Coop flooring

[Malkaris]

Yes, vinyl can be slippery, especially with a fresh batch of shavings on it.
But I've never had a leg injury from it.

Okay, good to know! When I was considering it a family member called me on it and I had no idea...

 

[NatJ]

Silly question but when it came from flooring for chicks I remember hearing to not use news paper because it's too slippery. And hens can have leg/hip injuries too.
So aside from the convenience of cleaning I've been wondering why vinyl, tile and similar products are used?

Possible differences:

--Bedding on top of the floor can make a difference. Past a certain depth, the chickens won't care what's underneath.

--If the hens sleep on perches at night and go out in a run during the day, they spend little time on the flooring in the coop. Chicks are on the brooder flooring all the time.

--The newspaper concern for baby chicks is in the first few days and weeks. I don't think newspaper is a problem for adult chickens, who are just stronger and better co-ordinated than baby chicks. The weight of their body is less likely to make their own legs splay out.

And yes, I think the only reasons to use those kinds of slippery floor surfaces are convenience of cleaning, and protection of the wood floor underneath.

 

[Kirkwooder]

Silly question but when it came from flooring for chicks I remember hearing to not use news paper because it's too slippery. And hens can have leg/hip injuries too.
So aside from the convenience of cleaning I've been wondering why vinyl, tile and similar products are used?

I cover mine with 6" of shavings

 

[j_palmer]

I like the porch and floor paint in mine.
No tiny nooks or crannies for crawlies to hide in and still going strong after 6+ years in the big coop.

My second choice would be blackjack 57.

Hello! I'm trying to decide what to use in my coop. Right now I've painted the coop with porch and floor paint and plan to add construction sand. I'm hoping for easy clean up. I was thinking of painting the coop floor and 1' up the walls with flex seal. I'm in Texas and we've had 100 degree temps for weeks. My concern is that flex seal could keep the coop from "breathing" and turn it into a hot box for my chickens. I thought about vinyl but read I should glue it down permanently so bugs can't hide underneath and I'm not wanting to commit to that. I also thought of putting a heavy duty shower curtain on the floor and under the sand. Have your thoughts changed about the floor paint or has it been easy to keep clean? My coop has 3 windows and an exhaust fan.

 

[Quadzilla32]

any issues with just having a plywood floor covered in either pine shavings or hemp? I thought I remembered reading that using vinyl flooring or stuff like that isn't good since it can trap bacteria... I could also of thought i read that.

 

[aart]

I thought I remembered reading that using vinyl flooring or stuff like that isn't good since it can trap bacteria... I could also of thought i read that.

If moisture can get underneath... then yes, nasties could grow there.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hello! I'm trying to decide what to use in my coop. Right now I've painted the coop with porch and floor paint and plan to add construction sand. I'm hoping for easy clean up. I was thinking of painting the coop floor and 1' up the walls with flex seal. I'm in Texas and we've had 100 degree temps for weeks. My concern is that flex seal could keep the coop from "breathing" and turn it into a hot box for my chickens. I thought about vinyl but read I should glue it down permanently so bugs can't hide underneath and I'm not wanting to commit to that. I also thought of putting a heavy duty shower curtain on the floor and under the sand. Have your thoughts changed about the floor paint or has it been easy to keep clean? My coop has 3 windows and an exhaust fan.

So far it is still holding strong. I don't know how it would fare with gritty sand (thinking sandpaper effect) but with pine shavings it is still the same paint job. Even after many years it is not showing any wear when I clean all the shavings out.

I still recommend it over a lot of other options.