They are like little excavators..

[mccmeadows]

Looking for recommendations for a coop floor - wondering if we can lay rubber mats down or maybe bury some chicken wire?

We have 4 blue andalusians who we lovingly refer to as our circus girls and they are diggers. They’ve always done it outside though so it never really was a concern. I don’t know if the change in weather has made them want to stay inside, but that means their digging has moved inside. The other day they dug about a 8-12in deep trench along the 10ft wall in their coop. A bunch of ground water from outside poured in and it was like a little river, then one of them laid her egg in it..

Just hoping to find a solution that will allow a little bit of natural scratching (a good wood chip bath every now and then), but will stop any water from getting into the coop.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I would put a layer of chicken wire down and stick some straw over top of it maybe. Are they digging to dust bathe?

 

[mccmeadows]

I would put a layer of chicken wire down and stick some straw over top of it maybe. Are they digging to dust bathe?

They have a dust bath! They usually only bath in the bedding when it’s fresh. This is just digging for the fun of it it seems and it’s just 4 girls out of 24 (they were in a coop alone for a while before moving into the hen house and they loved to dig in their run, we had to beef up the perimeter a lot). They sure know how to make a mess.

The chicken wire on the ground - it won’t hurt them at all? My only thought with it was what if they scratched it up and unraveled a piece or something. I wouldn’t want it cutting their feet.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Any photos of how the coop is set up? Obviously there's a dirt floor but getting an idea of the set up would help.

I personally would not use any wire on the floor to ensure they don't cut their feet on it, or snag a toe.

If you have any trees around, I use tree branches in my run to prevent the girls from excavating too much around the perimeter.

 

[mccmeadows]

Any photos of how the coop is set up? Obviously there's a dirt floor but getting an idea of the set up would help.

I personally would not use any wire on the floor to ensure they don't cut their feet on it, or snag a toe.

If you have any trees around, I use tree branches in my run to prevent the girls from excavating too much around the perimeter.

View attachment 2933319

Actually looking for help inside a coop! We use lots of bricks, blocks and logs in the run so have no concerns with the perimeter outside, it’s more so inside as I don’t like the water getting in.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Actually looking for help inside a coop! We use lots of bricks, blocks and logs in the run so have no concerns with the perimeter outside, it’s more so inside as I don’t like the water getting in.

Very nice space you have. I think you can carry over using the logs, bricks etc to keep them from excavating right up against the wall inside the coop as well. Certainly would be easier to install compared to wire, and safer for their feet.

 

[Boise-girls]

It is a nice looking coop! I would be more concerned about addressing the ground water that poured in. Is there standing water outside the coop? It seems like that would seep in regardless of digging, just more slowly. I'd be worried about mold, stink and rotting of any wood framing at the bottom of the walls.

But, as a quick fix, I'd agree that cinder blocks, pavers, wood, etc., would be safer than wire for keeping them from digging next to the walls.

 

[mccmeadows]

It is a nice looking coop! I would be more concerned about addressing the ground water that poured in. Is there standing water outside the coop? It seems like that would seep in regardless of digging, just more slowly. I'd be worried about mold, stink and rotting of any wood framing at the bottom of the walls.

But, as a quick fix, I'd agree that cinder blocks, pavers, wood, etc., would be safer than wire for keeping them from digging next to the walls.

Thanks!! It’s just that weird weather time where it rains, snows, freezes, thaws, rains every couple days. No standing water, but the ground is definitely wet. Our barnyard is a mixture of gravel and mulch paths to help eliminate any chance of water pooling.

Those are my concerns too! Maybe we’ll try digging out and put some cinder blocks down then bedding on top of that. I like an uncluttered coop floor, so I want to stay away from logs and stuff above the bedding. There was no digging during the wet fall season and we didn’t seem to have an issue with water, just since these four moved in and started trenching. The quarantine coop we have (where they first were) has a wood floor, so like I said, they just dug outside and we never encountered this problem.

 

[mccmeadows]

Very nice space you have. I think you can carry over using the logs, bricks etc to keep them from excavating right up against the wall inside the coop as well. Certainly would be easier to install compared to wire, and safer for their feet.

Thanks! Will try to bury something that we can put the bedding on top of.

 

[aart]

Maybe we’ll try digging out and put some cinder blocks down then bedding on top of that.

I wouldn't dig down, due to the water infiltration.
Just use pavers on top of existing dirt floor inside the coop.
Tho you should really try to do something to eliminate any water outside from flowing/seeping inside.

I like an uncluttered coop floor, so I want to stay away from logs and stuff above the bedding.

You might have to bend a bit on that, neat row of pavers along the bottom of walls wouldn't look bad.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/