Coop flooring

[KChristy]

I have an 10x12' coop and 31 chickens. I was hoping to find a good flooring idea. Has anyone ever heard of using portable horse stall mats in coop under wood shavings for ease of cleaning? I also saw those mats are made of EVA....Would that be harmful to chickens or my family???
Feedback appreciated

 

[AHenNamedPepper]

Personally I use shavings, but most people I have run across recommend using sand... I tried to look up your question about EVA, but couldn't find anything hopefully someone can help you with that. Welcome to BYC!!! glad you joined us!

 

[Sasham]

We use pine flake shavings. We do a deep litter meathod, and add a new layer of pine shavings about once a month or so when it starts to look poopy, and sprinkle Diatamecous earth inbetween layers each time and our coop smells great most of the time. We only completely change out bedding 1 time a year in the spring, towards the end of the year it is about 1 foot deep but decomposes really well throughout the year and honestly doesn't smell hardly at all... Our outside run on the other hand that is dirt is another story.

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

Our coop has a linoleum floor that runs up the walls for 6 inches all the way around. We use a straw deep litter on top of that. Twice a year we clean out the DL and wash down the floor ( I say we but I mean my wife, I am only the builder, not the chicken keeper).

 

[dubenjs1]

I use pine wood pellets that are used for horse bedding. This is my first time raising chickens and so far It really keeps all dry and smell free. I used the pellets in my 3'x4' brooder for the first seven weeks inside my house and it never once smelled and that was only with six chicks. I have heard pros and cons about sand so that is why I did not go with construction sand. Anyone have anymore pros and cons for sand.

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

We prefer to not have to rake and scoop, which is the only downside of sand as far as I know. We went with the DLM, the main reason we use straw is that we buy it cheep and also use straw bales for some of our raised garden beds, It ends up becoming great compost which we use in the gardens and orchard.

 

[lovemy6hens]

Our new coop has a concrete floor. We use interlocking play mats with a mix of sweet pdz, pine shavings, & coastal hay over the mats. I pick up the poop every morning and clean nasty spots with bird cage cleaner. Very high mainetenance, but I like to sit on the floor in there with them in the evening.
Our old coop and run both have dirt with sand. They use that during the day if I'm not home to watch them in the yard.

 

[dubenjs1]

I just read some bad reviews about sand like they promote bacteria growth and germs and mites and perasitez, stuff like that.

 

[lovemy6hens]

Any bedding and substrate can be harmful. Everything must be kept dry and clean (unless using the deep litter method, then just dry).

 

[dubenjs1]

Thank you very much.