flooring for chicken coop/enclosure

[shodack]

I posted a while back about the area my chickens will live in being gravel. We have decided to rake the gravel away in some areas of the pen and leave it in others, since it would be a monumental task to get rid of it all. My husband has plans to build some "grass boxes" with mesh over them, so the girls can graze.
My question is: What do I do for the floor, over the gravel/bare ground? Straw? Pine chips? Wood mulch? Leave it bare ground?
What is "deep bedding"?
Since I live in town, I am concerned about being considerate to neighbors regarding keeping things neat and tidy, as well as avoiding smell issues, so I'll be diligent about cleaning.

Also, I have a small compost area right in the pen, is it okay for me to compost their bedding right in their living area, or do I need to take it out to reduce risk of buggies?

 

[shodack]

Anybody?

 

[monkcat]

I'm thinking deep litter. Check this thread out:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/643302/results-from-first-year-with-deep-litter-method

Somewhere in there is a video of beekissed showing her deep litter setup. No smell, minimal work. And it's self-composting. You don't HAVE to ever clean it out is what I get from it. But after a while you will have compost you can add to your garden. Shouldn't even have to keep a separate compost pile is my take on it. It's what I'm using. Only been a month, but so far, so good.

aha! post number 185 in the above thread.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/643302/results-from-first-year-with-deep-litter-method/180

That link might take you to the page it is on. But it's still worth a read of that whole thread.