Please help me with my hen house floor!!

[JessieSD]

I'm a newbie and am just finishing up the coop for my 4 & 5 weeks gals to start hanging out in during the day. The hen house floor is chicken wire so the dropping fall through onto the floor of the run below. They can't walk on chicken wire right?? Wouldn't they get stuck or possibly injure their legs and feet?

What is the best material to lay over the wire?? Hay...straw??

Pardon the ridiculousness if this question for all you chicken pros.

Here's a photo

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Raccoons can tear through chicken wire as if it isn't there. I would put a plywood floor down and put some sand in there, about 2-3 inches. Use a kitty litter scoop to keep it clean daily. Wear a mask.

That is what I would do.

There is a "got sand you should" thread you may enjoy if you are interested in sand. Sand is very heavy so make it sturdy if you go that route!

You can go the pine shavings route over plywood too, but then you are throwing out a lot of shavings.

 

[JessieSD]

I wasn't very clear in my first post. So the whole coop and run is going to be covered in hardware cloth for predator protection. The only place I have the wire is the floor of the hen house where they will go at night to roost and to nest. I'm just wondering what to put over the wire so they their legs don't fall through.

Here's a picture for a better idea of what I have going on.....

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I wasn't very clear in my first post. So the whole coop and run is going to be covered in hardware cloth for predator protection. The only place I have the wire is the floor of the hen house where they will go at night to roost and to nest. I'm just wondering what to put over the wire so they their legs don't fall through.

Here's a picture for a better idea of what I have going on.....

Oh OK.

You definitely don't want them walking on the wire since it can lead to bumblefoot if they get little nicks and scratches on their feet.