The Old Folks Home

[pennyJo1960]

I sure wish them everything good on the journey, what a great place they
have to look forward to @Latestarter

 

[chickadoodles]

@chickadoodles
Kotap 30-ft x 30-ft Heavy-Duty 14 by 14 Cross Weave UV Blocking 10-mil Silver Poly Tarp, Item: TRS-3030
99.97

Thanks Penny. I have a very thick rubber sheet over my coop floor and over part of my run for shade it has held up wonderfully. I don't know exactly what it is but our son gave it to us for our coop floor. It's been in there since we built the coop and has even held up to us shoveling the poo out of the coop and no tears or cracks anywhere the wind has been awful at times and it has not tore up the piece over the run either.

 

[pennyJo1960]

see mine are built as geodesic domes from pvc
the one on it was two tied together there had always been a spot that leaked
now the top started where cats kept climbing on it
broke down got the new one ordered

 

[Beer can]

Thanks Penny. I have a very thick rubber sheet over my coop floor and over part of my run for shade it has held up wonderfully. I don't know exactly what it is but our son gave it to us for our coop floor. It's been in there since we built the coop and has even held up to us shoveling the poo out of the coop and no tears or cracks anywhere the wind has been awful at times and it has not tore up the piece over the run either.

Really don't know how my dad's held up on straight wood boards, maybe cause they were pine and pine rough cut has pitch and seals themselves...IDK. Maybe he painted them in creosote, I remember when I was a kid he would soak fence posts in a five gallon bucket of creosote, don't have to do that with locust, locust makes the best never rot under ground fence posts and super easy to split. His coop is still in good shape, I'm 40 now

, so his coop is almost that old. Just uses it for storage now, bet he has chickens again soon between seeing mine and youngest brothers, I can tell he wants some again.

 

[drumstick diva]

penny do the birds get enough ventilation with that covering the dome?

 

[Beer can]

see mine are built as geodesic domes from pvc
the one on it was two tied together there had always been a spot that leaked
now the top started where cats kept climbing on it
broke down got the new one ordered

Kinda like the 'hoop coops' some around here have made with cattle panels. Tarps get brittle from the sun. I think it is Harbor Freight, maybe Northern Tool has canvas tarps at a reasonable price and you will never have to replace. I have a canvas tarp for yrs from a awning for a old pop up camper, used it to cover my lawn tractor for yrs, this last summer it has been up for shade on my small coop, still looks like new.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I did deeper litter in the coop last winter. Like Alaskan...it's too cold to clean it out.
But they spray it along the walls so I find I'm bedding the center.
Used short straw last year, it was hard to clean out in the spring.
I've switched to shavings this year.
I haven't had a build up of poop yet because they insist in dusting under the roosts!

I bought a small water trough without an intended purpose; it was on an amazing sale and it just looked so handy.
I hope I can get them to "dust" in it instead of the poop.

 

[Beer can]

I did deeper litter in the coop last winter. Like Alaskan...it's too cold to clean it out.
But they spray it along the walls so I find I'm bedding the center.
Used short straw last year, it was hard to clean out in the spring.
I've switched to shavings this year.
I haven't had a build up of poop yet because they insist in dusting under the roosts!

I bought a small water trough without an intended purpose; it was on an amazing sale and it just looked so handy.
I hope I can get them to "dust" in it instead of the poop.

I'm not a authority on it, but I've found using straw, dry grass clippings, hay, doesn't work as good, holds moisture and possibly mold though I didn't have mold when using, just doesn't break down. Dry fall leaves are the best, and sawdust, I cut between one anda half to two tri-axle loads of logs for firewood a yr so sawdust is free also. Wood shavings IMHO is probably a lot better than straw. Dry tree leaves and wood shavings I'm sure or sawdust just will mix and dry much better. I only see a build up of poop under the roost when it is subzero, disappears once it warms up

 

[Beer can]

penny do the birds get enough ventilation with that covering the dome?

Good question. I think the one's I know around here that use 'hoop coops' keep the door open in winter for ventilation.? I actually am using a 10'x10' dog kennel right now for a temporary coop with the same brown tarps on two sides and a angled top. Have to do something different soon, colds a coming. I was thinking I have to eliminate a third breeding bunch, at least the cockerel. Just now had the idea of using my @vehve inspired trampoline greenhouse for a coop, don't have the $$ to build another coop right now, I think it will work!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Quote: I was not accurate. I bed all winter with no cleaning out...but once spring comes it's cleaned out throughout the warm months.
Not accurately deep litter. Sorry about that.
But yes, the straw was incredibly hard to move out. The guys had to do it for me.
It wasn't moldy and not so much wet either, which I was really pleased about. It was matted and difficult.
All we've ever used was straw for bedding, because we farm and have it.
But I moved to shavings after researching on here and so far I love it! And I can clean it!

And it's a lot easier on my joints and back in the way it absorbs the force from my movements.
Shavings seem cleaner all around, even for the chicks in the brooders. The chicks' feet stays much cleaner with shavings than with straw.