Mats for the coop floor?

[Seaecho]

I'm the OP. There are two of us asking questions, lol. That's fine though. I don't even have chickens yet. I am looking ahead, as I'll be getting them in February, and was just looking for something to put in the coop besides hay, because I really can't afford the shavings, and I'm allergic to pine shavings on top of that. I will have bantams, for pets only. I don't care about eggs or making more chicks. So I won't have nest boxes. My coop is only 3 feet high, 4 feet long and 2 feet deep, so yes, I wanted to use the mats on the coop floor. I will only have 3-4 pullets. I figured I'd have to take the soiled hay out at least a couple of times a week, and I wanted to avoid that, and get the mats so I could clean them well, and not have to worry about poop stink. And yes, I was planning on getting two sets.

 

[aart]

I'm the OP. There are two of us asking questions, lol. That's fine though. I don't even have chickens yet. I am looking ahead, as I'll be getting them in February, and was just looking for something to put in the coop besides hay, because I really can't afford the shavings, and I'm allergic to pine shavings on top of that. I will have bantams, for pets only. I don't care about eggs or making more chicks. So I won't have nest boxes. My coop is only 3 feet high, 4 feet long and 2 feet deep, so yes, I wanted to use the mats on the coop floor. I will only have 3-4 pullets. I figured I'd have to take the soiled hay out at least a couple of times a week, and I wanted to avoid that, and get the mats so I could clean them well, and not have to worry about poop stink. And yes, I was planning on getting two sets.

Sorry for the chatting digression.
Don't think the mats would be good for a floor, they are not really meant to be pooped on, some at least would go thru the holes in pads and have to be cleaned off the floor boards. Might think about using sand/PDZ as floor bedding, would probably work pretty good in your climate(it's an arid climate, correct?)

 

[AlleysChicks]

So what will you do about the eggs? They may lay wherever they like if no nest boxes. And you have to have a roo to have chicks.

 

[lazy gardener]

The thing with the mats is this: chickens poop A LOT. All the time. If you put mats on the coop floor, there will be fresh poops on the floor all the time. There is no way you can keep the poop cleaned up. So, you will have chickens walking through that wet poop. They will then track it into the nest boxes. And you will have a poopy mess on your eggs, and in your coop.

The purpose of the bedding is for it to absorb the moisture, and provide dry material so the poo is not a wet mess sitting on a flat surface waiting to be stepped on.

If you are allergic to pine, you could get aspen shavings, though they are more expensive. Other people use sand, and use a kitty litter scoop to scoop the poop on a regular basis. (I'll hold my opinions on that option to myself, but it works for some.) You could also use natural bedding: dried leaves, dried grass clippings.

You might also look into a poop board with PDZ. Your coop is lacking in height and space to allow for more useful methods of poo management like deep litter.

Your location would lend it'self well to deep litter management on a soil floor. Your current coop will only be big enough for 2 hens.

 

[nminusyplusm]

I saw some mats on Amazon with pretty good reviews. It's a six pack, says it will last for years, and you just rinse it off, let it dry for ten minutes, and put back in coop. It's called 6 pack washable nesting box pads. Anyone use them? Did your chickens like them? I have a coop that is small (for bantams) and I thought this would be easier to maintain than scooping out hay or shavings all the time.

I use them for nest boxes. No way would they be good for a coop floor.

 

[Seaecho]

Okay, so that idea is out. I'm so happy I have you guys to ask these things! Sand--
i have plenty of that! Can I just put my sand that is on my property in the coop? And yes, my climate is VERY arid! About eggs--I won't be keeping a roo, so don't have to worry about chicks. I was just stating that eggs are not important, and neither are chicks. Do the hens HAVE to have nesting boxes? Or can I just let them lay eggs anywhere? Will they be unhappy without nest boxes? And Lazy, I get what you mean about all the poop, and the chickens stepping in it. Makes perfect sense. I do have leaves that I can use for part of the year, but in summer I wouldn't have any leaves to use. So could I use sand in summer and leaves in winter?

 

[Killer Tomato]

I used river sand on the floor of the coop. We collected it from the creek nearby -- I love it (some people do, some don't). I only have 6 hens, and they never hang out in the coop (their choice), only to sleep. It's a snap to scoop it off the floor of the coop in the morning. I use a paint scraper, and clean the poop boards under their roosts too. Takes about 20 seconds to clean every day.

This might sound weird, but I use cut up mattress pads in their nest boxes. I started off using pine shavings, but it was messy, and they kept kicking it around, and plunking the eggs down and breaking them. I switched to the mattress pads, doubled over, and everyone really likes them. The hens don't kick them around and I don't get any more broken eggs. I can shake off the sand, and pop them in the washer too.

 

[venymae]

Okay, so that idea is out. I'm so happy I have you guys to ask these things! Sand--
i have plenty of that! Can I just put my sand that is on my property in the coop? And yes, my climate is VERY arid! About eggs--I won't be keeping a roo, so don't have to worry about chicks. I was just stating that eggs are not important, and neither are chicks. Do the hens HAVE to have nesting boxes? Or can I just let them lay eggs anywhere? Will they be unhappy without nest boxes? And Lazy, I get what you mean about all the poop, and the chickens stepping in it. Makes perfect sense. I do have leaves that I can use for part of the year, but in summer I wouldn't have any leaves to use. So could I use sand in summer and leaves in winter?

You don't have to have nesting boxes, but hens feel more comfortable when they have a safe cozy area to lay in. That being said, one of those square kitty litter buckets layed on it's side, or a milk crate would work just dandy in a convenient corner of the coop. Just one would work with the number of birds you would have.

 

[aart]

I think the main reason to have nests is to gather clean eggs.
The layers will make a 'nest' somewhere,
better if we decide where it is so we can find the eggs.
Best to have a place that's cozy, feels safe, for them and to set it up so they don't poop in it, by either sleeping there and/or perching on the edges.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I used river sand on the floor of the coop. We collected it from the creek nearby -- I love it (some people do, some don't).

I wish I could find river sand. IMO sand is the absolute best for coop and run. Quarry (crushed) sand is too dusty, but I'll probably go back to it and just keep it slightly damp. Makes poop cleanup very easy.