What is DLM, DE, and PDZ? I'm really new. Am in planning stages of coop. I know I want linoleum floors and small area of wire. I was just told heavier birds shouldn't be on wire, why?
DLM = Deep Litter Method
DE = Diatomaceous Earth/food grade 5%
PDZ = Sweet PDZ; used for horse stalls absorbs ammonia odor
Are you doing off the ground or on the ground? Linoleum is easy clean. I use as a brooder, an enclosed 4 x 8 work table! One we used paneling which I painted with several coats of paint. The other is plywood, again several coats of paint. Found the panel floor cleans easy with Lysol Spray (every day) & DE sprinkled after. The plywood is "easier" clean with PDZ & DE. We used to keep chickens in cages, now I prefer keeping them on a flat surface.
Heavier birds as well as 'larger' meat rabbits, wire tends to "hurt" their feet. When I did meat rabbits, used 1 x 2 welded wire and there is a right side up/wrong side down. I've seen coops made with hardware cloth for the bottom, every run your hands over it? I always taught my kids, "It's good enough for animals, if it's good enough for you".
Then I had Hubby make me a Mobile Run for when chicks got older. They then graduated to being loose & would return the their brooder at night. Recently had Hubby build the above Run/Coop (dog house) which they return to now.