Help Settle a Husband/Wife debate on coop design

[Tovah]

Thanks for all the really good advice. We have our framing up now. I think my DH and I have agreed that brick is not going to work. We do not have a drainage problem. And we do not get too much moisture, but lately, the rain in California is driving us crazy!!!! My biggest concern is raccoons. I have not seen any rats, but know that others in the area have had them. I think we will put in the hardware cloth a few inches on either side of the perimeter only and not the entire space. That seems to alleviate some of our initial concerns.

So hay or no hay? Sand or no sand? Dirt or shavings? How about pine needles? We have plenty of those and they are FREE!!! I am so glad to hear from most that removing the hay each week is not a good plan. We are such neophytes....

Our goal is to make this as easy and fun as possible. How often should we clean out the coop then? If I leave it as dirt only will it build up a bad smell? What is the healthiest for the chickens?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

So hay or no hay? Sand or no sand? Dirt or shavings? How about pine needles? We have plenty of those and they are FREE!!! I am so glad to hear from most that removing the hay each week is not a good plan. We are such neophytes.... Our goal is to make this as easy and fun as possible.

The outside run will be fine without anything organic added.
Plain sand or bare dirt is the easiest to take care of and the chickens will love being able to dig around.

Shavings work well INSIDE and if you put enough to keep things dry, you won't have to clean it out very often.​

 

[Melissa2173]

I like the idea of using sand in the run but does anyone have a problem with ants? We have fire ants everywhere and I would worry that the ants would take over.

 

[spotstealer]

Quote:
Yup. Sand! The ants would amuse the chicks. They really wouldn't be any problem.