Coop Flooring

[BarredCometLaced]

What is the best floor to use for a run, not for a coop, but for an outdoor run?

We use mulch, but i am stumped at how i will clean it; any ideas?

How is sand? Any other suggestions?

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

I have a plywood floor and I put linoleum down and then pine shavings...It makes clean up a lot easier...

 

[2goose]

I am constructing my run and coop next week. I plan to make portable and there the coop will not have a floor since the whole affair will be moved every couple of days.

What do you think ?

 

[chickschool]

Mine is just dirt. It has bits of grass growing here and there but for the most part it's just dirt. I don't really clean it except to rake it out every once in a while. However, I don't know how many chickens you're talking about. I only have 3 and 2 ducks.

 

[BarredCometLaced]

Well, my run is stationary... so that wouldn't work for me; if i had a choice mine would be free range. But for you, that sounds like a great idea.

*I have 3 chickens

 

[chickschool]

How much are they pooping? Mine are in an enclosure that is about 20x12 with their coop in the center and it has never seemed so bad that I worried about the flooring. If you're looking to absorb their droppings I would suggest spreading out things such as grass clippings, pulled weeds, pine needles...anything you clean up around the yard. Then once every few weeks rake it up and compost it.

 

[FiveHens]

Just chuck stuff in there every week...food scraps, grass clippings, dead leaves, weeds...and let them have a ball going through it. You can rake it out when it gets smelly.

 

[chi-rn]

You can start with lots of things, but for the most part ... it'll eventually look like a lunar landscape with all their dust-bathing craters!

 

[chickschool]

That is so true. We not only have the "craters" but the ducks tend to dig these really deep tiny holes all over when the soil is wet so it really looks odd.

 

[Renthorin]

I went with 4 inches of contractor sand (has aggregate). Use a kitty litter scoop on the poo that misses the poo boards and cleanup is a snap. Also a source of grit ;-)