corn crib into a chicken coop

[boxermom]

We are "expecting" our first chicks the end of April. Brooder is all set up and ready to go. We are now ready to start on the coop. We will be converting our corncrib into the coop. We will insulate and close up the sides and build a ceiling in the area where they will be housed. My question is about the floor. The floor is solid concrete. Very dirty, with years worth of pigeon poo etc. I plan on cleaning and sanitizing the area, but was wondering if I should paint the floor to seal it. Would this make future clean up easier and would it help to seal out things that could "rise to the surface" from the porous concrete? What are your ideas? My DH and I are newbies...

 

[scooter147]

I would santize in the first cleaning with straight bleach if it were me. The come back and scrub with a 1 to 5 bleach solution.

I will have to defer to others on sealing the floor.

Are the pigeons gone?

 

[Kimiko]

Be very careful cleaning up the pigeon droppings (histoplasmosis, psittacosis, cryptococcosis). Chances are small, but wear a mask and gloves at least. Bleach, definitely a good idea.

Unless you can get the floor spotlessly clean and it has no moisture, I wouldn't paint it.

 

[epona4]

boxermom,

We did the same thing this fall. So far I have 2 coops with at least 2 more to build. We'll also be putting in a communal stall for 3 or 4 nigerian dwarf goats to share.

We'd planned on only getting up to 10 hens. Now we have 9 hens and 2 roos...and then 10 sneaky little chicks jumped into my coat pockets while I was at the feed store on Wed. Then there are the 25 straight runs I have coming in May. (of course we're also going to be using some of these as meat birds. Not all for egg laying)

I never thought about sanitizing the floor. We cleared it out and vacuumed, then laid down a couple bags of pine bedding. I'll be sure to bleach out the next one. And to sanitize when I clear the coops out for spring cleaning.

Good luck!

b

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree you need to sanitize and that you need to wear gloves and a mask while cleaning and sanitizing. Forced ventilation (a fan) would probably be a good idea if it is a little closed in. I would put a coat of paint on it, probably one of those garage floor or workshop floor paints for the ease of cleaning, not to prevent things from coming up through the porous floor. It makes concrete so much easier to clean.

 

[crazyhen]

If possible after your floor dries to make it easier to clean put on a coat of sealer and then some cheap linoleum. Cleanning is so much easier. just sweep and mop once in a while. Jean

 

[rooster0209]

I have a concrete floor in my coop (converted hog barn). It is nice to have a concrete floor. I put leaves, dirt, mowed grass or straw under the roosts to make cleaning poop easier. Other than that, I just sweep out the coop when the poop starts to accumulate. I have not sealed the floor and don't plan to. I never sanitized the floor, actually it never occured to me. I just swept it out.

During the winter months, I had several inches of straw on the floor. When the poop got too noticable on top, I just turned the straw with a scoop shovel and sometimes added new straw. This deep litter method worked great for the winter months. When the straw & stuff started 'heating up' it helped keep the coop warm.

We also have an old corn crib and I thought about using it as a coop to, but DH said we might need it for grain storage again.

 

[Trefoil]

I know this is an old thread, but I am hoping someone is around that can help me. I bought a old cattle panel type corn crip. It was dissassembled. Am now trying to put the roof panels back on, and am having all sorts of problems. The roof was about 1/2 on when the guy that sold it to me quit ( of course I had already paid him), After waiting over a year for him, I finally hired someone else to do it. They can't get the panels to line up and have taken off some of the panels already on. Do the panels need to be put back on in the same order they were? Anyone know anything that could help?