Thoughts On This Floor Cover For Coop???

[SixNolans]

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[Chickmagnet9]

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.

 

[Chickmagnet9]

I don't believe the chickens can eat these mats. I was concerned about the holes and their feet too but it can't be more uncomfortable or even unhealthy than standing in watery, muddy floor during rain until we can remove current floor and replace with new foundation , right?

 

[Chickmagnet9]

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?

Yes, as stated in my original post, it happens during the rain. We clean it out regularly rain or shine. I only want something more comfortable for them until the foundation can be removed and replaced properly in spring for the very reasons you mentioned.

 

[Chickmagnet9]

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?

I sure can! That's all I want to do until spring when we can replace the foundation. Sometimes we get 1/4 inch of sludge and sometimes we get puddles. They do walk around to eat but mostly perch anyway. It probably bothers me more than them. Those knuckleheads like to walk around in the rain. What is PDZ? Also, thank you for your suggestions.

 

[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.

Yes, you nailed it. We don't have many freezes. We live in Sacramento, CA. We got gophers last spring and they stayed through summer although I think I got them all! Naturally, they burrowed directly under the foundation of the coop which is only about 8×10 ft. We certainly will be removing and replacing the foundation in spring. Can't hardly wait to see what's in the tunnels (not)! Thank you so much for your input.

 

[micstrachan]

I sure can! That's all I want to do until spring when we can replace the foundation. Sometimes we get 1/4 inch of sludge and sometimes we get puddles. They do walk around to eat but mostly perch anyway. It probably bothers me more than them. Those knuckleheads like to walk around in the rain. What is PDZ? Also, thank you for your suggestions.

PDZ is zeolite. Look for sweet PDZ, but when it’s marketed for chickens, it’s crazy expensive! I use a bag of the granular stuff meant for horse stalls. Really helps the poop dry out quicker.