Coop Bedding/Litter

[Wonderling]

I got a scrap piece of linoleum for not too much at Home Depot and it makes it super easy to clean the coop. I believe they have peal and stick linoleum tiles also, those would probably do the trick just as well and might be a little easier to put down.

 

[LJoWilly]

I love the look! The white paint brightens the interior very nicely. Did you use latex or oil based? Great idea.

I used latex paint.

 

[LJoWilly]

In your opinion, what's better about the hemp bedding? Other than it being more expensive i've yet to read any benefits over shavings.

Well, I guess I would have to say that the reasons why I like it better than the pine flakes, which is what is available in my area, is that there is virtually no dust to hemp bedding, and no smell to the bedding itself. It seems softer, and when the girls jump down onto it, it doesn't fly everywhere like the flakes did.
I have used both the large and small pine flakes, and I can honestly tell you that I'm pretty much sold on the hemp bedding.
Now with that being said, my coop is only 8x6, and their run is huge. They don't spend a whole lot of time in the coop during warmer months. If I had a larger coop, more chickens, then it wouldn't be financially affordable. But with only 7 ladies and how my coop is setup I am able to spend the extra $$ on hemp bedding.

 

[TLCMidMichigan]

Prior to birds in the coop, I sprayed a sealer on the floor. It made it water proof mostly.
Cleaning out the Deep pine chips are easier than anything else.

 

[TERMINATORATIS]

I can't remember the brand name, but it was for Porches and Decks, I believe.
Not sure if they actually make a paint that's listed as "chicken safe," but I can only tell you from experience that all 6 of my girls have lived in that coop since 2016 with no problems. Maybe, it's because I painted it well in advance before ever putting chickens in it?
1st pic was May 20th 2016.
2nd pic February 1st of 2018.
3rd pic was March of this year.

 

[TERMINATORATIS]

Instead guessing what paint is safe, I used waterproof 4x8 composite plates and custom cut them and glued them with liquid nails.Corners have been sealed with 100% white silicone. I also put 4 rabbit cage pans with pine shaving in it. To keep and clean my coop is breeze.Thanks for watching.

 

[Shezadandy]

We used stall mats - like the kind you put in a horse's stall - the 1/4" ones are really easy to cut and work with, though we used the 3/4" ones for the floor above the plywood. I thought about linoleum but was concerned about footing - the rubber mats give really good traction and keep the mess from permeating the plywood. For bedding we use the pine pellets (sold in 40lb bags at feed stores) - I like it because it breaks down into a great substrate for dust bathing, and it's easy to clean... and it breaks down REALLY fast in the compost pile, unlike full shavings... We also put rubber mats (1/4") on our poop boards - super easy to clean, especially if you've got some sweet pdz and/or sand over them too.

 

[Shezadandy]

We have a large shed turned Zoo.
Plywood painted flooring, we covered with linoleum.
Our floor ended up about 8'x12', Home Depot had a $50 solid roll of linoleum in exactly that size. Yippee! They do have rolls that they will custom cut from.
I had access to an unusual material to put up along the walls, for deep litter method. Ever seen interior of a refrigerated tractor trailer? FIL had one at work getting stripped, so he cut out the material for me. Called Chem-Lite or something to that effect. It's a non porous solid material that comes in sheets about 2' high. Tacked onto walls over the sheetrock, then caulked at floor seam, perfect moisture barrier.

I've been using pine shavings and dry grass clippings on floor. I'm not sure if I'm doing a deep litter method correctly. My chickens poop EVERYWHERE in the coop so there isn't just cleanup under the roosts to do. The poop just kind of sticks to shavings and gets crushed in...
I considered sand but dont think it's a viable option for the size of our coop. Trouble with sand is moisture can potentially build up then cause frostbite. A quick daily scooping like a cat box is the benefit though.

Try pine pellets (40lb bags from feed stores- not the dinky overpriced bags in cat litter aisles). They soak up the moisture from poop very quickly, then the poop dries out and turns powdery. Pine pellets are super absorbent and they breakdown into easy to sift material. I just got done pressure washing the inside of the coop- 2 bags mopped up all that water. With 100 (or so) chickens, I change my pine pellets every 3 months or so - they have a huge outdoor area too.

 

[N ID Goose mom]

If you prefer to not use linoleum/vinyl flooring but want to moisture-proof the floor of your coop there is an alternative to paint. It's a silicone based roofing sealant called "Black Jack 57". I've heard nothing but positive response from the people who have used it(I do not have it in my coop). Just a different option for you to consider.....

I put blackjack 57 in my goose house. It a lot cheaper per gallon vs paint but goes on pretty thick so doesn’t go as far and is protective. I have noticed that it gives the geese good traction/grip when walking so no slipping or sliding. My geese are still goslings so I don’t have long term experience with it but so far I like it. I am currently using chopped straw for bedding but am going to try hemp. I found the best cost which included shipping off of Amazon (35 lb). But I can also pick up in Walmart smaller bags (3 lbs).