/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

Need Advise on floor of coop!

Discussion in 'Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance' started by SilverFire5467, Mar 31, 2012.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Mar 31, 2012 #1
    SilverFire5467

    SilverFire5467 Out Of The Brooder

    47
    0
    24
    Aug 2, 2011
    CT
    Hey everyone so heres my situation:

    My coop was built inside an old wood shed with doors and everything, except there is no floor. For years we have just had loose dirt in the coop but this year I desparetly want to change that so that cleaning is easyer and to also keep rodents out of the coop. My idea was to cement the floor and leave drainage trenches leading outside, but have it high enough that nothing can slip under the doors. If I do this, what should I use for litter? I need to be able to hose down the inside of the coop because it is about 7 feet tall, and gets very gross. So whatever I lay on the ground needs to be easily replaced. Right now, hay seems like the best option, ideas???
     
  3. Mar 31, 2012 #2
    bnjrob

    bnjrob Overrun With Chickens

    2,342
    774
    291
    Dec 31, 2008
    North TX
    I'm thinking hay on concrete might get slippery - unless you use the really gritty/chunky concrete that has a lot of texture when it dries.

    I'm liking the pine pellets for our brooders (and we pine pellets for kitty litter boxes as well). When the pine pellets absorb moisture, they turn to sawdust. Easy to scoop and shovel. The brand I'm getting is labeled for horse stalls. You put a bunch of bags down to make a good layer, and then scoop poop as needed and add more pellets as needed.

    Have you thought about the deep litter method so there is less need to clean out the coop?
     
  5. Apr 1, 2012 #3
    SilverFire5467

    SilverFire5467 Out Of The Brooder

    47
    0
    24
    Aug 2, 2011
    CT
    I have but the cost and time seems to be too much for me. The concrete will be as gritty as I can make it, as for the pine pellets, I have also thought of that, I will have to look into it and see which I like better :)
     
  7. Apr 1, 2012 #4
    Joe.G

    Joe.G Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,410
    32
    163
    Nov 16, 2011
    Eastern NY
    Concrete sounds like a good idea to me, the smoother it is the easier to clean, the rougher it is the less slippery it'll be, Id do a mixture of hay, pine shavings and wood chips, that is what I use on mine and i like it a lot.
     
    1 person likes this.

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by