New chicken owner and coop question

[Rnbwbrite1207]

Hello Jeremy! I also live in northeast Ohio. In our run we dump all of our grass clippings and the pine shavings from the coop when we change them. The chickens mix and dig through it all as it composts down. I do this all year and then scoop it all out in the spring (till it into vegetable beds) the start over. In the winter the compost helps keep that space warm for the chickens to get outside and bugs come up through it which they love! Hope this helps and come check out the Ohio thread!

 

[chynasparks]

I took a kitty litter scoop and duct taped it to a 3 foot round stick. All I gotta do is sit on a stool and scoop while my peeps come to see what I'm doing. It's clean time/bonding time. I feed them meal worm from my hand then too. When I'm all done, I've scooped, played, and inspected my birds all at the same time. This may not work for evrrybody, but my set up is a completely 4x8x6 enclosure. I can't free range. Every time I go in to see the peeps I scoop but I really only need to every couple if days. I just do it cause I'm in there, I make the most of my tine while locked in with them. Before the coop was done I had them in one of those extra large wire dog kennels. We wired up around the black wire. What a pain that was to keep it clean. Being able to go inside and clean is so much easier and fun because I get to be with them. Maybe I'm vain, but I think they like me in there with them.

 

[Mrs Rebecca]

I would not put wood between the sand and the wire, I think the wood would probably break down quickly. I would put down some plastic or something a little sturdier than wood. I have seen where some folks who have wooden floors in their coops lay down cheap linoleum or vinyl tiles before putting sand down. Maybe a layer of small gravel or landscaping fabric would also be a good choice between the wire and the sand. I do know that heavy breed birds need to have protection from the wire because spending a lot of time with their feet on wire can be harmful.

 

[JPHJPH]

I would not put wood between the sand and the wire, I think the wood would probably break down quickly.  I would put down some plastic or something a little sturdier than wood.  I have seen where some folks who have wooden floors in their coops lay down cheap linoleum or vinyl tiles before putting sand down. Maybe a layer of small gravel or landscaping fabric would also be a good choice between the wire and the sand.  I do know that heavy breed birds need to have protection from the wire because spending a lot of time with their feet on wire can be harmful.  

Thanks! I have decided to do 12" cement pavers/tiles with sand on top. Think that will do it?

 

[Mrs Rebecca]

Thanks! I have decided to do 12" cement pavers/tiles with sand on top. Think that will do it?

I think it will. You may want to provide some kind of edging to keep the sand from running off in the rain, but you still want to allow plenty of drainage. I have found that is where sand is superior to other litters in my run. We got 2 1/2 inches of rain on Tuesday and by Wednesday morning they were able to dust bathe in the sand. Everywhere else around the coop was still muddy.

 

[mnchickenfamily]

I haven't been reading everyone else's posts, so I may be repeating what others are saying. In my experience, any bedding and sand you put in there will get tossed around and will be all over around the outside of the coop before long. That is where some type of side helps to contain the material. Personally, I would open the bottom of your run directly to the ground if you put a roof on it. Plywood may help keep the bedding dry, but mine stayed dry all winter just laying on the ground with the roof and sides. Besides, I think the birds love to get down to the actual soil when they scratch.
With the very, very cold winters that we have in MN, I turned my run into a "greenhouse" for them to live in during the winter months (it has to be monitored so they don't cook because it can actually get HOT from the sunlight), and just a regular run with a roof for the summer. I move my run weekly in the summer to fresh grass but in the winter it stayed in one spot.

 

[JPHJPH]

I haven't been reading everyone else's posts, so I may be repeating what others are saying. In my experience, any bedding and sand you put in there will get tossed around and will be all over around the outside of the coop before long. That is where some type of side helps to contain the material. Personally, I would open the bottom of your run directly to the ground if you put a roof on it. Plywood may help keep the bedding dry, but mine stayed dry all winter just laying on the ground with the roof and sides. Besides, I think the birds love to get down to the actual soil when they scratch. With the very, very cold winters that we have in MN, I turned my run into a "greenhouse" for them to live in during the winter months (it has to be monitored so they don't cook because it can actually get HOT from the sunlight), and just a regular run with a roof for the summer. I move my run weekly in the summer to fresh grass but in the winter it stayed in one spot.

Thanks for the response, I have mink in the area which dig under things ... I've got to leave the wire in the floor

 

[chynasparks]

I can understand that. If mine weren't on concrete I'd do the same thing. Originally we were going to move the coop around. We built it on the driveway and moved it to this spot with a dolly and 3 pvc pipes. I was amazed how easy it moved. But now with the sand in, I'm going to make a run. I'm in texas it's hot here. Possum raccoons hawks. Neighbors not paying attention to leash laws. Good luck with your run try sand.

 

[jetdog]

I used 2x6's to hold my sand in cheap and it works great.

 

[JPHJPH]

I used 2x6's to hold my sand in cheap and it works great.

Thanks