Has anyone used Rubber Mats for coop floor?

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Songster
8 Years
May 16, 2012
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Maryland
After years away, it is FANTASTIC to be back to chicken life and here on Backyardchickens!

We have moved a few times since we last lived in the country and have purchased a home where we can have 8 hens! Our next step, of course, is coop designing! We are required to have the coop itself 2 feet off the ground. We plan to use sand inside as it is easy to rake clean daily. (I might use sand in the run too actually but unsure! I was thinking of plywood with vinyl tile to protect the wood but husband looked this up and vinyl is toxic to chickens. How about rubber mats! I had read about Ergocell Rubber Horse Stall Mat but not only can I not find any right now, I also only need 24 sqft! Is there another kind of mat you all have had success with?
 
Congradulations on the new home and welcome back to BYC. Also more important THANK YOU to you and your family for your Military service. I built my girls coop based on the Whichita Cabin design (plans available thru BYC). I modified it some making the footprint 14'x6' and using corrigated steel for the roof and a few other small changes. My final cost was around 1600.00 (no labor) but it,'s attractive ( eye pleasing to the neighbors) and built to last. Washed sand in the run and pine shavings in the coop with perches and poop dropping trays under them sand and PDZ filled (cleaned out daily with a kitty litter scoop) Tractor Supply has 3/4 " rubber mats 6'x4' for under $50.00. Wan't to use one myself but don't know if the off gasing will be a problem. Good luck. :thumbsup
 
Vinyl flooring will not hurt your birds, lots of people use it.

I had read that and planned on it. Husband read this though and put a solid "no" to that idea! :(
The Chicken Health Handbook:

“…vinyl (PVC) is often passed off as linoleum. Vinyl flooring may contain lead and other heavy metals, which are highly toxic… To make matters worse, vinyl gets its flexibility and durability from plasticizers called phthalates, which are also toxic.”
 
I had read that and planned on it. Husband read this though and put a solid "no" to that idea! :(
The Chicken Health Handbook:
Well, it's just amazing that all our chickens aren't dead. SMH.
There no doubt that PVC, and many other plastics, contain toxins...
....but that doesn't mean they are released with normal use.
 
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Vinyl huffing, that could be a thing, lol!

Seriously though, I'm sure they sell vinyl that is lead free, non-toxic, etc. He could compromise with that.
 
I'd figure linoleum would be safe. I know that is what we are considering putting in our shed on the floor and lower walls for our ducks because it should be easy clean up after removing filler or wipe down. And it is one piece so no worries of moisture making its way under over time between tiles.
 

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