help with flooring

[mamarosa]

hi, just working on our new coop, new to chickens and are using OSB flooring. We live in michigan and was wondering if it is advisable to use vinyl flooring on top or is it better to just leave the wood. People are scaring us saying that that type of floor is going to mold and get really smelly. Any ideas or thoughts would be highly appreciated.
also how often should the flooring be washed or cleaned?
any help for us newbies would be HIGHLY appreciated.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
What we did was on top of the OSB we came with that BATH/SHOWER Tile back splash and screwed it all down , and will be putting pine shavings on that . If that don't seem to WORK , we can always come back with vinyl ..........


Got the vinyl backsplash for 4.00 a sheet 4x8

 

[jnjross]

you could paint it with porch floor paint,
or you can get a roll of vinyl for $15-20
that backsplash sheet is $32 here??

 

[palabeco]

After a year with osb flooring and doing the deep litter method, I decided to put down vinyl flooring. If for anything just to keep the wood floor from getting wet. Although using the dlm, everything was nice and dry when I cleaned out the coop this spring, although I did have to do some scraping, especially under the roost.. So now I am only into the third month with the new floor, and everything seems to be ok. I do think it will be easier to clean out in the fall, when I start the new season of dlm.( I clean out spring and fall)

I bought my vinyl flooring at a discount carpet store, and told the guy I wanted a cheap remnant for the chicken coop. He sold me 2 remnants marked $65 and $75 for $40 cash and no tax!! Guess he had a soft spot for chickens! LOL

 

[cajunlizz]

How many chickens do you have ? WE are building out Coop and run and I am pretty sure we will have to CLEAN out weekly . We have 34 chickens .



We are building a whole side on hinges to have FULL access to inside for cleaning .



Coop is 8x12 and RUN is 12 x20

 

[palabeco]

Quote:
Your coop is too small for 34 chickens. According to the experts here, chickens need 4 sq ft per bird.....8x12=96, 96/4=24.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Your coop is too small for 34 chickens. According to the experts here, chickens need 4 sq ft per bird.....8x12=96, 96/4=24.

ACTUALLY putting a 6 ft. cage inside the RUN , for the younger ones and THEY DONT ALL go in there at one time

 

[GallowayFarms]

If you have a run you won't have to clean weekly unless you are crazy about keeping things that clean. If you put a droppings board under your roosts your litter should stay clean. When or if your litter starts getting wet or matted down is when you need to start cleaning it out.

 

[funkychicken]

I am putting a sand box under my roost so I can scoop the poop and will use the DLM...you could just line the floor with a tarp(fastened down well of course) it would be cheep(sorry) and you can just undo it and drag all that lovely compost out!!

 

[pbjmaker]

I might use that tarp idea! I have a really large old tarp from our pontoon that has some holes in it - I could cut it into pieces!