Shed to coop conversion, advice needed for flooring

[LeslieKole]

Hello! I’ve read tons of old posts on the topic but am having a hard time finding similar situations to mine. Any advice is appreciated!
I have a 40 year old 9x13 shed that I am turning into a coop. The floor was completely rotten so I just got done removing that and now their is just dirt in the floor. The walls are in good shape so I believe the shed is sturdy enough to last a few more years. It was just sitting directly on the ground for who knows how long.. ive installed a rain garden about 30 ft from the shed so that should help with drainage. I live in the Midwest so have hot/humid summers and cold winters. I will be cutting holes for ventilation too since the shed currently has none. I will also create an attached run. Chickens are allowed to free range for a few hours a day but not all the time yet since I don’t trust my dogs with them.

I have a few ideas for what I should do for the floor but am having trouble deciding:
1. Install hardware cloth skirt around the shed and just use deep litter method inside. Are wood chips okay to use? I have leftover woodchips from a chip drop I received last fall so they have aged about 6 months.

2. pouring concrete along the edges of the interior walls to keep rodents out. Deep litter after this.

3. installing a new plywood floor and painting it with porch paint and just putting shavings over that. I worry that this would just lead to more rot so this is my least favorite option.


I’ve attached a few photos, dont mind the mess. I’m in the process of clearing it out!

 

[sscaria]

wood chips are fine. I like the cement idea to keep rodents out. Don't put any flooring, just leave the dirt where it is and cover it with wood chips. they'll dig around in the chips and find the dirt at the bottom. they'll like to take a little dust bath in there. that's all i've got, hope it helps

 

[Percheron chick]

What condition is the lower 1' of the shed? I'd be tempted to jack it up and put it on blocks. It would be a shame for the coop to not last another 20 years. If that's a no go, I'd just go as is. Use the dirt floor. Spread chips (not moldy) and add chickens.
You can always go back and add a skirt around the outside is you see signs of diggers.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think 1 or 2 would work fine. Guess it depends on how much of a potential rodent issue there'd be, as well as how much moisture the ground in the area gets (the concrete might help protect against excess moisture sitting against the wood walls, depending on how it's installed).

 

[LeslieKole]

What condition is the lower 1' of the shed? I'd be tempted to jack it up and put it on blocks. It would be a shame for the coop to not last another 20 years. If that's a no go, I'd just go as is. Use the dirt floor. Spread chips (not moldy) and add chickens.
You can always go back and add a skirt around the outside is you see signs of diggers.

The walls are pretty solid at the bottom. Unfortunately I don’t think jacking it up is in my current capabilities/price range. Good to know that you think wood chips are a decent option!

 

[aart]

Wonders how the floor rotted and the lower walls are not affected.

 

[3KillerBs]

1. Install hardware cloth skirt around the shed and just use deep litter method inside. Are wood chips okay to use? I have leftover woodchips from a chip drop I received last fall so they have aged about 6 months.

This would be my preferred option -- with the addition of a good anti-dig skirt. Wood chips are not merely OK, but excellent (especially in the run).

Wonders how the floor rotted and the lower walls are not affected.

Yes, I have to second this. It would be a shame to have a problem spread and undermine your project.

 

[jgarner1327]

Hello! I’ve read tons of old posts on the topic but am having a hard time finding similar situations to mine. Any advice is appreciated!
I have a 40 year old 9x13 shed that I am turning into a coop. The floor was completely rotten so I just got done removing that and now their is just dirt in the floor. The walls are in good shape so I believe the shed is sturdy enough to last a few more years. It was just sitting directly on the ground for who knows how long.. ive installed a rain garden about 30 ft from the shed so that should help with drainage. I live in the Midwest so have hot/humid summers and cold winters. I will be cutting holes for ventilation too since the shed currently has none. I will also create an attached run. Chickens are allowed to free range for a few hours a day but not all the time yet since I don’t trust my dogs with them.

I have a few ideas for what I should do for the floor but am having trouble deciding:
1. Install hardware cloth skirt around the shed and just use deep litter method inside. Are wood chips okay to use? I have leftover woodchips from a chip drop I received last fall so they have aged about 6 months.

2. pouring concrete along the edges of the interior walls to keep rodents out. Deep litter after this.

3. installing a new plywood floor and painting it with porch paint and just putting shavings over that. I worry that this would just lead to more rot so this is my least favorite option.


I’ve attached a few photos, dont mind the mess. I’m in the process of clearing it out!

Rats can dig under concrete easily, so hardware cloth is better, and bury it a foot into the ground around the whole perimeter. Also rain water might come up into the dirt floor when it rains a lot and the ground gets saturated, so instead of dirt I would hang some floor joists on metal brackets and then put down plywood, and then get a remnant of linoleum at a discount carpet store and cut it to fit to all the way to the edges, and nail it down with nails that have large flat heads. It’s very easy to sweep every day (I use a hoe to clean up the night poops every day, takes 5 minutes,) and you can even wash it if needed.

 

[3KillerBs]

Also rain water might come up into the dirt floor when it rains a lot and the ground gets saturated

If this is happening then the coop needs to be relocated to an area with better drainage.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If this is happening then the coop needs to be relocated to an area with better drainage.

Or slightly elevated, but that's a lot of extra work.