Should I add flooring/bedding to coop floor?

[My Three Chicks]

Hi there. I have 8'×5' fully encloses walk-in coop (with a covered 8'x14' attached run). The coop floor is just plywood. Thinking I should add something on top to make it more comfortable. Worried the girls will hurt their feet jumping off top roost (30" high). Could I add the same mulch/wood chips I have in the run? Don't really want to use pine shavings (which I use in nest box) because one of my girls likes to eat it!
BTW I only have 4 girls so the floor itself stays pretty clean. I have sand in the poop tray.

 

[Yardmom]

How about straw?

 

[My Three Chicks]

How about straw?

That's a thought! I actually have a 25 lb bag of it. Just not sure if my girls will try to eat it...may give it a try with laying just a bit at first.

 

[3KillerBs]

You will need some kind of bedding. This is my system for my coops that have floors instead of dirt: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/using-deep-bedding-in-a-small-coop.76343/

Any dry organic material can be used for coop bedding.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The same chips/mulch would be fine - I also use chips since they're free and available.

 

[Percheron chick]

Before you put any bedding down, paint the floor with something like blackjack 57. Run it up the walls 6-12" (however deep you want to bed the coop). It will seal up the cracks and seams of the wood preventing bugs from setting up house by removing places to hide. It will prevent water and manure from rotting the wood floor. It will also make it easier to clean and hose out.

 

[Dusty Chicken]

I agree that the floor should be painted to protect it from water spills & chicken life! I had a dirt floor and added horse stall mats a few years ago. I have been very happy with how they have worked out. I still use pine shavings on the floor but not as heavy as before. The clean up has been easy, I highly recommend it!

 

[My Three Chicks]

I agree that the floor should be painted to protect it from water spills & chicken life! I had a dirt floor and added horse stall mats a few years ago. I have been very happy with how they have worked out. I still use pine shavings on the floor but not as heavy as before. The clean up has been easy, I highly recommend it!

So do you think I could add the horse stall mat over my plywood coop floor instead of painting it for protection. I'd like to try to avoid any kind of paint only because I know it can be toxic to the chickens especially when it's first applied.

 

[3KillerBs]

So do you think I could add the horse stall mat over my plywood coop floor instead of painting it for protection. I'd like to try to avoid any kind of paint only because I know it can be toxic to the chickens especially when it's first applied.

Personally, the floor in the Little Monitor Coop (shown in that article), is bare plywood and in excellent condition after many years.

I keep it absolutely dry in there so there's no chance of rot.

 

[My Three Chicks]

Personally, the floor in the Little Monitor Coop (shown in that article), is bare plywood and in excellent condition after many years.

I keep it absolutely dry in there so there's no chance of rot.

Thanks 3KillerBs. That was a great, extensive article BTW!