Putting plastic on cement floor

[jdennysgirl]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Again, this is such a wonderful site.
The ones of you that say not to put the coop in the shed could you go into more detail as to why I shouldn't? The shed is 8X8 and about half of it is the pumphouse side. It has been built in a room that is totally enclosed with insulated walls top to bottom on all sides. The rest of the shed has been used for storage. There is no way possible the chickens can even get in there as it is totally isolated from the rest of the shed.
Also, I will only have no more than 3 chickens.
As for the outside, the chicken run will be hosed off periodically, and the chickens will also be allowed in our yard when I am outside. I only work 15 hours a week, 3 morings a week so I have plenty of time to keep things clean. Will 3 chickens be that dirty where I can't keep things cleaned up? I don't really know since I have never had them before. Let me know, I am listening.

Also, I was gonna keep the floor filled with about 5 or 6 inches of the pine bedding on top of the plastic. Do you still think the chickens will root down to the plastic and tear it up with that much bedding?

I do like the idea of getting a utility mat that I could roll up and take outside and dispose of the dirty bedding.
Chime in and let me know what your thinking everyone. All suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[purr]

well my chickens dig 6" holes in their pine shaving just to have a dust bath in them .That's why I put the linoleum down so I can just sweep it out.

 

[Momma_Cluck]

I used a heavy-duty Utility Tarp (The blue or silver ones reinforced with threading) to line the area my Banties are in... I actually tacked it to the walls etc-- but you could probably use these in the way you are thinking of... tho I'd think it would get pretty heavy!?

 

[HennyRoo]

We have a cement floor in our coop, too. In the summer, we keep it lightly bedded with pine shavings to keep it cool and in the winter put a deeper bedding of straw down for warmth. In the summer, I clean my coop at least once a week because I don't like to see poopies, lol. I also strip it down and hose it out a few times during the summer months, too, to help keep the flies out and the smell down. I could be wrong but the girls seem to appreciate it!

I am considering putting down a layer of rubber onto the cement for ease of cleaning myself. My only concern is the slip-factor since chicken poozie is slick stuff.

 

[jdennysgirl]

Thanks you guys. Any other comments on the coop in the pumphouse?

 

[jdennysgirl]

HenneyRoo, how many chickens do you have?

 

[pdpatch]

Our laying Coop has a concrete floor and nothing under the litter. In the Chicken Barn it al has a concrete floor but it has a tendance to get moisture on it as the tempature changes. So we put 4mm plastic under it this spring. The turkeys and broiler have managed to find it under the litter and shread parts of it in all the pens.

So plastic may not work all that well.

 

[BayCityBabe]

I have 28 two mo. olds in a 12x14 shed that has a cement floor. I put an old tarp under their roost. They do make ALOT of poo (and more as they get bigger!), but I have had no problem with a wet, nasty floor. I use sweet PDZ on the cement with pine shavings on top. I clean it out completely every week or so. Because they have a large run, they are outside most of the day. With only 3 or so chickens, I cannot imagine that you'd have a problem with ruining the cement. I think that linoleum would be great, nothing at all would be fine...

 

[Momma_Cluck]

You said you use sweet PDZ on the cement with pine shavings on top...?

Can you tell me what "Sweet PDZ" is???

 

[crtrlovr]

The safety factor (falling) would be a big concern with the plastic. If it wrinkled underfoot, if the chickens shredded or tore an area under the bedding and you didn't see it, or just by putting your foot down the wrong way you could be on your back on the floor before you knew it. An inexpensive lineoleum, rubber matting, or just the shavings on top of the concrete itself (DEEP enough to keep moisture and poop off the concrete as much as possible) would be better than putting plastic over the concrete. (JMO)