Need coop help....

[amynbrent]

I've had chickens and ducks for many years. However this is the first year I have locked all of them up for the winter...had a rough winter from hawks. They can still go out but their run is much smaller than they are use to because I only enclosed half. That's not the problem. It's inside the coop. I have to clean it every two days because they are soaking all the litter because the ducks play in the water. I have their water bowl and other waterers inside a kiddie pool so that way if they splash it goes into the pool. that doesn't work because they just jump in the pool and splash in that. I cant put the heated bowl outside because then we would have no access to fill it because the way it's enclosed. Is it the shavings I should do different? Maybe put hay down and just keep piling it top every so often. I didn't know if maybe the water would sink down to the floor and the hay would be drier on top. any help is appreciated. Once the snow hits there is no way I'm cleaning this coop every couple days and not to mention the expense of the shavings!

 

[aart]

Sounds like you need to put a door in to access the run.....unless you want to try to put dry bedding down in the coop everyday, which I don't think will really solve the problem anyway.

 

[stvcoops]

We use rubber matting you can buy at feed stores we pull it out hose it off and place back inside coop. They also sell it online

 

[amenfarm]

I've had chickens and ducks for many years. However this is the first year I have locked all of them up for the winter...had a rough winter from hawks. They can still go out but their run is much smaller than they are use to because I only enclosed half. That's not the problem. It's inside the coop. I have to clean it every two days because they are soaking all the litter because the ducks play in the water. I have their water bowl and other waterers inside a kiddie pool so that way if they splash it goes into the pool. that doesn't work because they just jump in the pool and splash in that. I cant put the heated bowl outside because then we would have no access to fill it because the way it's enclosed. Is it the shavings I should do different? Maybe put hay down and just keep piling it top every so often. I didn't know if maybe the water would sink down to the floor and the hay would be drier on top. any help is appreciated. Once the snow hits there is no way I'm cleaning this coop every couple days and not to mention the expense of the shavings!

Could you add something at the bottom of the kiddie pool for the water to drain into? Like pebbles? That way their feet remain dry, and nothing splashes out and the pebbles can be washed out too.It would take more time but you could add a drain hose to one side of the kiddie pool-an actual hole with drain line, that way you can rinse out the pool as needed and keep the water polo to a minimum. I personal would move the water part of the set-up to the run--I would be worried about mold and such inside the main coop.

 

[enola]

That much constant moisture is going to rot the flooring (if it is wood).

 

[aart]

A drain that goes from the pool right thru the floor to dump outside might work, if it was leak proof until it got outside.

 

[amenfarm]

A drain that goes from the pool right thru the floor to dump outside might work, if it was leak proof until it got outside.

I would put the drain though the wall side down at floor level, caulk in place,screen the hole to keep debris from blocking the drain, tilt the pool towards the drain,and I agree with aart--make it leak proof as possible. It will take a couple of inches of pea gravel--and with the drain should be much easier clean up.