Coop

[Richholly]

Can I lay gravel down in my coop?

 

[azygous]

I use construction sand in my two coops and also in my runs. Is that what you have in mind? The only consideration would be is the floor braced underneath well enough to support the additional weight?

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters.

Gravel is almost always a terrible idea for a chicken coop.

It's hard on the chickens' feet -- making it more likely for them to get bumblefoot -- and the poop filters down into it and stays until it gets wet, rots, and REEKS.

If you're having a mud problem it would be better to get coarse wood chips, the sort you get from a tree-trimming service. Alternately, coarse, undyed mulch.

 

[neo71665]

You can put down anything but I highly wouldn't suggest it. IMHO mulch/wood chips is about the best thing to use in a coop

 

[Mamatomany123]

You are going to have a horrible time trying to clean it and will probably end up with a smell. I also suggest wood chips. We use them and it helps with any smell and they break down.

 

[svh]

I built my coop on gravel on top of bare ground ..... NEVER AGAIN !!! It's a pita to clean, but luckily I do deep litter, and have about 1 1/2 feet of semi composted wood chips, and forest debris on top of the rock, so it's getting better. It took 3 years to acquire this layer over the gravel, and the birds still scratch down to the base layer.

One of my main gripes with the gravel is composting ..... I add the deep litter cleanout to my huge compost piles, and have to sift the rocks out whenever I use the stuff ! Major Pain !!!

It doesn't seem to hurt the chooks feet, as I've had only one incident of bumble foot in 3 years. YMMV

Will I build my next coop on gravel ? ABSOLUTELY NOT !!!