Plastic poultry flooring

[Bald Bee Man]

I was wondering if anyone here uses poultry flooring in their coops? I'm seeing some advantages. In my case I thinking maybe still having pine shavings underneath. Only issue is when they poop in the shavings they "turn it over" in time, that's good vs the poop falling through the flooring and remaining on top of the shavings.

 

[Pigpye]

I would imagine shavings are redundant if you are using plastic poultry flooring -on top it would be harder to clean and underneath im not sure why you would put underneath, I guess it would depend on your set up

 

[Bald Bee Man]

Shavings under would help the poop dry and kinda absorb. The flooring would keep them from walking in Poop in the coop. Cleaner floor SHOULD give me cleaner eggs ...
If anyone has ever worked fastfood, and are familiar with bun trays that buns are deliverd in. I have some of those and they would work great for makeshift poultry flooring..
They are lightweight and pick up easy for cleaning ...

 

[Pigpye]

Just an FYI re: cedar shavings

Are cedar shavings good for chickens?

Cedar shavings/chips give off 'fumes' that may KILL SOME POULTRY PARASITES, but they are also toxic to chickens. By themselves, they may not cause problems, but they may affect the chickens respiratory system enough to stress them and make them more susceptible to other diseases that may be around.

 

[aart]

@Bald Bee Man I think they'd be hard on the feet, especially some kind of plastic grid not made specifically for poultry.
Poultry grid flooring is meant to be hosed down to clean, and there is a system in place to handle the poopy wash water...not usually a backyard type operation.

If poopy eggs is the main issue, then other things may need to be addressed.
Are birds roosting in nests at night?


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

 

[Cryss]

I agree with @aart and encourage you to look at the dynamics of the interior of your coop rather than the floor.

Poopy eggs. Do they have a roost? If they do is it situated higher than the nests? Chickens want to sleep at the highest point they can reach. If nests are higher (or same height) than roosts they will sleep in the nests. Sounds cozy, but chickens poop while they sleep. A lot. Now your nests are poopy, your chickens have poopy butts, and your eggs are poopy.

@aart 's suggestion to use poop boards is definitely one to follow. Since I built my new coop and took this advice I don't even have poop on the coop floor which is covered in pine shavings. No more poopy shoes unless I step in it when outside in the run. (Ok, maybe I've found 3 poops on the floor in the last 2 months.) The PDZ is so easy to sift poop from while controlling odors. I have mine high enough I don't have to bend down to scoop. I scoop every morning right after the chickens go out to the run. There is no odor and I enjoy being inside the coop as they come back inside to say good morning.
If you are unable to install poop boards at least make sure the roosts are higher than the nests.

 

[Bald Bee Man]

Just an FYI re: cedar shavings

Are cedar shavings good for chickens?

Cedar shavings/chips give off 'fumes' that may KILL SOME POULTRY PARASITES, but they are also toxic to chickens. By themselves, they may not cause problems, but they may affect the chickens respiratory system enough to stress them and make them more susceptible to other diseases that may be around.

I previously said Pine not Cedar I'm not sure where you thought said Cedar

 

[Bald Bee Man]

@Bald Bee Man I think they'd be hard on the feet, especially some kind of plastic grid not made specifically for poultry.
Poultry grid flooring is meant to be hosed down to clean, and there is a system in place to handle the poopy wash water...not usually a backyard type operation.

If poopy eggs is the main issue, then other things may need to be addressed.
Are birds roosting in nests at night?


What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture

-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 5 years.

To be honest I had never heard of the flooring until about two hours before the post. I have a rollaway nest box that I cannot get them to use. Then lay in a box in the corner and only dirty when wet outside. I saw the flooring and thought the hard floor might get them to move into the nest box.
I've had chickens for 5 years, and in the past fake eggs worked like a charm. Meanwhile this summer i just switched from poop boards to poop hammocks and WOW I'll never switch back...

 

[aart]

To be honest I had never heard of the flooring until about two hours before the post. I have a rollaway nest box that I cannot get them to use. Then lay in a box in the corner and only dirty when wet outside. I saw the flooring and thought the hard floor might get them to move into the nest box.
I've had chickens for 5 years, and in the past fake eggs worked like a charm. Meanwhile this summer i just switched from poop boards to poop hammocks and WOW I'll never switch back...

You might need to put bedding in the roll way nests until they start using them,
then slowly remove bedding to be able to employ the roll function.
How long have the new roll way nests been installed?

 

[Bald Bee Man]

You might need to put bedding in the roll way nests until they start using them,
then slowly remove bedding to be able to employ the roll function.
How long have the new roll way nests been installed?

All summer new flock late spring
I have tried fake eggs , soft pine needles in the rollaway . The money I paid it's frustrating