Thoughts On This Floor Cover For Coop???

[Chickmagnet9]

Hi. Years ago when I first got chickens, we had a dirt floor. Husband cemented it. Now, it is cracked and moisture/water come up through on rainy days. I feel these mats (see attached) may be cumbersome and not easily sterilized but I also don't want my ladies walking around in water. What do all of you do? I have seen straw, shavings, wood chips and some gravelly stuff. To me, those all seem dirty, mite-ridden and a lot more work than hosing out regularly which we do. Please give me your pros and cons of each choice you have used or experienced. We need a change. Thank you!
Chickmagnet9

 

[wamtazlady]

I think they would be uncomfortable for the chickens to walk on them. Those holes are rather large compared to the size of the chicken's foot. I have spent a night walking on those mats. They are made to keep people from slipping on a wet floor. That is why you see them behind a bar and in food service areas. Also, they are a rubber material and I would be afraid of the chickens eating them.

 

[aart]

Nothing will fix a seeping wet floor... other than fixing the floor.
Water in the coop is unacceptable....promotes mold and disease growth.

How often does the flooding/seepage happen?
How long does it take to drain away?
Is the seepage due to how rain water and runoff flow around the coop...
...and could that be fixed?

 

[SixNolans]

Hi. Years ago when I first got chickens, we had a dirt floor. Husband cemented it. Now, it is cracked and moisture/water come up through on rainy days. I feel these mats (see attached) may be cumbersome and not easily sterilized but I also don't want my ladies walking around in water. What do all of you do? I have seen straw, shavings, wood chips and some gravelly stuff. To me, those all seem dirty, mite-ridden and a lot more work than hosing out regularly which we do. Please give me your pros and cons of each choice you have used or experienced. We need a change. Thank you!
Chickmagnet9

We use heavy duty horse stall mats that do not have holes. Easy to clean.

 

[aart]

We use heavy duty horse stall mats that do not have holes. Easy to clean.

Do you clean underneath them?
Any water issues in your coop like the OP has?

 

[SixNolans]

Do you clean underneath them?
Any water issues in your coop like the OP has?

It doesn’t get messy underneath. We have screen type fencing underneath for air flow. I’ll try to get a pic for you.

 

[SixNolans]

It doesn’t get messy underneath. We have screen type fencing underneath for air flow. I’ll try to get a pic for you.

Do you clean underneath them?
Any water issues in your coop like the OP has?

Here’s pics. 1st pic is underneath with the fencing.

 

[aart]

Here’s pics. 1st pic is underneath with the fencing.

Interesting!
..and Welcome to BYC!
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[Acre4Me]

Hi. Years ago when I first got chickens, we had a dirt floor. Husband cemented it. Now, it is cracked and moisture/water come up through on rainy days. I feel these mats (see attached) may be cumbersome and not easily sterilized but I also don't want my ladies walking around in water. What do all of you do? I have seen straw, shavings, wood chips and some gravelly stuff. To me, those all seem dirty, mite-ridden and a lot more work than hosing out regularly which we do. Please give me your pros and cons of each choice you have used or experienced. We need a change. Thank you!
Chickmagnet9

Any way to divert the water away from the coop/run? Dig a trench, put in a drain, etc?

Otherwise, remove the cement. Prepare the ground properly, then pour cement. But pick the right kind of cement, and pour it thick enough.

But, the cement you have may have cracked simply due to that moisture and freeze/thaw cycles over the years. Therefore, you may want to divert water away in any case.

In the meantime, until you can fix the flooring issue, you may just want to pick a material for now (straw, shavings, etc).

You'll want to fix the cement floor in any case, other posters have had real issues when the rats found them and then burrowed under the cement, and came up into the coop due to the voids and cracking.

Good Luck.

 

[micstrachan]

How much water seeps in? One of my coop walls leaks in storms, so I pull the bedding away from that wall to dry, along with mixing in PDZ. It’s not ideal, but manageable.

Could you put a slightly raised floor on top of the concrete until you can fix it? Like lay down some 2x4’s with plywood on top? Or pallets even?