Deep litter coop floor - linoleum or wood?

[ToniaM]

I know this isn’t a “current” thread but thanks so much for the posting here!! Just a few pages and questions answered. And I always seem to trust everything I’ve read that @aart has posted, and was hoping to get a reply from aart but now I don’t even have a question

 

[TOPChickens14]

I use wood in my coop beacuse my chooks scratched up the linoleum and ate it *gasps

 

[AutumninIowa]

I used a full sheet of linoleum to create a barrier between the wood floor and my dry deep litter of wood chips. I don't think you would have to put scratches into the linoleum to prevent slipping, and even more so, I think scratches in the linoleum would only cause the vinyl to get wetter and rot out faster. Even a small amount (1-2 inches) of litter on top of the linoleum should be sufficient to prevent slipping, but I load my coop up with as much at 10-12 inches of wood chips over the winter.

I bought my sheet of linoleum large enough so that I have 12 inches bent up on the sides of the walls. That was needed for my deep litter system to also protect the walls.

Where do you get wood chips? A local lumber yard? Our local yard has chips that sit out in the open, exposed to rain. Not sure where to go for dry chips for deep litter, which is the way we want to go too. We just finished building our coop and we were considering linoleum floor which lead me to this thread lol.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Where do you get wood chips? A local lumber yard? Our local yard has chips that sit out in the open, exposed to rain. Not sure where to go for dry chips for deep litter, which is the way we want to go too. We just finished building our coop and we were considering linoleum floor which lead me to this thread lol.

Normal storage for wood chips is to leave them out uncovered in the elements. When I need chips from my pile, I just skim them off the surface, as those are the driest.

Best source of wood chips is to contact a tree service company, or to check with city/county maintenance in charge of clearing utility and road access. Both of those can be free if you live in an area with ample trees/wood availability.

 

[gtaus]

Where do you get wood chips? A local lumber yard? Our local yard has chips that sit out in the open, exposed to rain. Not sure where to go for dry chips for deep litter, which is the way we want to go too. We just finished building our coop and we were considering linoleum floor which lead me to this thread lol.

My local county landfill gives away wood chips for free. They charge the arborists money to dump their chips at the landfill, but I am free to load up a trailer full of the wood chips anytime I want - for free.

I also have an electric and gas wood chipper at home, but it takes a very long time to chip wood with a home chipper. For example, it takes me about 20 minutes to fill my trailer full of wood chips at the landfill, but it would probably take me about 12+ hours, or more, to chip up that much wood at home. I'll save up fallen branches and such and every once in a while go out there and chip up a tote bin full of chips. Basically, just yard clean up. I don't want to burn wood if I don't have to.

If you can get free wood chips, even those outside exposed to the rain, that is probably the easiest way to get chips. You can always let them dry out under a roof cover if they are too wet to put into the coop. I just leave my wood chips in a big pile outside and scoop out chips when I need them.

Having said that, last winter I used paper shreds as deep bedding in my coop. I had great success with paper sheds, which I make at home, from junk mail, newspapers, office papers, light food cardboard boxes, etc... Paper shreds also break down into compost much faster than wood chips (I compost all my old coop bedding). I plan on using paper sheds again this winter.

I have also used fall leaves which I bagged up for winter use as deep bedding. Leaves work good too, but are more dusty that wood chips or paper shreds.

Nothing wrong with mixing whatever you have available for deep bedding. I have done that too and it worked out just fine. I'll use whatever free bedding resources I have available and my chickens really don't care.

 

[WthrLady]

Blackjack roof sealer. Hands down the best.