natural dirt or plastic grid floor

[plantguy90]

I'm really stuck on this big decision, so the new coop isn't really moving forward. For my run I use old chainlink dog run panels, and cover it with chicken wire. I have a 12x6 and want to make a new one 12 x 12. I'm really torn on whether natural dirt floor with bedding is better, or some old plastic grid nursery bench material. If I used the grid it would be suspended on palettes so the poop can be hosed down, but no scratching. In my short run as a chicken owner I seem to have problems keeping 4 birds healthy and happy in a 6x12 run in a relatively warm clime, although its been a wet year and the current run would get muddy.

I may be missing some but the plusses of plastic are cleanliness and possibly being able to collect the poop. But with a real floor the chickens are in a more natural setting, of being able to scratch and such...

Open to all comments and questions. thanks!

 

[turbodog]

So your thinking of placing the plastic grid stuff on top of (wood?)pallets for a floor?

If that's the case, I would think about a couple of things. One, when you wash down the plastic, it will stay damp under the pallets for a long time and if they're wooden, they'll rot eventually. Two, inside the pallets can prove to be a good place for predators, rats especially, to hide and nest.

Just a couple of thoughts.

 

[patandchickens]

Dirt is fine (if digproofed around the edges); your plastic-grid-on-pallets is going to be a NIGHTMARE of filth, rodents, and unhappy chickens, and will not offer any predatorproofing so you will still have to digproof the edges of the run/coop.

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat