Hardware cloth on floor of run

[hensandchickscolorado]

I redesigned my coop and lined the bottom of the 8x4' run with hardware cloth to keep out any mice.

I covered this with about an inch of sand, and since I put it in in August, there is a nice layer of pine shavings/compost as well, but you can still see wire here & there.

Is this bad for the chickens? They aren't laying this winter even though I've got lighting and the same circumstances as last year. I wonder if this might be bothering them.

I can throw in a thicker layer of dirt or sand if anyone out there knows they shouldn't be walking on the wire. Does anyone else have a coop like this?

Any advice appreciated, thanks!

 

[chfite]

I have a coop with 1/2" hardware cloth floor. The chickens seem to be fine walking on it. The other coop has a solid floor, which I find easier to keep clean. The poop does not fall through the hardware cloth. Unfortunately, the chickens don't use the coop with the solid floor. They all moved into the one with the hardware cloth floor.

My run is 8 x 20 just sand.

They spend most of their time out of the coop in the run or out foraging.

Chris

 

[JanetS]

My chickens love to dig deep hole in their run. They are always digging to find a good bug and to take a dirt bath. I would think having wire would be a problem for them.


We buried patio stones sideways in the ground to prevent digging predators. This has worked great.

 

[Gonzo the Great]

Read somewhere that you could cut a section out from the center of the hardware cloth floor to allow access. The builder of coop said it was 6"-8" in from the edges of the coop. Not sure if that was successful or not, but plausible for scratching and dirt baths.

 

[noahsmom]

We plan to line the bottom of our coop with hardware cloth as well, but ours will be several inches under new dirt. I don't see a problem with it as long as they have a place to stand/scratch around and not always standing right on the wire. I am new to chickens, but have raised birds and know that just sitting on wire and really that goes for for any animal, isn't good.

 

[noahsmom]

Read somewhere that you could cut a section out from the center of the hardware cloth floor to allow access. The builder of coop said it was 6"-8" in from the edges of the coop. Not sure if that was successful or not, but plausible for scratching and dirt baths.

Yea, that could work, but I would be a little worried about any sharp edges cutting them.

 

[Gonzo the Great]

two pieces of 1"X2" length of board, sandwich clamp the cut end of the cloth in between the two boards and bend downward. Sharp ends might even deter possible attempts if any intruders make it past. If made in a portable tractor, get some wire to tug upwards to get clearance for relocating tractor.