new coop with a dirt floor? opinions?

[oberhaslikid]

When I converted the goat shed into a coop I thought I needed a floor.I put a floor in and the rats took over under it.
After fighting it for 2 years I took it out.I scrape down to clean it out. Then cover with lime and then straw and it all goes in the compost or garden when the chickens are done with it.

 

[mstricer]

I also use deep litter method. One bag of pine shaving a week, just stir up,remove big poos and top with DE. I think it would go long if my run was done They could get out more in this weather.

 

[possumqueen]

Quote:
Drainage would depend on slope, I should think. I'm a tractor fan, myself. With a tractor you can move the girls around. That way, when the rains come, I can avoid any low areas where drainage would be a problem.

If you must be stationary you might consider digging in some slope before you build. Unless you've got heavy clay like we do here. Then maybe you could bring in a little extra dirt and build a slope, instead. It only needs to be a few inches, either way.

 

[LynneP]

Deep litter was certainly developed to be used on dirt floors...do you have any worries about rodents, especially rats, tunneling under there? I guess it would depend on whether you have enough cats to discourage that. There is also the possibility of installing layers of 1/2" gauge wire like hardware cloth on the base and building above it to prevent that. Would be interested in what others think. We're ina winter zone so having rodents tunnel in is a real threat for those with dirt floors. They come in for warmth and feed and end up biting the rears of the poultry.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Does anyone have problems with predators digging into the coop?

 

[Firemenlovechicks]

Thanks all! (Man, I LOVE THIS FORUM!!!)

I am going to go with a dirt floor. Gonna put down hardware cloth to fill in the entire bottom and and then put a couple of inches of sand and top with litter. I think the sand will allow for extra drainage if I need it. Geez...... I don't even have my birds yet and I am ALREADY sssssssssoooooooooooooooo addicted! Is there a clinic somewhere that treats this kind of addiction???

Jeff

 

[LynneP]

Poultry raising is very addictive! Jeff, when you install the hardware cloth, fold it up at the edges, staple excessively, perhaps with fencing staples, then use board on top, screwing it to the coop's interior walls. Make it impenetrable to rodents. I think you are going to have a great time because you are planning carefully.

 

[Scott]

Quote:
This is what I did when I build my chicken house.... I put down hardware cloth, then built on top of that. There is now several inches of pine shavings on top of that and the dirt floor. I put the hardware cloth down just in case anything tried to dig under the house. To date, no predator has ever got into the house or pens... and I've had the set up for 3-4 years. I do see possom and coon tracks occasionally around and on the house, but they've never got in... try though they may.

With a dirt floor, you dont have to worry about the floor rotting away in time as you do with with wood. A raised wood floor invites critters too. When I was building, I considered a dirt floor or a concrete floor. I've not regetted going with the cheaper option.