Just put a floor in the coop, temps going down down down

[RenoHuskerDu]

Our coop is a double-axle utility trailer that was converted to house up to 300 broilers. We only have 20 in there. The floor is wire, so the poop falls thru, with a little raking.

But the poop doesn't dry well in winter. A few of our birds have respiratory issues, we're having to treat them, so I decided to close off the floor for the winter. 4 sheets of OSB, a sawzall, a bale of pine shavings, and it's done. I put in the water heater too.

Just in time. It was 68° when I got the OSB and 41° an hour later when I started cutting. Now we have 31° and freezing rain. Weatherman says we're visiting the 20s soon. If it's that cold in Texas, y'all up north are probably shivering your timbers, as it were.

I bet our chickens are happy now. If only they could talk.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have two coops no floors one with but they sit on the ground shovel does wonders
yes

 

[trumpeting_angel]

One advantage of the cold: it’s so much easier to pick up frozen poops!

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

One advantage of the cold: it’s so much easier to pick up frozen poops!

Every cloud has a poopy lining ...

 

[Manhen]

Every cloud has a poopy lining ...

o please please help me....

 

[Alaskan]

Sounds good, since air coming up from the floor isn't good in the winter...

But since you said the poop doesn't tend to dry, and since you said a few have respiratory issues.....

Are you sure you have enough ventilation?

One huge wire wall would be great.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Good point, @Alaskan ! Absorbed in the floor-building, that went right by me. With the wire floor gone, there will be even less ventilation.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

There is one open wall on top. We'll be a-shoveling, fer shure.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

There is one open wall on top. We'll be a-shoveling, fer shure.

It’s hard to tell from the photo. But if the area under the roof is the only ventilation, it’s probably not enough. Aim for 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird. as long as it’s well above their heads when they roost, it won’t hurt them at all. If it’s only on one side, that limits the air exchange.

Ventilation is key for healthy birds in hot and cold weather.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

There are gaps all around the thing. Imagine turning a utility trailer into a coop, using recycled paneling, rancher style. And we didn't seal the floor off, left 1" gaps around.