materials for coop floor

[honeyofahen]

We wonder if a 3 layer floor coop floor covering of peat moss, wood shaveings and hay would be a good idea. Our chicks will vary in age from 2 weeks to 5 weeks old?

 

[Crunchie]

Just wood shavings is fine. Peat moss is pretty unfriendly to the environment (in that they are basically strip-mining peat bogs to get it) and hay is expensive and will be messy and hard to clean (plus it molds easily when wet).

I keep a good layer of pine shavings in my indoor runs. Every so often I rake the top layer a bit, add some stall dry (DE & clay & lime) and toss down another layer of pine shavings. Once or twice a year I dig the whole thing out and start over.

 

[redoak]

Peat moss can also be on the dusty side for chicks.

 

[patandchickens]

I wouldn't mix things. Hay/straw mixed with shavings is much harder to clean poo out of than either one alone. Remember it will not stay layered, it will get all scratched together in one big Waring Blender-ized mess.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[ChcknLady]

oooh I saw somebody mention stall dry. Would that just be the regular stall dry for horses, etc...? Does it work? I use it on the horse stalls but wasn't sure if I could use it in the coop?

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Yes its the same thing. I used Stall Dry and loved it for my coop cleanings!

 

[Crunchie]

Quote:
Yep, that was me that mentioned that. Same stuff, as EweSheep has pointed out. Works great in the coop, just like it does in your stalls.