run. I'm making grazing boxes from 2' X 4's and chicken wire. to grow grass in sections and I will rotate the boxes so there will always be some sections of grass growing. I will only have a 10' X 20' section of the yard for 14 hens. I started out planning to get 6-8 hens, but since my coop ended up bigger than I was planning I went ahead and ordered extra chickens. I can always sell half if it turns out to be too much. I have to find a local source for sand. I have no truck.

 

[jmc0319]

I'm using chopped straw in the coop, leaves in the run. In summer, I toss lawnmower cuttings and pulled weeds in the run. The chickens are composting machines and I'm going through the leaves like crazy.

I like the grass and clippings idea. Do you have to pick up droppings or do you just let them compost in place? How often do you clean the coop?

 

[jmc0319]

I am in the same boat, but I am leaning toward sand in the house (coop) and grass, as long as it lasts, then hay in the run. I'm making grazing boxes from 2' X 4's and chicken wire. to grow grass in sections and I will rotate the boxes so there will always be some sections of grass growing. I will only have a 10' X 20' section of the yard for 14 hens. I started out planning to get 6-8 hens, but since my coop ended up bigger than I was planning I went ahead and ordered extra chickens. I can always sell half if it turns out to be too much. I have to find a local source for sand. I have no truck.

Ellie - love the grazing box idea.

 

[ellie32526]

Here's the link to the frame idea.

http://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/2012/02/07/grazing-frames-backyard-chickens/

 

[debid]

I like the grass and clippings idea. Do you have to pick up droppings or do you just let them compost in place? How often do you clean the coop?

The run composts itself clean. I'll probably need to take a couple inches of soil out in spring because it's building up. I don't deep litter in the coop (yet...) so I'm cleaning it monthly. I use maybe 4" of straw and stir as needed between cleanings.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Sand in the house. Shavings in the nests. Dirt in the run but I put stuff on top to keep it dry, leaves, pine shavings, pine needles, rice hulls. Basically, anything that I have on hand at the time. Over time, they kick it around and it all breaks down. I do go through every other day or so and scoop up the larger poops and put them into the compost bin. But in general, it all just breaks down in the run. Once a year or so, I'll rake it all out and spread it around the garden.

 

[jmc0319]

Here's the link to the frame idea.

http://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/2012/02/07/grazing-frames-backyard-chickens/

Thanks again Ellie. I will be building these for sure.

 

[4 the Birds]

Hi,
I am n the final stages of getting the coop and run ready for new chickens. I would love to hear what you all use for the floor of the hen house and the run. Right now the run is grass. I was thinking of wood shavings for the house and thought to leave the run grass until it is no longer grass. Once the grass is gone what should I put down? Also how deep should I lay the material?

Thanks!!!

The coop is 1x6 wood deck boards with plenty of pine chips on top (the floor is up 4" from the ground). The run was initially all grass but the chickens have quickly scratched it to dirt. I now add pine chips and straw to the run. I also add wood pallets and a few bales of straw to the run. I have plywood on a few of the pallets and I like to throw feed or cracked corn on this during soggy weather or drifting snow. My coop and run are within a 1 acre fenced area that the birds always have access to free range.

This shows the grass in the run. It does not take long for the chickens to scratch the run to dirt.


This shows the coop floor to the left and run floor to the right.


Hope this helps!