Coop floor-rubber stall mat?

[pebble]

Building a coop and had the idea to put a 3/4" rubber stall mat on top of leveling sand for the 4X8 floor of the covered run. Plan to place the wood frame on top of it for predator prevention so hoping would not have to bury wire on the edges. then could put sand or chips on top as needed. could hose off easy. has anyone done this?

 

[LarryPQ]

I would worry the chickens would peck at the rubber or slip when it gets wet. But I am not sure which type of mat you are describing

 

[pebble]

really thick hard mat like tires used for horse stalls

 

[patandchickens]

On the one hand rubber horse stall mats are fine (if rather pricey) as coop flooring, under your bedding.

On the other hand they are NOT predatorproof. Rats chew through them pretty easily, and although I have not actually seen in action the type configuration you're describing, I strongly suspect that a dog or other digging predator would just bull its way up through, pushing at the stall mats til they push up enough to come out from under the run fence at the side, letting the predator in. Also, having a solid floor like that to your run will prevent the chickens from scratching and digging, which is a really major part of their life and a shame to deprive them of IMO.

I would suggest a wire (or very-large-paver) apron, as the best alternative to digging in buried wire. And leave the run floor be earth.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[gryeyes]

The second coop I built was set up above the ground on concrete blocks, so no earth floor. I covered the plywood floor with a horse stall mat, then covered that with the pine shavings. I didn't consider it for anti-predation tactics, but for easy hosing (when necessary someday) and .... *ahem* resilient flooring for little skinny chicken legs jumping down from roosts.

Yah, yah, yah.

 

[hannalice]

Not a bad idea for clean up, but I wonder how useful a stall mat would be as predator protection. I don't expect anything smaller than a coyote or dog could move one, but it could be undermined pretty easily to allow a gap for a raccoon, rat, or weasel. I might actually use one in my coop itself, actually, but you may just be better off skirting your fence or burying the wire for the run.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I converted a 12' x 12' noble horse shelter into a chicken coop and have the same 3/4" stall mats sitting on a bed of 1' deep pea gravel that's on leveled clay.

I'm doing the deep litter method that's now about a foot deep. The chickens never get down to the stall mats. I love the set-up. Those stall mats weigh a ton are very difficult to lift or move.

 

[Zahboo]

I'd just do the sand... Save a lot of money.