Needing ideas and advice: Concrete floor and I already hate pine shavings

[Kabootar]

I use paddy husks, it's inexpensive/worthless, it absorbs moisture, it's light, it's compostable and it doesn't harm your birds.

 

[Morrigan]

And yeah I don't know how to secure it...before I had it up on a cinder block but I had a corner to put it in which prevented them from knocking it over.

I attach a rope to the handle of the waterer, and then attach the other end to a hook in the ceiling -- just as if you were hanging it. But, you cut the rope so it is about the same length as the distance between the handle and the ceiling, so that instead of the waterer being able to swing back-and-forth like it would if it were truly hanging, it rests on the cinder blocks. Basically the cinder block keeps the waterer from swinging, but the rope hanger keeps the birds from being able to knock the waterer off the cinder block.

I use paddy husks, it's inexpensive/worthless, it absorbs moisture, it's light, it's compostable and it doesn't harm your birds.

Those do work great when they are available. They were practically giving them away one year at my feed store one year and I loved them. But when I went back to buy more in a couple of months, they were gone. Apparently it was some kind of freak shipment/surplus.

 

[Morrigan]

I've never been able to try sand, as my door to the coop swings inwards. I can easily push it open through straw, but I sand would be difficult. I can see where sand would be easier to clean up poop from, provided it stays dry.

 

[Kabootar]

Those do work great when they are available. They were practically giving them away one year at my feed store one year and I loved them
[/QUOTE]

They are seasonal, because we need to dehull the rice before dry and scorching heat of Indian summer. The dry weather causes the rice grains to break in the process. So we buy/gather the hulls from the mills in bulk. I myself cultivate paddy, but we do not mill them anymore.

 

[EggWalrus]

Put down a few bales of pine straw. It doesn't track into your house or stick to shoes, birds seem to like it, has a nice smell to mask the poo smell too. Since it keeps the poo off concrete, poo dries before falling thru the straw. Just add a bale per month. Once a year push it all out with a broom or rake. Pine straw is also very absorbent and should stay dry and non-stinky.
Plus it feels great to walk on.

 

[hayley3]

Sure, you can use dirt. With the concrete floor, you have protection from runoff making a soggy mess of things, and since it was built as a garage, it should be sloped to allow drainage out the big door. I would capitalize on that when building, leaving an outlet for any water that does accumulate from spills.

A chicken has a nictitating membrane that comes up to protect against dirt and sand getting in their eyes. Sand is no more likely to get in their eyes than dirt. Some folks have a severe bias against sand and can give you many reasons why it's evil. Most of these folks have never tried it. Those of us who have, love it. I take off my chicken footwear before I go into my house so tracking in sand isn't an issue.

But it's your choice. I think you have an exciting project, and I think you should take your time and design it to the max. With that much space and solid structure to work with, you can end up with a wonderful home for chickens. I recommend partitions in the run to include areas for a "jail" to contain behavior problems, and a space for brooding and growing out baby chicks. A run that is broken up into spaces is more conducive to a peaceful flock.

I think I would like dirt because that's what I've always had and the chickens love it.... I do want to make partitions....someplace for babies so they can been seen but not pecked...and I'd also like to separate the goose from the chickens the same way, plus she gets their water dirty.

We take off our shoes at the entry point. We have one of those mud room rubber pads but for some reason the shavings are even in my kitchen. LOL

Appreciate your enthusiasm. I was a bit bummed at first about the concrete. I have to learn how to bolt down 2x4's into concrete so I can make them rooms.

 

[hayley3]

I use straw in my coop, works great! I would advise against sand as bedding only because your'e floor is concrete and come spring time your floor will most likely sweat and carrying heavy wet sand is no fun task at all.

Straw is very expensive here...$7 a bale

 

[hayley3]

I use paddy husks, it's inexpensive/worthless, it absorbs moisture, it's light, it's compostable and it doesn't harm your birds.

Sorry, what's a paddy?

 

[hayley3]

I've never been able to try sand, as my door to the coop swings inwards. I can easily push it open through straw, but I sand would be difficult. I can see where sand would be easier to clean up poop from, provided it stays dry.

My door swings inward too...that's something to think about.

 

[hayley3]

Put down a few bales of pine straw. It doesn't track into your house or stick to shoes, birds seem to like it, has a nice smell to mask the poo smell too. Since it keeps the poo off concrete, poo dries before falling thru the straw. Just add a bale per month. Once a year push it all out with a broom or rake. Pine straw is also very absorbent and should stay dry and non-stinky.
Plus it feels great to walk on.

Where do you get pine straw? Now I wonder what is regular straw...