Rubber foam mats

[Wild Hair]

I'm trying to plan a semi-perminant floor in a 16x20 greenhouse-styled shed for upwards of 50 layers. I had thought of something I can just sweep and pressure wash off and replace sections if necessary. I've found a dealer of cheap puzzle piece crossfit mats. The soft rubber would be cushion enough at first thought. I could then sweep and spray and collect to water our garden. I see it saving in the long run and hopefully avoiding bumblefoot. Thanks in advance for any advice and please, any advice is helpful.

 

[TLWR]

Are they just going to be in the house at night?
The puzzle piece style will allow stuff to get mushed at the seams and if you hose it out, will get under the mats and not really dry.
What is the floor of the house/shed? If it is wood, I'd just give it several coats of paint and leave it.

 

[Wild Hair]

They will be in there for most of the day. I'll have nest boxes set up in the back of the building filled with wood chips or something similar. Each night I would expect to let them out while I wash the pen for an hour or so in the winter and longer in the summer, adding wood chips as needed and replacing when necessary. I planned on caulking the seems of the pads so as to eliminate the drainage problem.

An all wooden floor, in my opinion, would be begging for bumblefoot. I took every precaution necessary for the birds we have now and have still had a few bumbles. They're on sand that I scoop each night with carpet on the wooden surfaces. Our cases have slowed after the carpet. Trial and error had me reconfiguring the run several times. This has led me to be very intimidated by hard surfaces.

Edit to add: the floor has yet to be built but I'm leaning towards a flowable fill pad. It's a slurry mix that cures with 100% compaction similar to sandstone

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I happen to see this https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1138548/duck-cam-in-the-coop before I read your post. It appears that Sundevill11 has been using the foam puzzle pieces. You might ask them how they like it.

 

[Wild Hair]

Wow thanks. I just wonder how it would hold up to 50 birds. I've ordered a few samples of cheaper pads. When they get here I'll try to rough em up a bit and see how well they fair.

 

[Wild Hair]

I really like the sandy floor too but I've got a sizeable flock in mind for the future and as much poop as I scoop with the twelve, I'd dread scooping up after 50+. How big is your flock?

 

[Wild Hair]

I'm just not fully picking up what you're putting down. What do you mean by poop boards and raking flat? Do you have birds in just one of those sections at a time?

We don't have the means to leave our birds out unsupervised, so they get let out each evening for a forage run while we scoop poop. On the weekends, I let them out in the mornings also.

 

[snow5164]

sorry guys ,
I'm on here so little I didn't notice the " ducks" heading , must be why I felt like we were speaking different languages...
You know Cheap and Quack!!!
I'll go back where I belong...

 

[Wild Hair]

Ok now I completely understand, thank you. I'm talking about ducks, but thanks for caring enough to chime in!

 

[Sarahsadness]

Hello I am so scared for this little duckling that my 13 year old daughter and 15 year old son found in the middle of road the poor little thing there is a man that has all kinds of pets but he said it wasnt his I think a bum stool it from the lake and was trying to take care of it I have never raised ducksI have been giving it feed just like you would give chickens but I dont think its enough for it not sure if its a female or male and it isnt colored like any ducklings I have ever saw it has two toned leg and feet its beek is dis colored about half way it is white brown and yellow but its like you took and mixed the colors like as if it was part dog lol I will send pictures we change it twice a day we having left it out at all it stays in crate in room but not all the time I make play bath time for it I dont put it it for to long I know they can drown and I also dry it alittle and softly make movements to it chests to let it know to do it fot it self it has started growing out feathers the tail is dark brown white next set then dark brown again it also dives in water very fast back and forth a few times I have thrown bugs in water so it will learn how to get them and fish too but since the frist day it came it opens its beek kinda looking like its gagging but not same time this is why I am scared for it I never heard of ducks throwing up if thats what it need to do Im not sure if they are like horses and cant throw up and I really do not have the money to take it to vet