Dirt Floor in Coop

[Cats Critters]

I have a dirt floor in the coop my only problem with it is rats are digging in to the chicken coop and there is nothing to block them, My solution for the time being is all rat holes get filled in and covered with bricks.

 

[MaineChickens]

Same here- have dirt, but I am building a coop with a floor. The dirt one was a horse stall that was not being used, so it became a coop. Rats galore. Lost almost all of my quail one by one to rats before I realized what was going on.

My adult chickens have been fine, but I do not dare put young birds in there after what happened with the quail.

I used a deep litter method... and unearthed a nest of fuzzy ratlings when I was stripping out the litter this spring.

 

[emvickrey]

Quote:
We had a huge problem with mice, not rats. They did the same thing. Holes everywhere. What I did is I shoved those green rat poison sticks down in the hole then covered them up. I also put bricks or big rocks over it in the coop so they didn't get to it. We no longer have a problem with mice. I am finding them everywhere.......DEAD! Just the way they need to be. I went into the small shed before I put out the poison and it was crawling with them. I put out glue traps and poison in there too. Then went around the trailer and did the same thing with all the holes then threw a couple under the trailer. It stinks around here but it will go away....right along with the mice.

Our problem now is ants. Here an ant...there an ant..everywhere an ant ant...I have ant poison everywhere our animals can't get to. Went in the bathroom and it looked like the floor was moving. After a ant dance they where just small black spots on the floor.

 

[jnjross]

I HATE my dirt floor, we will start on the new coop soon and it will be concrete.

i've done anything i can to try and stop water and mice from getting in and no luck, so now it has a few pallets so the chicken can get out of the mud when it rains (which seems like everyday).

 

[Silverduck]

Thanks for all the input, I think we have decided to use another building that has a floor. We were trying to keep down cost by using a boat shed (sold the boat) we have another building we store wood in, I think we are going to use it instead, it will take less work to get it ready for chicks. We already have two other coops. I keep all mine in seperate pens so they will be pure. All are bantams, so they don't take too much space.

 

[misty7850]

I have dirt floor in my coop, which is inside that barn. The run gets muddy sometimes, but the dirt inside the barn, with exception of a few areas stays pretty dry. Plus There are plenty of area's for them to get up off the floor. inlcuding their roost.
However they prefer to roost atop the cow stantions.

 

[leearealake]

gee my chickens eat the mice when they see them no rats a dirt floor for 4 years just rake it out when it needs straw or when no straw corn cob stuff,stays pretty dry inside ,only if it relly rains real bad and comes in the door.

 

[Debi214]

Quote:
Thanks for the pelleted lime idea - I am going to do that tomorrow. Plus I am going to grab some wood ashes and throw those in as well. Thank you everyone for the great ideas!!!

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I have had my coop with the sand floor up for over a year. I have never had a mouse or rat problem My coop walls are dug down 2 feet maybe that is what keeps them out. I find the sand to be very good. You don't need grit,its easy to rake the poop and feathers out and no smell or flies. I have also been using the sand inide in the brooders. I put down paper towles the first day then let them scratch away. It saves alot of money when you consider no wood chips,no grit. And as I said I change it about once a week and have no smell.Theres also the bonus that the water and food dish doesnt get filled with the shavings.

 

[berkeleysprings]

i have heavypainted concrete under the roos and dirt everyelse that way i hose the concrete on to the dirt and every few months i shovel some of the loose dirt to the garden .concrete is the way to go if u can , at least under there roos .its so easy to clean