hardware cloth on feet?

[questions543]

If I make the bottom of the coop hardware cloth will it be bad on the chickens feet and will it make a draft in the coop?

 

[ScottM]

I've heard of people doing this, but can't due to the cold in my region. Not sure if the poop would fall through smaller net hardware cloth or not

 

[7L Farm]

Just curious. Why would you use wire for the floor ? I have my quail on wire but all my chicken coops are on the ground. Chickens like to scratch & peck.

 

[questions543]

I was thinking maybe `cause some coop plans have a section or the whole coop off the ground to conserve space

 

[NCnarrator]

We're in NC and used hardware cloth for the bottom of our coop. The coop is raised, both to provide extra space in our run and to increase ventilation. In our area, the concern is heat rather than cold, so ventilation is very important. The chickens don't actually seem to spend much time on the hardware cloth itself, since they spend all day outside in the run and only go in the coop at night - at which point they're on the roost.

Some of the poop falls through, some does not. We clean it with a grill brush and then rake it out from under the coop. We're trying not to hose anything down since that creates a smell that is truly epic! LOL