Do I HAVE to use bedding?

[alamogirl]

I have 4 hens, and I've been using pine-shavings on the linoleum-floored coop. My question is, do I have to use shavings or something at all? They don't spend any time in there except to roost or lay. It's a lot easier to just scrape poop off the poop plank and floor. Any thoughts?

 

[BWKatz]

I use indoor outdoor carpet in my doghouse coop. I just pull it out & shake. Once every couple days while they are in tractor/pen I throw it in wash with some bleach. I have 2 pieces.

 

[yellowrose]

As far as I am concerned... chicken poo is right up there with glue and concrete especially when it it on my porch and deck. I use pine shavings on the floor of my coop. It absorbs and is way easier to scoop out the poo when it is in it than try to scrape it off the floor! Even a vinyl one! I have 30 chickens.

 

[elmo]

People use shavings or some other material on the floor of their coop for two basic reasons: to facilitate cleanup, and to cushion a hard floor (e.g., concrete). If you're fine with cleaning poo off the floor of your coop, I can't think of any reason why you can't skip the shavings.

 

[alamogirl]

Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to give it a shot. If I totally hate it, I'll just throw the shavings back in.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

I thought about using vinyl on the floor of my hen house to protect the wood but have decided that I would cover the entire floor with heavy plastic then cover that with pine shavings. When it comes time to clean the house all I should have to do is unhook the plastic and carry it out to the compost pile, shavings and all. What do you think? Has anyone tried this method?

 

[palochknldy]

We use a piece of vinyl and pine shavings in the coop. The girls love to scrap around in the shavings and they help keep odor down. The vinyl works great(not glued down) and if water would happen to spill, you can easily roll that part up and let it dry. I think your wood in time will get poo covered and the vinyl would help that.

 

[Gypsi]

I have pond liner on the floor of my coop, and a bit of straw scattered over that and the poop board. Pond liner is 45 mil epdm, heavier and more durable than plastic, and absolutely waterproof, but not so heavy I can't pull it out and hose it down with a pressure washer if it needs it. In the summer, I put a roost in a protected and roofed part of the run, that has sand under it, and on hot nights that is where my ladies sleep, so they are only in the coop to eat, if what I've tossed on the ground is not interesting enough, or in the nest boxes to lay.

I am a lazy woman.

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

That sounds like a good idea about the pond liner. I have a similar product. It is the rubber roofing used in RV roofing. Rather expensive but we have extra just laying around. I also like the idea of letting the girls roost out in the run during the summer. It gets so hot here so giving them that option might be a good idea. Do you keep yours outside at night or do you give them the option of going in or out? ( always with open pop doors)

 

[Beekissed]

I only clean out my bedding twice a year, so its not a daily pain or chore. Its nice and fluffy, easy to shovel out and it is great for my garden. I used to leave a bare floor and just rake it out every other day and that was a real pain....the dust generated by that did not agree with me at all.

The deep litter keeps my chickens so toasty warm in the winter....haven't had a frostbit comb since using it.