New coop and winter coop.

[brwneggs]

Hi, This is the first winter I will have chickens. We have a cement floor. What is best for them? Should I put linolium (sp) on top of it? Will the girls be ok jumping down on that?
Also, how do I clean the coop in the middle of the winter?
Thank you.

 

[sonew123]

Id put a heavy layer of shavings down on it-look up deep litter method in the search section on top about it

 

[briana1975]

Yep 6-8 inches of wood shaving. Clean out any wet bedding and add new.Turn every other day. A least that is what I do.

 

[joebryant]

You can get pine wood shavings at Tractor Supply. Several times per week, throw in some bird seed as a treat on top of the shavings, and your chickens will keep it turned by scratching to find the corn, miscellaneous seeds, and black oil seeds that fall to the bottom. That keeps 'em busy and entertained when they can't get out because of deep snow.

 

[eustacma]

hi Im new to the forum but have had animals all my life love any kind of animal except possiums they are creepy
winter is hard but cement floor is ok but on any really warm day with sun
start early and clean out wood shavings reason for cleaning out shavings is so mold does NOT build
NEVER use cedar
I tryed by just adding thing that doenst keep for weeks so any unusually warm day let it air out
and refresh it to the cement I have a 10x10 dog enclsure chicken WIRE ON TOP 2 racoons can climb
with tarp with large box i made YEP woman can use power tools
used a old shower pole to make point so snow & rain falls off

lots of hay, & place to perch for chickens linolum to pull out instead of me climbing in
up on cement blocks to let air in and 2 or three layers of chicken wire on bottom to keep
fisher kings out ferret like things that eat my chickens
locking doggy door for night time safety
My ducks on the other hand demand TONS of water
I used an old bathroom vanity and made a pointed roof on it where the vanity went

again i now have to do something with the floor POOPY ducks wow
mold building under the linolum so going to cut it out and chicken wire the hell out of it so i can rinse with hose
keep up inch or 2 off ground so you can move it to keep clean and air to circulate

When it is nice out I rinse down all poops off so i dont have fly issues with lots of germs
Im a germ freak just put in one of thoughs preform pond with water fall so it wont freeze for
winter hoping to keep ducks happy for the winter

that my experience for now 3 different ducks quacks daffy and shadow
6 aruacanas 1 roo who chases my husband

and 3 grown boys 2 corgis and 6 years learning on how to keep them safe in NE

 

[brwneggs]

Quote:
Hi, I would "PLEASE" like to addd on more to my question, if people dont mind. My father is in the middle os building the coop, and its getting cold out, and he is in a hurry to get it done- naturally... Do you put disinfectant down before the pine shavings? And [/b]bug protection- what can you recommend? [/b] Thank you very very much for all your advice!

 

[brwneggs]

What other seeds can I give them beside black oil seeds (that they can dig for in the shavings)?
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