Coop Floor***Updated*** Question Need Suggestions

[CoyoteMagic]

I'm looking at building one big coop similar to Judymae's coop
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8315
I'd love to have a bunch of little "playhouse coops" in the yard but don't think that's really fiesible. Not with having to build to for a "special needs" hen.

Question is, do you think it's ok to go with out a solid floor in the coop? I'm thinking of building it right on the ground with a floor of sand. There will be hardware cloth extending out at least a foot around the entire perimeter to prevent digging. I'm in the piedmont of NC so the winters aren't that bad. Will be plenty of roost space and places for them to be up off the ground.

Whatcha think?!

 

[wendy]

well my hubby is the builder, i am the painter. but i do the keeping up of taking care of the coop and feeding the chickens too. he wants just a dirt floor and i like it to. it is easy clean up for me and we talked about it and we both think some other floor type would be to smelly and have to be cleaned to often.

 

[wendy]

hi i thought i would add this too. i have a book written by sue weaver hobby farms chickens , tending to a small scale flock for pleasure or profit. she says dirt floors are just fine, and recommends some type of filler on the dirt floor, wood shavings, peanut hulls, etc. helps with insulation she says in winter too to have the floor covered. wood floors she says is not good in the long run. and concrete is best but of course expensive!
this is really a good book, i have mentioned it a couple of times on here, i bought it at my local feed store. she is very informative. if only i could have found a better peacock book, i bought one and it is not as well written!

 

[GoodEgg]

Things were so easy for my grandma and her chickens.

She had a dirt floor with no problems. In fact, the coop was a 3-sided corrugated tin building with a tin roof, ladder-type roosts, and a row of nest boxes. Chicken wire run (no cover) and that was it.

Then again, there was a deer hound right outside the run which probably protected from most things, and the fairly thick trees might have deterred hawks. And in Louisiana it isn't cold for that long.

But I've often thought of how easy it was for her with her chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, rabbits, and everything else and how healthy all the animals were without benefit of vets or expensive feed. (Not that they didn't eat well ... it was just "real" food instead of purchased feed - except for the thousands of rabbits they raised.)

It seems to me though that if you have a dirt floor, and especially if some litter is on top of it, with the chickens having droppings and scratching around so much, you might get really good compost from the deal too.

No real answer here, I'm sure everyone else will know better than I do. I guess I'm just rambling.

trish

 

[wendy]

GoodEgg , that is so true. my dad was telling me how simple it was to raise chickens when he was a kid. no incubators, no lights, table scraps and free ranging that was there food! and a vet! no way!!!

 

[devora]

We converted a tumble-down tool shack out in the garden to be their house and it has a dirt floor. I didn’t know there was another kind! I throw in straw and they re-arrange it the way they like it, and I assume in a month or two I’ll take that out and put it in the compost. It seems clean (they’ve been in there about two mos.), no bad smells.

Why would cement be better? Didn’t people raise chickens on dirt for ages and ages?

 

[wendy]

Quote:
the lady in this book says it makes the easiest clean up, i guess because you can hose it off? after you take out the cushing before replacing it?!

 

[allen wranch]

A dirt floor with sand is fine, especially with hardware cloth around the outside. It will also provide good drainage if any water seeps in and it is easy to clean.

People build different types of coops (and floors) because of location, climate, movability, shade, sun, etc.

I have a coop with a dirt floor and sand on top, one with a wooden floor and sand, and another with a wood floor and shavings.

Looking at Judymae's coop, you could extend the width and put in a divider for your special needs chick in the coop and run.

 

[wendy]

Quote:
ours is built alot like that i put it on here too. it works good for us, not as fancey as some

on here but our chickens don't know that

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Been working on the new coop over the last few days. Hot outside but hot inside as well, FINALLY got the AC fixed today!!!

Ok recap--Working on a coop similar to the one that Judymae posted
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8315

It has been rather easy to build. I've done it all by myself but will probably need help on the roof. It is 8ftx8ft 6ft front 4ft rear. Roof on this one is gonna be a snap compared to the peaked roof of the "playhouse" coop

Here's my Assistant

And my Supervisor

Side view

Front view

Rear Pop hole will connect with the run. I'm gonna nail the run to the whole rear of the coop itself. Is 9inx12in pop hole big enough for the chickens? there is another one in the front so I can let them out to free range. Thinking that size should keep out most dogs around here too.

Supervisor inspecting tools

Snack break! EEEEEEW CHICKEN POOO BREATH!!!

Where's the rest of the crew?! AAAAAH Tomato Thieves!!!

So that's my coop so far. Going to put 2 windows in the front on either side of the door. Also on the side where it angles, I'm going to put in some vents to help with the heat issue during the summer. Roof is going to be a lightweight tin. Only $8 at Lowe's

I'm using 2x4's on both ends but thinking of using 2x2's to support the roof in the middle. The tin is very lightweight. I can carry 4 sheets of it with no trouble and it cuts with a pair of tin snips. Will the 2x2's be enough to support it?

All thoughts and ideas are welcomed.