Coop on pavers?

[zinnia5117]

Hi,

I posted recently about building/putting a coop under a deck but specifically wanted to ask about your experience if you have a coop on concrete pavers. Does the poop get down between the paver cracks and smell? Or if I used a deep litter method would it probably be fine? Here’s a picture in case that helps. I would put the coop under the deck, on the pavers, somewhat away from the house.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Does the poop get down between the paver cracks and smell? Or if I used a deep litter method would it probably be fine?

If you cover them with nothing... definite grossness!

Deep litter should work fine. I like to remove poo and call it semi deep litter.

My large coop has a paver floor. But I cover it with hay as birds landing on hard surfaces is begging for injury. It's fully enclosed so moisture isn't an issue and neither is smell.

 

[aart]

Does the poop get down between the paver cracks and smell?

That would be my concern.

 

[paneubert]

Me again. You know I am for the "under the deck" location. As for the pavers issue, could you prepare it by pressure washing out any existing dirt or accumulation of stuff in the cracks, then brush in some paving sand (sometimes labeled as paver set)? Pack it down/brush it in the cracks well. Then cover with the deep litter or shavings as you proposed.

If you fill the cracks now, I don't see why this paver flooring would act any differently than a solid floor. If you ever pressure wash the floor in the future, you would need to re-do the sand again.

 

[paneubert]

 

[aart]

If you fill the cracks now, I don't see why this paver flooring would act any differently than a solid floor.

If everything stays absolutely dry always...then maybe.

 

[zinnia5117]

Me again. You know I am for the "under the deck" location. As for the pavers issue, could you prepare it by pressure washing out any existing dirt or accumulation of stuff in the cracks, then brush in some paving sand (sometimes labeled as paver set)? Pack it down/brush it in the cracks well. Then cover with the deep litter or shavings as you proposed.

If you fill the cracks now, I don't see why this paver flooring would act any differently than a solid floor. If you ever pressure wash the floor in the future, you would need to re-do the sand again.

Thanks, so they did this initially when they did the patio (we had it professionally done) two years ago. Do you think it is worth redoing? I can definitely do it and it doesn’t sound too hard. Just don’t want to mess up the pros’ work for something subpar by me.

To the next poster, I live in Oregon, so it will never be dry at all times anywhere unless they are inside our house. But I think I can get it pretty dry in this location. Certainly drier than on the grass/ground where the water table is seasonally, at times, about at ground level or comes out as a spring somewhere.

 

[Ghosty]

My wood floor has cracks in it between the planks. They got filled in with wood chip dust very quickly. I have zero problem with poop getting in there.

 

[zinnia5117]

My wood floor has cracks in it between the planks. They got filled in with wood chip dust very quickly. I have zero problem with poop getting in there.

Thank you, that is a good point. It shouldn’t be that much different as long as I have a roof on the coop and run, then...

All good points, I will be sure to minimize moisture over the pavers, might use a hardboard floor as suggested on permies forums to again minimize the moisture transfer and poop transfer. Thanks everyone, I do really appreciate your input and suggestions.

 

[mowin]

As someone that installs patios, I know how labor intensive and expensive they are.

If it was my choice, pavers or any other stone patio, would be my last choice for a chicken coop.
Polymeric sand is not made to have wet material laying on it constantly.