New Coop and Pen now what?

[Glide09]

I got my forst two chickens (silkies) last week and I just got done putting together their new coop and pen. Where I have the pen the floor is all dirt, should I oput anything down? If I do it will get wet when it rains? The coop has a mesh floor, do I out anything downe inside the coop? Anything small will fall right through.

Here new the chickens would confuse me so but I still love them!

 

[patandchickens]

See the "muddy run" link in my .sig below for discussion of options for the run.

For the coop, you can't keep it open wire flooring during the winter so at least then you will need to cover it with plywood or heavy cardboard and put 4" or so of shavings or other bedding on top.

Personally I don't like wire floors except maybe if you are in Arizona or Death Valley, so I would just put the plywood down *now* and leave it that way permanently... but, you don't absolutely have to.

Good luck, have fun, welcome to BYC

,

Pat

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I have a small run attached to the hen house = coop. The small run I keep pine shavings in it and rake periodically, completely empty and put in my garden every 6 months, so deep litter method going on. There is roof over it so it stays dry (eve from shed). The larger pen is open so grass.... I'm not sure why this is so rare, I always have grass and no mud. For only a few birds I think this is why, if I had tons of birds I'd probably have mud. But the 6 of them, while they mow the grass, they dont decimate it, maybe because they also free range a few hours a day....

 

[cowman910]

wire will be good for summe rtime but in the winter you can put hay or straw down on the floor. good luck! silkies are my favorite