Litter

[Its Just Us Chickens]

Sorry to ask a dumb question, but do I have to have some sort of litter in my coop? Or is it OK to have a bare floor?
My dh and I are debating over this, so I thought I'd ask you guys

 

[maymay8]

I am not an expert in this crowd, but what little I know is that I've heard a bare nestbox can lead to cracked eggs. But I've seen lots of pics of coops with bare wood/brick/stone floors.
Best,
Maggie

 

[tackyrama]

I'm fairly new too but the concensus is litter is good. It seems like most agree that wood shavings/chips are best but straw/hay is popular too. I use wood chips I make myself - I use any kind of wood except pine, just because I don't like getting my hands full of rosin. Some people even make use of leaves. Try to use dry if you make your own chips. Green will have lots of moisture which is not good in a coop this time of year. I have a cement floor in my coop so having something on the floor is essential this time of year. If your floor is wood it may not matter so much.

I have read that 6 inches or more of litter is ideal. Don't know all the reasoning behind that. I have only a couple of inches right but plan on adding more soon. Hope this helps. By the way, WELCOME to BYC

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Litter, otherwise you could end up with leg issues due to a slippery floor, also a cleaning nightmare, the poop will get stuck nice and good on a bare floor, trust me... I have bare walls and some of the chickens roost in the windows of my coop, leaving poop lines down the wall, which are a pain to get off. Plus, the litter will help to keep them cozy in the colder months, and provide something fun to do when they can't go outside, just scatter some grain on the floor and let them at it!