Shavings...why?

[AZchickiepoo]

I'm pretty new at being a chickie mom, so please don't laugh at a dumb question. Why do you need to put wood shavings on the floor? We're just getting ready to build our second chicken coop. In the first one we just had a wooden floor and obviously cleaning under the roost area got kinda "piled up" and messy. We moved, and I get to start again from scratch, so this time I was planning on elevating the coop about 18" off the ground and put something like a piece of ranch fence (with openings about 2"X3" under the roost area so the poop can fall through and be raked up for compost from outside the coop. Oh yeah, and the hens will have an area of about 500'X500' fenced in to run around in and do all the scratching they want to outside. So what, exactly is the purpose of having the wood shavings on the floor?

 

[54Belair]

helps to absorb the moisture from the droopings and what they track in on their feet.
most certainly will keep the oder down.
with the deep ;litter system you will only have to clean the floor of the coop about twice a year.
added insulation.
something for the owner to do in the spring and fall.
the hens love it.

Does that help any

 

[BeckyLa]

I use it because it keeps the environment they live in clean and dry, dry being the most important. The birds will be healthier if they don't have to walk through that goop all the time coming and going from their roosts each night. They also would track that goop into their nest boxes where they lay the eggs I'm going to eat. Disease and cleanliness are the primary concerns. I also sprinkle DE on top to keep it dryer longer. If you put the wire under the roosts it will help with the nightime poop, but they also poop other places and track through it. Also, by leaving the wire open to the breezes that are under the coop it will create cold drafts in the winter. Ventilation in a coop is needed, but not cold drafts.

:

 

[CarriBrown]

Hi AZ-
Don't worry... there are no dumb questions here!
I also use the used shavings in my compost pile. Also, scooping out shavings is much easier than scraping poo!

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

I use the deep pine shavings and DE during the winter. Something SandraChick mention in a previous post was the use of Sweet PDZ and Dry stall and another poster had mention Fly Predator. I thought all these are very important to keeping a clean environment for your chickens, which products I wasn’t even aware of. I did go to the feed store and purchased a 40# bag of Sweet PDZ and am contemplating using Fly Predator for the upcoming spring/summer months. I was impressed with the Sweet PDZ, here is what I found out when I did some research and found out it is entirely safe, all natural, non-hazardous and non-toxic. It's gentle to people and animals. It can be eaten and, in fact, the mineral is used as a feed supplement for cattle and swine to improve metabolism, lessen bloating and overcome scours. Moisture does not reduce the effectiveness of Sweet PDZ. By its nature, it always carries some moisture, which is necessary to its ability to absorb ammonium in urine. It is very effectively reduces the fly population Sweet PDZ is a desiccant. Flies will not light on it nor can larva live in it. I appreciate the sharing of information and knowledge of the members of BYC . Thanks

 

[CarriBrown]

I mentioned the fly predators and I highly recommend them.
CLICK HERE
I am set up on an auto ship account. They charge my card once a month and send them to me in the mail. I have noticed a HUGE improvement in the fly situation. I don't go through as much fly spray, I don't need to put fly sheets on the horses and I've all but stopped using fly traps.

 

[AZchickiepoo]

THANKS everyone for the great answers! Now I see the light! Sounds like I better add pine shavings to my shopping list ASAP. And as for me letting the poop under their roosting area drop down to below the house, I guess I better make a lid for that during the cold months, so everyone doesn't freeze their butts off (literally)! Anyhow, thanks again everybody! I'm really glad I found this forum... and will enjoy sneaking around, learning from your collective wisdom!

 

[allen wranch]

You might think about putting some chicken wire over the cattle panels for predator control.

 

[AZChickenlover]

I noticed from your profile that you are in Northern AZ as I am. I have only been using pine shavings in the nesting boxes as a soft place for the eggs. During the monsoon season, there was no way that I could keep the coop ventilated and dry at the same time, and I was afraid of mold. I switched to sand in their cocp and it has worked great. They only spend time inside at night anyway, and on the roosts. Even their nest boxes are in our yard/run area. I still mix DE in with the sand to keep the bugs away, but I am going to look into the above fly solutions also.

BTW, I am in the Kingman area. Where are you located?