Just needing a little advice...

[LegHorn-BusHorn]

My 5 chickens are in the playhouse type coop. I have been putting straw on the dirt floor of the outside coop part and the inside part. My question is, do i need to put the straw or wood chips on the outside part of the coop? I just got done cleaning out all the straw out of the coop and dirt part and it was pretty time consuming (and hot) Should I just add more dirt to the bottom part of the dirt floor or continue w/the straw? Thanks ahead of time.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

In my opinion straw can hold moisture so I don't use it. I prefer pine shavings (horse bedding). The shavings are much more absorbent and they keep things smelling much nicer. I am sure there are those that will disagree with me but again this is just my opinion.

I have heard of people using sand too although I have never used it as a ground cover in my coops.

 

[doxpeople]

My run is diet, I just go in once or twice a week and give it a good raking to clen up the poop and loosen the dirt a bit. They seem to like it better after it has been raked because it turns up all kinds of new goodies.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

can you just rake up the poo in the dirt part??? might be an easy way to clean it

 

[ArizonaNessa]

Quote:
Did you mean "dirt"? If not then what is a "diet"run? Am I fixing to learn something new? I get so excited about new things. If it was a typo then I am so sorry I asked.

Edited to say: Oh gosh I think it was a typo and now I feel silly

 

[doxpeople]

Quote:
Did you mean "dirt"? If not then what is a "diet"run? Am I fixing to learn something new? I get so excited about new things. If it was a typo then I am so sorry I asked.

Edited to say: Oh gosh I think it was a typo and now I feel silly

Don't feel silly huge typo on my part....that's what I get for not previewing.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

It's okay. I just got too excited about having something new to create on my property.

 

[LegHorn-BusHorn]

Ok, Thanks, i think I am going to try just the diet(dirt). After I cleaned all the straw they had a great time on the dirt. Then I will rake it, I use it for compost then add some dirt with sand. What about the closed part of the coop they stay in at night? I think I need to put some bedding for easier clean-up?

 

[ArizonaNessa]

If you want to do a dirt run that is great too because they can dig around and find creepy crawlies and get to the pebbles and such for their gizzards. I still would use pine shavings inside the coop though because it makes poop clean up much easier. Another thing that you might think about inside the coop to make your life easier is a poop board. Its a board that you put under the roosts so that when they poop at night it lands on the board and you can just hose that off saving your shavings on the floor. Just remember not to use cedar!!!

 

[cmom]

My birds are seldom in their run. They are mostly in their yard. I do have the run covered with plywood. I had grass in the run but the birds have destroyed the grass and now it is just dirt. I use pine shavings in their coop.